Navigating Content and Resources at Georgetown with AI

Objectives

The 2023-2024 academic year saw the launch of the IPAI Project AI Dean Assistant, an innovative, multiphase final project designed to enhance students’ experiences with course registration, academic planning, and access to school resources. Led by Norman Wang and Jessica Dong, the project focused on automating key advising functions, including academic counseling, information on health resources, and global advisory. 

The first data collection step included gaining access to past student profiles and comments from deans and students to benchmark course selection. Additionally, the project included information on often-overlooked mental health resources, such as partnerships with OneMedical and international student support programs. The second step involved developing a Python-based prototype to generate course recommendations, which was then linked to a broader database of major, minor, and core requirements through school platform APIs. This integration enabled the final product: a responsive, AI-driven advising assistant that can interpret complex user inputs and provide tailored recommendations.

Outcomes

The IPAI Project AI Dean Assistant enabled a more efficient, personalized approach to student counseling, allowing for academic guidance that factors in major requirements, prior coursework, and individual academic goals. This level of customization would take a lot of work to achieve manually at scale. In addition, this AI model can be used to provide relevant and up-to-date information and advisory on health resources and global experiences, advancing student awareness of these resources. The user-friendly, conversational interface also contributes to the accessibility of these resources. 

By working on a real-world AI project, Wang and Dong gained hands-on experience in applying generative AI to solve practical problems in education and student services. This direct engagement deepened their understanding of how AI can be used to automate and personalize complex processes. The project also prompted critical discussions around data privacy, security, and the ethical use of AI in student services. 

These students reflected on how AI may transform academic advising and potentially lead to personalized, AI-driven education assistants that provide real-time feedback and guidance. With data-driven decision-making and flexible, adaptive learning pathways, projects like the AI Dean Assistant highlight AI’s capacity to make education more inclusive and responsive to diverse student needs.

Team