Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live, work and learn — and AI in higher education is adapting in tandem with this historic innovation. At Marshall University, we view AI as an opportunity to open new doors for our students and faculty. Simply put, it’s about helping people do their best work in a manner that is more productive, secure, ethical and inclusive.
We’re focused on using AI to support learning, make teaching more effective and create better experiences across campus. In this post, we’ll share how Marshall is approaching AI in education with care, curiosity and a student-first mindset, along with insights from the faculty and researchers leading this important work.
Marshall University’s AI Vision
At Marshall, we’re not just preparing for the future of AI, we’re helping to shape it.
Our vision is to become a leader in innovation and academic excellence, using the power of AI to create new opportunities for students, faculty and researchers. For us, AI is here to unlock the potential of human effort.
“We are committed to fostering an environment where AI-driven solutions can thrive, providing opportunities for academic excellence and technological advancement,” said Marshall University Chief Information Officer Jodie Penrod of the university’s Presidential AI Task Force and subsequent efforts. “Together, we are paving the way for a future where AI not only supports but also inspires creativity, critical thinking and collaboration across all disciplines.”
Building a Supportive AI Community
AI innovation starts by making spaces for students, faculty and staff to explore AI, connect, share ideas and try new things in a supportive environment. Here are some of the key initiatives behind our vision of higher education AI:
- AI microcredentials and upskilling opportunities to help students, faculty and staff build AI confidence and capability
- Innovation challenges offering hands-on opportunities for experimentation
- Strategic pilots to explore how AI can improve teaching, learning, and student outcomes
To enhance this type of learning and experiences across campus, the university is:
- Offering regular office hours and workshops to answer questions and share best practices
- Launching new partnerships with platforms like Coursera and Microsoft CoPilot to develop practical AI skills
Marshall is focused on helping students and faculty use AI thoughtfully and responsibly, always with the individual student’s success in mind.
AI Projects and Programs at Marshall University
Marshall University has vastly expanded its AI training programs and upskilling opportunities in recent years. Through the combined efforts of Marshall IT and the Presidential AI Task Force, students, faculty and staff have access to free, hands-on training designed to help them use AI tools effectively and confidently.
Here’s a highlight of a few of our initiatives and offerings:
- We’re proud to offer AI microcredentials, available through the Marshall Skills Exchange and partnerships with Coursera. These programs are helping participants build core AI literacy and develop practical skills that can be applied both in and out of the classroom.
- Marshall regularly hosts interactive workshops, like AI Lunch & Learn: Prompt Power, where students, faculty and staff can sharpen their prompt engineering skills and explore emerging AI platforms, including Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Gemini and ChatGPT.
- To further support teaching and learning, Marshall has integrated AI-powered tools directly into campus systems:
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- Blackboard AI Design Assistant helps instructors quickly build content outlines, assessments, rubrics, image sourcing and even AI-facilitated role-play exercises.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat & Pro and Adobe Firefly/Express make it easier for faculty, staff and students to streamline content creation, data analysis, scheduling and design work inside the tools they already use.
Looking ahead, Marshall is piloting innovative AI solutions to find new ways we can support our students, faculty and staff. One such initiative is AI-driven advising with Amazon Web Services, which is currently being tested to help personalize re-entry pathways and engagement strategies, particularly for students returning to the university.
Throughout these initiatives, Marshall is committed to the ethical and environmental use of AI. The university provides faculty with clear, customizable syllabus language that outlines when and how AI can be used in their courses — ranging from “no AI” to “open AI use with attribution.”
This guidance helps students navigate AI use with confidence. The AI Task Force allows students to ask important questions about privacy, academic honesty and responsible AI practices.
By combining training, practical tools and thoughtful policies, Marshall is building an AI-powered learning environment that’s accessible, responsible and designed to support every student’s success.
Expert Insights and Predictions from Marshall University Faculty
Faculty and researchers recognize AI as a powerful tool to transform learning, teaching and the student experience. When used responsibly, AI has the potential to make higher education more personal, efficient and accessible.
We know there are some big questions about what AI’s role in education will be and how it can and should be used. While we can’t predict the future, here are our insights about how Marshall is preparing to meet the moment.
How Will AI Transform Higher Education?
Our faculty predict that personalized learning will become a key part of the student journey, with AI-powered tools adapting to individual learning styles and pacing. Intelligent tutoring systems, like Marshall’s pilot of Khanmigo, will offer students real-time support inside and outside the classroom.
AI is also expected to streamline grading and feedback, providing instructors more time to focus on teaching. Automated assessments can deliver faster, more personalized feedback to help students grow.
Marshall’s experts are carefully considering challenges like privacy, plagiarism, bias and how to ensure equity. There’s a strong focus on using ethical, approved tools that protect institutional data and respect student privacy. Faculty are working to build clear, course-specific guidelines that help students confidently use AI while upholding academic honesty.
What Is the Future of Curriculum and Research?
Looking ahead, faculty predict AI will help shape curriculum development, content creation and administrative support. AI can assist in identifying learning gaps, suggesting course improvements and automating tasks like scheduling and student services. These applications will free up time for faculty and staff to focus on student success.
In particular, look for greater opportunities for AI-driven data analysis. Dr. Jodie Penrod explains, “At the very beginning, when AI first came out, it really didn’t do math very well. Even today, there’s still room for improvement in how it can run statistical analysis. But, I think as we continue to develop and refine AI, we’re going to see massive improvements in data research — specifically the ability to process information at a much faster rate.”
What Is Marshall’s Big-Picture Approach?
Marshall’s vision aligns with national trends in higher education: thoughtful, student-first AI integration backed by strong ethical guardrails. But, beyond combining training, clear policies and practical tools, Marshall’s approach is to be open to anyone who is passionate about the possibilities of AI, both within and outside the university.
“We have champions in the university like Dr. Eric Beeson,” explains Dr. Penrod. “He is in our counseling department and from a programmatic academic program standpoint, he’s doing a lot of work with generative AI and is working with our technology partners to do pilots. Of course, there’s also Dr. Shawn Schulenberg, who’s the president of our AI task force, who has created an AI agent to help him prepare a curriculum guide.”
“Really, anybody at Marshall University or in the community who has an idea about how they could use AI, we’re open to it. There are so many opportunities just for tech automation in general, even if it’s not explicitly an AI solution, we have so many tools at our fingertips that we can use to automate things. If you have an idea or a use case that we can talk about, reach out and let us know because we’re excited to work toward that with you.”
The Future Starts Here
Through hands-on training, practical tools and thoughtful policies, Marshall is helping students, faculty and researchers use AI to unlock new opportunities, personalize learning and prepare for what’s next.
The big takeaway? We’re here to ensure that AI is used to support you. It’s a tool to help you grow, work smarter and build skills that matter.
What’s next? See where education and AI is going on Marshall’s AI website, where you can explore programs, projects and upcoming events. You’ll also find resources and ways to connect with the faculty experts who are guiding this exciting work.
Start your AI journey today.