Approach
Our work focuses on strengthening how institutions support students and how student success and well-being decisions are made. We do this by integrating data across systems, supporting implementation, and developing and testing new approaches that improve student success, well-being, and workforce readiness.
These areas represent our current focus and reflect a subset of our broader portfolio of work.
Strengthening Institutional Insight and Decision-Making
Operation Insights
Operation Insights integrates student touchpoint data across units to improve visibility, strengthen coordination, and enable more informed decision-making. This work establishes the foundational infrastructure for UCF to become an AI-ready institution, ensuring that data is accessible, connected, and positioned to support advanced analytics and AI-driven applications.
Student Thriving
Our Student Thriving work is grounded in UCF’s BEAM framework—Belonging, Engaging, Achieving, and Meaning. We integrate data, assessment, and program design to help the institution better understand and support the full student experience, connecting well-being and academic success.
Developing and Testing New Student-Facing Approaches
AI-Enhanced Student Support
We design and implement AI-enabled tools that improve access to information and increase student engagement. This includes institution-wide chatbot strategy, course-level chatbots through the TEACH ME initiative in gateway math and English, and the CECS academic chatbot as an early application of generative AI in STEM courses. This work is supported by national partnerships and has secured over $1.6 million in grant funding.
National Work-Integrated Learning Accelerator
UCF is one of eight institutions selected for the inaugural cohort of the National Work-Integrated Learning Accelerator. This initiative expands access to workforce-aligned learning experiences that prepare students for career success while strengthening partnerships between higher education and employers. The work is supported by national collaboration and includes $150,000 in grant funding.
Work+
Work+ integrates employment and academic experiences to support student success and workforce readiness. This work combines student-facing innovation with staff development and is supported through national partnership with Arizona State University.
Academic Accelerator Program
The Academic Accelerator Program provides structured support to help students maintain academic momentum after DFW-ing in a critical course, with a current focus on STEM disciplines. This work is supported through national partnership with the University Innovation Alliance and reflects a targeted approach to improving academic recovery and student progression.