How Gonzaga University Uses AI Agents To Deliver A Personalized Recruiting Experience

More than just about improving employee productivity and streamlining operations, AI agents can help organizations deliver more personalized experiences to increasingly tailored audiences.

At Gonzaga University, AI agents are overhauling recruitment efforts, according to Chief Information Security Officer Darren Owsley. The technology is helping the institution better identify potential applicants, as well as connect with them in more engaging ways. It’s just one example of how AI agents can transform the ways Gonzaga University and other colleges communicate with all their stakeholders: future students, current enrollees, and alumni.

A big challenge is “how can we recruit students that fit our Gonzaga model, interact and get them to see the benefits of coming to Gonzaga?,” he told TheCube at the recent World of Workato.

Gonzaga kick-started its AI journey in the IT department. Darren, who also services as deputy chief information officer, brought together a diverse team, including students, and security and business analysts. They built an IT Genie that automates routine tasks, like password resets and ticketing.

“We wanted to eat our own dog food,” he said. “Quickly what we found was everyone was so excited, the scope bursted.”

But while enthusiasm for AI is high among both the faculty and student body, the road to adoption wasn’t seamless. Like other institutions, Gonzaga University saw its IT environment balloon into the hundreds of applications during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.