Using AI to Strengthen Student Relationships

Artificial intelligence is moving so quickly that it can feel hard to know what's useful, what's hype, and what's actually worth bringing into the work we do with students. But one of the most important questions may not be what AI can do. It may be whether it helps us create more meaningful human connection, or quietly pulls us further away from it. My guest today is Chadd Engel from Waubonsee Community College. Chadd brings a thoughtful perspective shaped by his work in K-12, career pathways, computer science advocacy, and AI in community college instruction. He has spent years thinking about how education can help students move toward opportunity, and now he's helping institutions think through how AI fits into that bigger picture. We talk about how higher ed leaders can filter through the noise around AI and focus on use cases that actually support student success. Chadd shares why AI should be used to raise the quality of our work first, not simply reduce time on task, and how that saved time can be reinvested into more student-centered conversations. At the heart of this conversation is the idea that technology should help us see students more clearly, support them more personally, and build stronger relationships across the institution. Show Notes: [02:54] Chadd Engel shares how his work in education began in K-12 and grew into career pathway experiences designed to help students move toward living-wage opportunities. [05:23] Personal details can make a big difference in student support, and Chadd explains how AI can help advisors remember meaningful connection points across large caseloads. [08:30] We shift into the cultural and operational hurdles that can slow AI adoption in higher education, especially when new tools are introduced without clear purpose or context. [11:49] Concerns about surveillance, accuracy, and replacement are real, but the conversation also explores how AI can increase capacity when it is treated as a tool instead of a substitute for human expertise. [13:03] Chadd introduces the dialogue model and explains why curiosity, listening, and open-ended questions are more useful than trying to dominate conversations about AI. [15:27] Rather than focusing only on saving time, Chadd encourages leaders to use AI first to raise the quality of their work and then reinvest any saved time into human connection. [18:37] A simple social media example shows how technology can either isolate people or become a shared experience that opens the door to conversation. [21:45] One practical AI use case is using publicly available program and pathway information to support advising conversations in real time. [24:24] Chadd frames AI adoption as institutional upskilling and suggests building momentum through grassroots sharing, curiosity, and ongoing dialogue. [26:09] A strong guiding principle emerges: if an AI use case leads to more human-to-human interaction, it is worth exploring, and if it reduces connection, it deserves closer scrutiny. [27:21] The conversation turns to the future of AI translation tools and how they may help students learn, communicate, and receive support in their first language. [28:05] Chadd closes by emphasizing that the future of AI in higher education is not just about smarter systems, but stronger human relationships. Links and Resources: Civitas Learning Chadd Engel - Waubonsee Community College Waubonsee Connection Spans Generations in the Engel Family