Removing Barriers at Scale: AI, Access, and the Future of the Student Journey with Marina Aminy

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with Dr. Marina Aminy, Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director of the California Virtual Campus, to explore how AI and system-level thinking can expand access and improve outcomes for millions of students.At the heart of the conversation is a simple but powerful idea: keep the student as the “north star.” Marina shares how the California Virtual Campus enables course sharing across 116 colleges, helping students stay on track and graduate faster. From there, the discussion moves into how AI can reduce the friction points that often slow students down—streamlining processes like transcript evaluation, prerequisite verification, and administrative workflows.The episode also highlights a broader shift in education—from static assignments to dynamic, higher-order thinking. As AI changes what students can produce, Marina emphasizes the need to focus on authentic voice, critical evaluation, and real decision-making. For institutional leaders, this conversation offers a clear lens on how to design systems that are more collaborative, more efficient, and ultimately more centered on student success.