Enhancing Student Support: How UCF’s Knightbot Transforms the College Experience

In an age where immediacy and efficiency are crucial, UCF has redefined student support through its AI-powered chatbot, Knightbot. Launched to bridge gaps in communication and provide real-time 24/7 assistance, Knightbot has become an indispensable resource for thousands of students who have questions about academics, financial aid and more.

Students respond far more to text messages that are personalized and tailored than to mass emails or phone calls because the information comes directly to them, when they need it, and it is useful. At UCF, this approach is delivering solutions at scale, making critical resources easier to access than ever.

This innovative tool is reshaping student engagement at UCF as a "one-stop shop" for student needs. It has fielded more than 459,000 incoming messages from 277,000 unique users since its launch in January 2023. An average of 487 of messages per day are sent to Knightbot, which delivers accurate, approved responses across its web- and text-based modalities in about seven seconds - much faster traditional methods.

How it Works

The story of Knightbot's evolution began with a bold vision: creating an around-the-clock, "one-stop shop" type of resource where UCF students can access help anytime, whether by texting a number or using a virtual assistant on UCF websites. To support a campus of more than 70,000 students, the scale of this goal was ambitious.

Starting in early 2023, the Center for Higher Education Innovation and UCF's Student Success and Well-Being teams collaborated to build Knightbot's knowledge base, growing its reach from six units to over 50 today, from orientation to graduation, ensuring timely communication and direct support. The student success intervention solution is powered by Mainstay, a national leader in chatbot technology.

Knightbot was designed as a comprehensive solution to address student inquiries any time of day. Whether a student has a question about financial aid, academic advising or campus resources, the chatbot provides instant responses tailored to individual needs.

And this new way to help students with questions whose answers may be found on the university website means that UCF can resolve 85% of student queries without any human intervention, thanks to a vast, pre-approved knowledge base that includes most colleges, many departments and nearly all support units across UCF campuses. This efficiency saves time for students and has also freed up approximately 12,000 hours of staff time since January 2023. In practical terms, that is the equivalent of six full-time employees, says Tyler Walsh, director of the Center for Higher Education Innovation in UCF's Division of Student Success and Well-Being.

"Knightbot represents UCF's bold commitment to student success and well-being, implementing technology in an ethical and human-centered design to ensure every student can navigate their journey seamlessly," says Walsh.

The Bot's Benefits

Beyond addressing incoming questions, Knightbot also excels in proactive engagement. Through targeted texting campaigns, students who have been identified as needing help receive proactive, personalized support directly on their devices. For example, a recent campaign targeted students needing to enroll for the upcoming semester.

Those who engaged with the chatbot's outreach were 50% more likely to enroll compared to those who didn't respond. Advocates were then able to provide personalized support, addressing barriers to enrollment and ensuring these students stayed on track.

Students engage with this type of communication at much higher rates than mass-emailing or calling campaigns because the information is not only easy to find, it's relevant and useful to them. Jessica Ambert Perdomo, a first-year student majoring in biology, engaged with Knightbot with a few questions about enrollment, and was able to get answers to her questions rather quickly.

"I would recommend students to use it, especially if they are confused and have a question they need answered right away, because the answer came back quickly," Perdomo says.

In addition, when a student uses Knightbot to share more pressing concerns, the tool immediately responds to the student with pre-approved well-being and safety personnel right away. The student support staff member is able to engage with that student and resolve the issue faster than waiting to ee the email or be available for a phone call.

UCFPD is among the partnerships around campus who field the messages from students and are able to escalate react quickly when warranted.

Another campaign launched the first day of the Fall 2024 semester, where Knightbot sent welcoming messages to new students, offering help with parking, campus maps and other essentials. This initiative saw an impressive 31% engagement rate among first-time-in-college students, fostering a sense of belonging and readiness from day one.

Chatbots like this one are helping build retention strategies. Alerting students at risk of being dropped for nonpayment, Knightbot reached out to over 1,000 individuals, and was able to resolve issues and reduce the drop rate by 15% among those who engaged.

A Trusted Source Powered by People

The chatbot was designed to ensure students get official information they are looking for quickly, as opposed to engaging the student in a lengthy conversation with a robot, as some other universities have chosen to do.

"At UCF, we've deliberately chosen to build our chatbot around a curated knowledge base rather than generative AI - not because we're behind the curve, but because we're ahead of it ethically," says Brooks Pingston, who served as the CHEI program manager on the implementation of Knightbot. "Every answer students receive is grounded in vetted, evergreen content created by real experts across campus. That means no misinformation,"

"It's not about flashy tech - it's about trust, transparency and empowering students with accurate information at scale," he adds. "The real innovation here isn't the chatbot itself - it's how we've used it to engage thousands of students proactively, helping them navigate complex decisions with clarity and confidence."

One of Knightbot's features is its ability to provide real-time insights into student engagement. Unlike traditional methods that rely on outdated metrics, Knightbot allows staff to act on current needs. For instance, if a student texts about academic concerns, they're connected to an advocate who can offer timely assistance. This real-time data ensures that support is both timely and effective.

Students who might otherwise struggle in silence now have a simple, convenient way to ask for help. Advocates report that students contacted via Knightbot are far more likely to respond to follow-ups, knowing their specific concerns are understood and addressed. Knightbot can offer basic mental health resources, including connections to professional help and tips for managing stress, promoting a healthier student lifestyle.

Collaboration Across Campus Departments

For staff, Knightbot has fostered unprecedented collaboration. By bringing together departments like financial aid, academic advising, and mental health services, the chatbot has streamlined messaging and support strategies that complement Student Success and Well-Being staff. This coordinated effort has led to innovative solutions, such as softening registration bottlenecks and ensuring students are prepared well in advance of deadlines.

The future of Knightbot is even more promising. According to Walsh, upcoming initiatives include integrating live chat capabilities, enabling advocates to resolve issues in real-time rather than scheduling follow-ups. Additionally, Knightbot is being utilized in some classrooms as part of a national research project to improve outcomes in critical courses like calculus and English composition. By sending targeted reminders about assignments and exams, the chatbot helps students stay on track academically.

Knightbot exemplifies how technology and personalized support can coexist to enhance the student experience. It's not just about answering questions; it's about identifying needs, offering tailored solutions and ensuring every student has the resources to succeed.

"Knightbot's impact has been remarkable," says Walsh. "Students engage with this type of communication at much higher rates than mass-emailing or calling campaigns because the information is not only easy to find, its relevant and useful to them."

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