The University of Findlay is pioneering a new era of campus engagement with the launch of Daphne, an AI-powered avatar who will connect with UF alumni, friends, and community members.

“We are proud to be a leader in the digital landscape of higher education and fundraising through our new virtual engagement officer (VEO),” President Katherine Fell, Ph.D., said. “Daphne’s role will be helpful in connecting with Oilers while expanding our University Advancement office’s capabilities as they continue to set philanthropic milestones.”

Ken McIntyre Jr., vice president of University advancement, said Daphne will interact with alumni and friends through email and text messages by sharing information on events, engagement opportunities, and other areas of the University.

“Daphne will serve as a concierge to provide positive engagement experiences,” he said. “Our goal is to strengthen connections in a creative way within our network of more than 30,000 UF alumni around the world. Daphne is a resource for a broader base of Oiler supporters to learn more about the work being done at Findlay and how that intersects with their own passions and interests.”

The University partnered with Givzey, a Boston-based startup focused on nonprofit solutions, to apply cutting-edge technology to generate the customized VEO for Findlay. Givzey has worked with more than 80 universities, hospitals, and other non-profits nationwide to develop VEOs that serve the social good.

“We understand this is a tech-saturated world, and so this is not technology for the sake of efficiency – it is technology in service of the mission,” McIntyre said.

President Fell noted that integrating artificial intelligence into UF’s development work blends well with the AI focus of many UF courses and research projects in which students are harnessing the power of AI to benefit the community and society as a whole.

“We have students analyzing how AI can improve health care safety for patients, how to use it to treat amnesia, and for the early detection of diabetes,” she explained. “In another course, students studied the role of blockchain technology to secure electronic health records against cyber threats. And a group of our computer science students worked with local high school students to help them better understand the ethics of how and when to use AI.”

“Just as our students are learning daily how to leverage AI tools that they will use in their careers in a responsible, ethical manner, it is fitting that the University’s efforts to increase the level of engagement with our alumni across the nation should also be employing the best practices.”

For more information about this fundraising approach leveraging AI, to hear from Daphne, or to opt-in to communication from her, visit Findlay.ai.

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