Closing the Experience Gap to Drive Student Success [EDUCAUSE Webinar]

How can institutions close the gap between modern consumer tech expectations and reality? How do we connect the digital and physical campus to drive student success? In what was originally an EDUCAUSE webinar, Elliot shares insights on student experience gaps from The Connected College. Then, we talk through these gaps and how to close them with Sarah Williams from University of Utah, Melanie Hardy from Valencia College, Tom Ellett from Quinnipiac University, and Chase Williams from Pathify. The panel shares actionable strategies for mapping journeys, streamlining communication fatigue, sunsetting outdated tools, building communities, and leading the organizational change to make it all happen. Episode Highlights include: [3:00] The Experience Poll - A live audience poll reveals that fragmentation and internal institutional "treasure hunts" are the biggest hurdles students face. [4:45] The Cost of Complexity - Elliot shares data on how institutional spending and administrative growth have historically outpaced enrollment, leading to highly siloed environments. [9:56] Consolidating Front Doors - Sarah Williams discusses decommissioning seven legacy apps to create a single personalized experience at the University of Utah. [17:32] Journey Mapping Success - Tom Ellett outlines how mapping the student journey from enrollment to alumni helps eliminate institutional bureaucracy. [25:32] Harnessing AI - Chase Williams discusses how Pathify is using AI not only to respond to student needs but to streamline integration and implementation for tech teams [36:48] Retiring Legacy Systems - Melanie Hardy explains how Valencia College successfully retired 12 legacy custom web applications using a distributed content model.