Navigating Challenges & Opportunities in Higher Ed Technology

Welcome to June's edition of the EdTech Connect Newsletter! As we reach the midpoint of 2025, higher education finds itself balancing unprecedented opportunities with complex challenges—from federal policy shifts affecting international students to emerging security threats, while institutions continue pushing the boundaries of AI integration and student engagement technology.

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The Harvard Canary in the Innovation Coal Mine by Jeff Dillon

On May 22, 7,000 international students at Harvard University became pawns in a political game that threatens to undermine America's greatest competitive advantage.

The Trump administration revoked Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students, citing concerns about "anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators" on campus. Within 24 hours, a federal judge granted Harvard's request for a temporary restraining order, blocking the ban's implementation. While this legal victory provides temporary relief, the broader implications extend far beyond one university's battle with Washington.

How Bridgewater State University is expanding student engagement and success 

Bridgewater State University is enhancing the student experience by bringing academic, social, and organizational resources into one centralized platform, accessible on both web and mobile. Students are introduced to Ready Campus, built on the industry-leading CampusGroups student engagement platform, as early as orientation, helping them develop consistent habits throughout their experience. Features like the class roster, allowing students to see who is in their classes before the semester starts, are especially helpful for first-year students. 

Bridgewater’s commuter-heavy student population primarily uses the platform for academics, such as checking grades and upcoming due dates, and for event registration. However, its impact extends well beyond academics, fostering a sense of belonging and well-being outside the classroom connecting students to campus organizations, job opportunities, and peer communities. First-year students use it as an entry point for orientation, while graduating students leverage it for resources such as cap and gown requests, financial aid assistance, and post-graduation success workshops.



The platform’s analytics capabilities have also been a game-changer, enabling the Bridgewater State team to proactively send targeted messages to less engaged students to encourage involvement. 

Read more about how Ready Campus has helped to transform student engagement at Bridgewater State University.

Breaking Through Rural Healthcare Education Barriers with Cutting-Edge Video Technology

Southeast Community College (SCC) in Nebraska has adopted a technology-centric strategy to increase access to healthcare education across a geographically dispersed, primarily rural 15-county service area. Central to this approach is the use of simulation-based learning and the VALT (Video Audio Learning Tool) platform developed by Intelligent Video Solutions (IVS).

SCC’s integration of VALT into both urban and rural health sciences sites—alongside mobile simulation units and remote learning technologies—has enabled students in underserved regions to engage in clinically relevant experiences without needing to relocate or commute long distances. This case study outlines how SCC applies infrastructure investment, faculty engagement, and strategic use of video technology to support students historically excluded from healthcare education due to distance, limited digital access, or socioeconomic barriers. 

Providing high-quality educational experiences in rural regions presents persistent challenges. Nearly one in five Americans live in rural areas, yet many of these communities face provider shortages, hospital closures, and limited educational infrastructure.

In Nebraska, Southeast Community College (SCC) operates within this context, serving a region that spans 15 counties, many of which have experienced healthcare staffing crises. “Hospitals and facilities are closing just out of funding… and staffing needs,” said Jill Sand, Dean of Health Sciences at SCC. In response, SCC has implemented a technology-enabled strategy, combining video-enhanced simulation, network-based access, and mobile learning environments to deliver training across diverse community settings.

Latest Podcast Episodes



5/16 Breaking Silos and Building AI at Arizona State University with Gemma Garcia: Gemma Garcia discusses ASU's principled AI innovation approach, scaling technology solutions for 130,000 learners, faculty support strategies, and breaking down silos through collaborative learning communities.

5/23 Artificial Intelligence Will Transform How We Learn and Teach Forever with Sasha Sidorkin: Dr. Sasha Sidorkin, Sacramento State's Chief AI Officer, explores AI's transformative educational impact, debunking myths about replacing teachers while discussing practical classroom applications as an "AI realist."

5/30 How AI Will Redefine Learning in the Next Decade with Jennie Wong: Slalom's Jennie Wong presents her AI framework using car metaphors, discusses data strategy for higher education, overcoming overwhelm in AI adoption, and successful fundraising implementations.

6/6 Keeping 100 Editors in Sync: Jill Whitaker on Running a University Website: Southern Utah University's Jill Whitaker shares strategies for managing 100+ content editors, digital governance approaches, accessibility compliance tactics, and balancing immediate needs with long-term planning.

Can AI Bring us closer to Prospective Students

AI tools can enhance college enrollment by personalizing student outreach, creating tailored content, and freeing staff time for relationship-building rather than replacing human connection in admissions work. Source: Chronicle.com

Practical Use Cases for Learning with VR

Colleges integrate VR into curricula for immersive learning, including criminal justice mock trials, biology labs, art therapy environments, supply chain management, and campus exploration experiences to enhance student engagement.

Source: Inside Higher Ed

California Community Colleges Battle Against the Bots

California community colleges are fighting "ghost students"—bots that fraudulently enroll online to steal financial aid funds, with 25% of applicants potentially fake, costing millions annually. Source: Inside Higher Ed

Welcome to Campus. Here’s Your ChatGPT.

OpenAI plans to embed ChatGPT throughout college campuses as "AI-native universities," offering personalized AI assistants, tutoring bots, and career services to millions of students nationwide. Source: New York Times

eduWeb Summit 2025

• Date: July 15-17
• Location: Portland, Maine
• Focus: Digital & Web, Enrollment Growth, Data Insights, Strategy & Planning
• Website: https://www.eduwebsummit.com

HighEdWeb (Digital Collegium)

• Date: September 28-October 1, 2025
• Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan + Online (Hybrid)
• Focus: Digital marketing, web development, social media, content strategy for higher education
• Website: https://events.digicol.org/digicol25/

EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2025

• Date: October 27-30, 2025 (in-person) + November 12-13, 2025 (online)
• Location: Nashville, Tennessee
• Focus: Higher education technology with marketing technology applications
• Website: https://events.educause.edu/annual-conference/2025

AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education 2025

• Date: November 9-12, 2025
• Location: National Harbor, MD
• Focus: Premier event for higher education marketers with peer-reviewed content on branding, enrollment strategies, and marketing best practices
• Website: https://www.ama.org/events/conference/2025-ama-symposium-for-the-marketing-of-higher-education/

Highlighting EdTech Connects trending innovative technology companies transforming the higher education landscape

BoodleBox (Generative Ai): Provides FERPA-compliant collaborative AI platform for faculty and students, enabling ethical GenAI integration, content creation, assessment tools, and responsible AI collaboration in classrooms.

Bandwango (Admissions & Enrollment): Creates mobile passport experiences for campus visits, combining local businesses and attractions to boost prospective student engagement, application completion, and enrollment retention.

Campus ESP (Digital Experience & Content): All-in-one family engagement platform helping institutions share personalized content with parents via web, mobile, email, and text messaging for improved student success.

Loper (Academic Advising): Supports admissions and enrollment teams by providing personalized college matching tools, application tracking systems, deadline management, and streamlined recruitment workflow solutions for institutions.

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