Denison University, in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), invited a select group of higher education institutions to participate in an AI Certified Futures Summit, Oct. 13-15, at the college’s Columbus campus, Denison Edge.
“The higher education mission is even more important with the advent of AI,” said Liv Gjestvang, Denison vice president and chief information officer. “Used well, AI can complement critical thinking and intellectual curiosity, and support the growth of our own workforce.”
Representatives from Bates, Bowdoin, Davidson, Penn State, University of Michigan, Williams, and other colleges and universities attended the three-day event, where they discussed how to structure secure AI platforms, AI strategies for higher education, and AI certification programs for their campuses.
In her keynote, Kristi Wellington-Baker, Amazon Web Services Higher Education Strategy leader, discussed the many ways leaders in higher education and AI can partner on innovation for campuses. Baker works with higher education leaders to deepen student and community engagement and increase access to learning pathways and experiences.
“We want to help higher education leaders think about their key strategic priorities in the context of AI,” Wellington-Baker said. “AI strategies can be integrated to increase digital literacy and experiential learning, to help students access financial aid, prepare them for careers, and more.”
Sherri Castanzo, deputy CIO for Digital Innovation at Bowdoin College, was especially interested in strategies for change management. “I appreciated the opportunity to learn from other higher education leaders,” she said.
Wellington-Baker stressed that digital transformation is ultimately about people. “It’s our responsibility to ensure our students know how tools work, and think creatively about how to use them responsibly and ethically.”
She praised Gjestvang for organizing the summit. “You’re doing the really hard work of pulling people together,” Wellington-Baker said. “It’s a journey we all need to move along together.”
The AI Summit was one of several initiatives in AI technology that Denison is advancing.
Denison has created a custom AI platform, DenAI. Faculty and students are testing a pilot model that gives them secure, easy access to generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude through a single interface.
“The pilot allows us to develop some guiderails and expectations when using AI,” said Heath Hase, Denison’s senior director of innovation and technology. “We can learn what works, and our community can access higher models at a significant cost savings.”
Access to AI and technology tools is only part of the equation, said Lori Robbins, Denison’s head of AI strategy. “We created staff and student AI certificates so they can learn how to use the tools effectively and ethically.”
This fall, more than 200 Denison students have earned their AI credential, which entitles them to a badge for their LinkedIn profile and résumé, boosting career starts in preferred professions.
“Employers are telling us they are seeking AI skills, and in many cases, they value AI skills over other experience,” said Robbins, who has presented information on Denison’s AI staff certification program at national conferences. The high rate of interest in the program sparked the AI Summit.
“Many campuses focus on AI for students and faculty, but we want to empower our staff, too,” she said.
Denison will inaugurate a new $35 million data science center — the first facility of its kind to integrate data expertise with a liberal arts education — in fall 2026. Denison’s Career Services program, ranked #2 by Princeton Review, has incorporated artificial intelligence into its signature Journey Program. For the second consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named Denison the #4 most innovative national liberal arts college. With AI competencies embedded throughout the curriculum and campus, Denison students excel academically while preparing for AI-driven careers.
Earlier this fall, Denison faculty held an AI-focused symposium with in-depth discussion about when and when not to use AI, multiple use cases for AI in classroom learning, career preparation, and teaching tools. Working closely with faculty, students learn how to use AI tools to creatively solve problems and conduct research in ways that sharpen analytical and critical thinking skills. Princeton Review ranked Denison #4 for best classroom experience.
“AI is not just a technical tool,” Gjestvang said. “It’s challenging us to ask deeper human questions and foster new creativity. We need to prepare our students for meaningful lives and careers in a future with very fast-paced technology innovation.”
Denison’s AI Summit offered a new opportunity to leverage generative AI in higher education. “We see this as much more than a one-time conference,” she said. “It’s the launch of a sustained AI innovation network that will continue to collaborate and share strategies long after the event.”
