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UWF becomes first in Florida to launch college virtual assistant

The University of West Florida has launched the first college virtual assistant in the state of Florida to provide resources to admitted students.

The virtual assistant, Argie, named after UWF’s mascot, engages admitted students in two-way conversation through text messaging to support them on the path to enrollment success.

Developed by Boston-based edtech company AdmitHub, Argie guides students through key enrollment processes, connects them to on-campus counselors and acts as a 24/7 resource to answer questions about UWF, student life, campus services, financial aid, housing and more.

“Generation Z has changed the way we communicate with prospective students,” said Katie Condon, executive director for UWF undergraduate admissions. “They want a personalized, mobile-friendly experience with quick access to relevant information. ‘Argie’ delivers that and much more. This technology also allows the recruitment team more time to focus on detailed, personalized student interactions. It’s a win-win for the student and our staff.”

Interacting with students via their preferred method of communication allows UWF to take an innovative position in the state of Florida by delivering timely, on-demand assistance to every admitted student. Additionally, the new virtual assistant provides greater insight into student progress and enables counselors to spend their time focusing on students who need in-person assistance.

Founded in 2014, AdmitHub is an edtech company committed to fostering college success with conversational artificial intelligence. AdmitHub’s virtual assistants provide on-demand assistance via chat by gathering data, sending reminders, answering questions, surveying students and connecting students to appropriate advisors. Currently, AdmitHub has various university partnerships focusing on recruiting prospects, yielding admits and retaining enrolled students.

For more information about UWF Admissions, visit uwf.edu/admissions.