All eyes were on UNLV as leaders from UNLV Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, and Information Technology (IT) showcased UNLV’s innovative technology to educators from around the nation.

Over a dozen UNLV employees headed to Chicago to attend Salesforce’s annual Education Summit from March 10-12. The conference featured keynote sessions, panels, and demonstrations from trailblazers in higher education, including leaders from our very own IT team.

Kivanc Oner, chief information officer (CIO) and vice president for digital transformation, had the opportunity to share how UNLV is utilizing advanced technology alongside Kate Krogan, senior vice provost for academic affairs. During the conference’s main keynote session, they discussed the university’s investment in technology to enhance student success and achievement. The session focused primarily on artificial intelligence (AI) used in higher education and the future use of Salesforce’s AI agents at the university. Oner and Korgan explained how implementing AI, specifically agents such as our Scarlet chatbot, has transformed the support they are able to give to students, faculty, and staff.

“We see AI not just as a tool, but as a strategic asset.” Oner said. “We believe that this strategic asset will give our students a more personalized and proactive experience. For our faculty, it will empower them to focus on what they like to do best while reducing the administrative burden, and for our staff, it’s all about efficiency and creating a digital workforce for them.”

Korgan continued to represent UNLV in the president’s panel about embracing AI technology to encourage growth, inclusivity, and success in higher education. Alongside other university leaders, she emphasized the role AI can play in enhancing learning environments across all areas of study at UNLV.

As the conference continued, Assistant Vice President for Digital Enablement Carrie Trentham presented with Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Barb Roberts. Their presentation focused on UNLV’s Education Cloud implementation journey where they shared best practices and key strategies for a smooth transition to the system.

“In our Education Cloud implementations, one of the things we’ve used over time is the concept of starting with a pilot program,” Trentham said. “Maybe we try the process with one unit out of ten. Ultimately, that unit can help us bring the others along and gives us the opportunity to enhance and refine.”

Trentham was also the winner of the Ultimate Changemaker award, recognizing her dedication to using Salesforce to provide transformative solutions for higher education.

Along with presenting, IT leaders also attended a variety of sessions throughout the event where they explored a range of topics such as future Salesforce platforms, enhancing student engagement, and much more. Ending the event, the team had the opportunity to attend a keynote session from renowned scientist, Bill Nye, and hear from higher education author, Jeff Selingo, who hosted the closing presentation.