The Signal

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 86 - Arjun Arora: From Enterprise AI to Education—Why the Best Tech Solves Human Problems May 08, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a data scientist who built over 100 enterprise AI solutions for Fortune 500 companies decides to walk away from the money and prestige to tackle student success in higher ed? You get a founder who understands both the power and the limits of AI—and who isn't afraid to say that most chatbots are solving the wrong problem.

In this episode, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Arjun Arora, founder and CEO of Advisor AI, an AI-native student success platform serving over 100 institutions and powering more than a million student inquiries a year. Arjun shares his journey from first-generation college student and immigrant to enterprise AI leader, and why he made the leap into edtech to solve the advising gap he experienced firsthand.

Arjun gets honest about the fear many advisors feel about AI replacing their roles—and explains why that fear is rooted in poorly designed systems. He argues that technology should handle planning and organizing while leaving accountability, evaluation, and human connection to advisors. He reveals why nearly half of students leave programs because they can't see the connection between their degree and their career goals, and how AI can compress what typically takes eight to ten weeks of exploration into fifteen minutes.

From ethical guardrails and bias prevention to the surprising insights he gathered by traveling 30,000 miles and visiting over 200 campuses, this conversation offers a practical, student-first framework for any institution trying to figure out where AI fits into the future of student success.

Key Takeaways

AI Won't Replace Advisors—Badly Designed AI Might: The fear that AI will replace advisors stems from systems designed to hook users rather than guide them. Products must be built from the start to reinforce human connection, not replace it. Students increasingly want to talk to a real person because they feel isolated and anxious.
Technology Is Only Part of the Puzzle: The biggest predictor of success isn't the algorithm—it's effective collaboration between technology teams and advising teams. Regular check-ins on goals, progress, and alignment drive 80-90% of results.
Nearly Half of Students Leave Because They Can't See the Connection: Students drop out when they can't connect their coursework to a clear career path. AI can compress weeks of research (visiting 10 different departments or websites) into 15-30 minutes by assessing interests, mapping career possibilities, and creating degree plans.
Stop Measuring Vanity Metrics: Tracking how many students a chatbot "served" this month doesn't mean much. Instead, measure milestones: exploring options, mapping skills, connecting with an advisor or mentor. These are the signals that indicate real progress.
Ethical AI Requires Proactive Guardrails: Ethical AI isn't marketing—it's building systems with zero tolerance for bias, toxic questions, or incorrect recommendations. If a student asks something the system can't answer responsibly, it should instantly direct them to a human counselor, not guess.
Community Colleges Have More Urgency to Innovate: With limited capacity and intense competition, community colleges need to move faster than four-year institutions. AI platforms must be customizable to two-year roadmaps, not just traditional four-year paths.
Start with Goals, Not Technology: Before evaluating any AI tool, leaders should ask: are we trying to improve student experience, enrollment, retention, graduation outcomes, or workforce readiness? AI is the Ferrari—but you need to know where you're going first.
The Global Student Success Crisis Looks Familiar: Inquiries from Australia, the Middle East, and Asia mirror US challenges: better career and college planning support, and more integrated solutions that connect degrees to labor market information.
The Biggest Mistake Is Over-Engineering: Don't spend too much time evaluating algorithms and invigilation systems. Spend time defining the goal and identifying which team members will be involved. Those activities drive the results.
Education Is Still Worth It—But the Path Needs Clarity: Arjun believes education remains critical, but it takes too long for students to connect the dots. AI acts like a GPS: you can see the route, the stops (skills), and the ETA upfront, which boosts clarity and confidence for students, families, and advisors alike.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Jay Gonzalez:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-gonzalez-b25882184/

Curry College

https://www.curry.edu/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 85 - Jay Gonzalez: Guaranteeing ROI — How Curry College Is Reinventing the College Business Model May 01, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a former gubernatorial candidate, healthcare CEO, and state budget director steps into the college president's office? You get a leader who doesn't accept "that's how higher ed has always done it" as an answer.

In this episode, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Jay Gonzalez, the 15th president of Curry College—a leader whose resume looks nothing like a traditional academic career. From running a $32 billion state budget during the Great Recession to leading healthcare organizations and running for governor of Massachusetts, Gonzalez brings an outsider's perspective to one of higher ed's most pressing challenges: proving the ROI of a college degree.

Gonzalez shares the story behind Curry's audacious job guarantee program, which promises students a job within six months of graduation—or the college pays their federal student loans for up to a year. He explains how Curry is investing in predictive analytics to identify at-risk students before they struggle, launching a new app to modernize the clunky student portal experience, and building a Neurodiversity Center for Excellence that's partnering with major employers.

But perhaps most intriguingly, Gonzalez reveals Curry's Center for Innovation—an entrepreneurial arm designed to move fast, test new revenue streams, and partner with ed tech companies on product development. For small colleges feeling the squeeze of enrollment pressures and limited resources, this episode offers a playbook for thinking differently about sustainability, technology, and student success.

Tune in for a conversation that challenges conventional wisdom about what college leadership can look like—and what colleges can achieve when they stop optimizing the old model and start reinventing it.

Key Takeaways

Nobody Is Totally in Charge—And That's a Leadership Lesson: Gonzalez draws on his experience in government to navigate higher ed's diffuse power structures. Understanding what faculty, students, parents, donors, alums, and the board each care about—and finding the path that gets as many of them on board as possible—is the core of the job.

The Curry Commitment: A Job Guarantee That Holds the College Accountable: Curry guarantees students a job within six months of graduation if they meet minimum requirements (GPA, internship, four-year graduation, engagement with career readiness programming). If the college fails, it pays the student's federal student loan for up to a year or provides free grad credits. Few colleges have made this kind of promise.

Retention Is a Sustainability Strategy: Keeping a student through graduation isn't just a mission win—it's a revenue strategy. Losing a student after year one means three years of lost tuition. Gonzalez frames retention technology (predictive analytics, mental health platforms, data unification) as both a student success tool and a financial imperative.

Technology Must Serve the Student Experience, Not Add Friction: Students arrive with expectations shaped by Spotify, DoorDash, and TikTok. When they hit clunky portals, paper forms, and outdated workflows, it signals that the institution isn't thinking about them. Curry is addressing this with a new all-in-one app and digital IDs—small moves that reduce friction and modernize the experience.

AI Is Being Embraced Through Grassroots Experimentation: Rather than a top-down mandate, Curry launched "Amplify AI," a task force with faculty, students, and staff exploring training, forums, and classroom applications. The approach balances academic integrity concerns with the reality that students and the workplace have already moved on.

The Neurodiversity Center for Excellence Is a Differentiator and a Growth Platform: Curry has a 55-year history of supporting students with learning differences through its PAL program. The new Neurodiversity Center extends that expertise beyond campus—partnering with biotech and healthcare companies to support neurodivergent workers and exploring ed tech partnerships to scale impact.

Small Colleges Need a Governance Process for Tech Purchases: With limited resources, Curry established an EdTech committee to vet all new product pitches through a single lens of strategic priorities, value proposition, and cost. This prevents individual departments from making uncoordinated bets and helps avoid being oversold on shiny solutions.

The Center for Innovation Is Curry's Entrepreneurial Arm: Designed to move quickly outside cumbersome academic approval processes, the Center focuses on new revenue streams—non-credit certificates, professional development, international student programs, and potential ed tech product partnerships. It signals a willingness to think beyond tuition dependency.

Five-Year Vision: Technology Enables, Not Distracts: Gonzalez's hope is that every Curry student has a rewarding experience marked by close relationships, rich academics, and career preparation. Technology's role is to minimize hassles, remove barriers, and enable that experience—not to become the focus itself.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Jay Gonzalez:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-gonzalez-b25882184/

Curry College

https://www.curry.edu/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 84 - Betheny Gross: The Real Opportunity for AI in Higher Education Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

Is higher education using AI to simply do the same things faster, or are we on the cusp of a genuine transformation in how students learn, access support, and build opportunity?

In this episode, host Jeff Dillon welcomes Dr. Betheny Gross, Research Director at WGU Labs, for a candid, research-grounded conversation about where AI is actually moving the needle for students—and where it's falling short. With over two decades of experience studying education systems and a current focus on equity-driven innovation, Dr. Gross brings a refreshingly honest perspective to the AI hype cycle.

She shares the story behind STU, WGU Labs' AI-powered student support chatbot, revealing how it evolved from a simple FAQ tool into a "Swiss Army knife" that helps adult learners prepare for mentor meetings, build study schedules, and navigate the hidden complexities of college. But she doesn't stop there. Dr. Gross challenges institutions to think bigger—arguing that the real breakthrough will come when AI lowers costs, raises quality through consistent learning science, and creates fully personalized pathways for every student, especially the 25 million Americans who have never accessed post-secondary education.

From the risks of handing learning over to tech companies to the imperative of designing for those "farthest from opportunity," this episode offers a clear-eyed look at what equity by design actually requires. Tune in for a conversation that separates signal from noise and offers a practical, student-first framework for the future of higher ed.

Key Takeaways

The Goal Is Public Education, Not a Particular Set of Systems: Dr. Gross carries forward a powerful framing from her time at the Center on Reinventing Public Education: our commitment to making quality education accessible to all is unchangeable, but how we deliver it—including which tools and technologies we use—must always be open to reinvention and improvement.
AI Is Still in the "Doing Things Faster" Phase: While much of higher ed has focused on using AI to do existing tasks more efficiently, Dr. Gross argues we haven't yet challenged the technology—or allowed it to challenge us—at scale. The real transformation will come when AI fundamentally widens access to learning, not just speeds up existing processes.
Stu: From FAQ Bot to Swiss Army Knife: WGU Labs' student support chatbot began as a 24/7 navigational tool for adult learners (many of whom are first-generation students studying late at night). It has since evolved to help students prepare for mentor meetings, build weekly study plans, and manage stress—demonstrating how AI can address both logistical and psychological barriers to success.
Lowering Costs and Raising Quality Are the Twin Levers: For AI to truly expand access, it must help lower the cost of post-secondary learning while making high-quality instruction more consistent. Dr. Gross points to AI-powered learning design platforms and quality-assured assessment tools as promising examples of how to raise the floor for all instructors.
Test Everything. Benchmark Everything: WGU Labs runs randomized control trials and quasi-experimental studies to compare AI interventions against existing alternatives. Dr. Gross emphasizes the need for benchmarking—measuring how much better a solution performs, not just whether it works at all—to avoid throwing solutions at problems without evidence of meaningful improvement.
Two Critical Risks to Watch: First, institutions cannot cede ownership of teaching and learning to technology companies. AI tools are not educational systems unto themselves. Second, as point solutions proliferate, institutions must ensure the student experience remains coherent—not a fragmented collection of bolted‑together technologies that students are left to navigate on their own.
Equity by Design Starts with the Furthest from Opportunity: Rather than designing for the average student and adapting later, institutions should ask: will the 25 million Americans who have never pursued post‑secondary education see themselves on this pathway? If not, the work isn't done. Equity by design means removing not just financial barriers but also the perceptual and navigational ones.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Betheny Gross:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/betheny-gross-6474331/

WGU Labs

http://wgulabs.org/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 83 - Mitchell Borges: Why Students Trust Strangers More Than Your University Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

In an era where students trust a peer on Instagram more than a university's official website, how can enrollment marketers cut through the noise and build genuine connections?

This week on The Signal: On Air, Jeff Dillon sits down with Mitchell Borges, Director of Marketing for ASUCD at UC Davis and a researcher who has spent years studying how social media actually influences student enrollment decisions. Mitchell shares eye-opening findings from his doctoral research, revealing that students are heading to Instagram comment sections to ask strangers about tuition because they perceive peer-to-peer information as more authentic than official university communications.

He explains why empowering students to create content is the single most effective strategy for building trust, why out-of-state students rely more heavily on digital discovery than their in-state peers, and how his own team grew Instagram followers from 4,000 to 14,000 by letting students take the lead.

Mitchell also delivers a critical wake-up call about the April 2026 Title II accessibility compliance deadline, warning that social media—often an afterthought in accessibility conversations—will be one of the hardest areas to bring into compliance. He offers practical advice on rethinking content workflows and explains why the teams that embrace authenticity and move fast on micro-trends will be the ones that win.

Tune in for a candid, tactical conversation about what it really takes to connect with today's students in a crowded, fast-moving digital landscape.

Key Takeaways

Trust Has Shifted to Peers: Students consistently perceive information from peers or alumni on social media as more authentic and trustworthy than official university websites or admissions counselors. This is driving them to seek out peer perspectives in comment sections, DMs, and informal channels.
Out-of-State Students Rely Heavily on Digital: Unlike in-state students who can tap into local networks for firsthand feedback, out-of-state students lack that personal connection. As a result, they place significantly more weight on the digital content they find during their search phase.
Empower Students to Create Content: Mitchell's research and experience show that putting students in front of the camera—even student employees reading a script—feels authentic to prospective students. His team grew Instagram from 4,000 to 14,000 followers in two years by shifting from career staff to student-led content creation.
Facilitate the Search Process, Not Just the Decision: Universities are great at capturing students' "I committed" moments but miss the opportunity to encourage students to share their search journey. Helping students document and share their exploration could fill a critical gap in authentic content.
Accessibility Must Be Built Into Social Workflows: The April 2026 Title II compliance deadline is closer than many realize, and social media is a major blind spot. Features like story text, video captions, and alt text are difficult to manage at scale. Mitchell's team has been operating as if the deadline has already passed for months and is still under 30% compliance across 60 accounts.
Influencer Marketing Is the Next Frontier: As traditional relationship marketing loses effectiveness, Mitchell sees influencer marketing—partnering with trusted voices already connected to student audiences—as a major opportunity. The risk of giving influencers autonomy is real, but the institutions that move first will gain a significant advantage.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Mitchell Borges:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellborges/

UC Davis

http://ucdavis.edu/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 82 - Jaime Hunt: AI Is Not the Wild West, Higher Ed Needs a Strategy Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

Jaime Hunt is the founder of Solve Higher Ed and host of the popular “Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO” podcast. She unpacks the evolving landscape of higher education marketing. Jamie shares decades of experience – from her time as a Chief Marketing Officer at institutions like Old Dominion University, Miami University, and Winston-Salem State – offering brutally honest insights into the challenges and opportunities facing colleges and universities today. This is an honest conversation about enrollment strategies, brand building, crisis communications, and the surprising universality of higher ed’s struggles.

Join Jeff as he delves into Jamie’s unique perspective on leadership, risk-taking in education, and how institutions can truly differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Discover why many colleges are facing similar hurdles despite seemingly disparate circumstances – and learn how to break free from short-term thinking.

Key Takeaways:

Universality of Challenges: A startling number of higher education institutions face remarkably similar challenges regarding enrollment, brand perception, and strategic direction – regardless of size or location.
The Importance of Risk-Taking: Traditional, campaign-focused thinking is holding back progress. Institutions need to embrace calculated risk and experimentation to truly innovate.
Beyond the "Me Problem": Leaders often get caught up in their own institution's issues, overlooking broader trends and systemic challenges within higher education.
Selling Futures: Jamie’s personal motivation – a desire to help students achieve brighter futures – is a powerful driver for effective higher ed marketing.
Looking Ahead: Institutions need to be thinking strategically about the next 2-3 years, anticipating technological shifts and evolving student expectations.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Jaime Hunt:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/

Solve Higher Ed

https://www.solvehighered.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 81 - Devin Purgason: Who Owns the Student Journey in the Age of AI Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Join Jeff Dillon as he sits down with Devin Pergason, AVP for Student Experience, Marketing & Outreach at Forsyth Technical Community College, to dissect the evolving landscape of higher education. This episode tackles a critical question: why are community colleges currently best positioned to drive student success? Pergason argues that their inherent “student-first” mission – unlike research universities attempting to retrofit a student-centric model – gives them a significant advantage.

The conversation centers on the urgency with which institutions must engage with emerging technologies, particularly AI, mirroring the same dedication they bring to the classroom. Pergason emphasizes a shift away from traditional marketing approaches that “market *to* students” towards strategies designed *for* their needs. He highlights how Forsyth Tech built a groundbreaking student care model – integrating support services directly with marketing – creating a unified approach for genuine engagement and lasting impact.

Ultimately, this episode explores whether community colleges are truly ‘getting there’ in embracing the technological conversation, and what it takes to ensure students receive the support they need to thrive.

Key Takeaways:

Community College Advantage:Pergason argues that their existing mission – prioritizing student success – makes them uniquely positioned for innovation.
Student-First Marketing:A critical discussion on moving beyond traditional marketing tactics and focusing on what truly matters to students.
Integrated Systems are Key:The importance of combining student care services with marketing within a unified organizational structure.
Urgency in Technology Adoption:The need for community colleges to approach technology – particularly AI – with the same level of commitment as their academic programs.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Devin Purgason:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinpurgason/

Forsyth Technical Community College

https://www.forsythtech.edu/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 80 - Higher Ed Is on Fire. We Need a Better Signal. Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

“The Signal” is launching with a vital mission: to cut through the overwhelming noise surrounding technology in higher education and deliver honest conversations about what truly matters. Hosted by Jeff Dillon, this show originates from a thriving community – a decade-long email listserv (now boasting nearly 70,000 members) of web directors, digital marketers, and leaders across higher ed who were grappling with responsive design, mobile technology, and the evolving needs of students.

The show’s core focus is identifying what’s actually moving the needle and understanding how faculty and students are utilizing technology daily. Jeff emphasizes the critical need to avoid making policy decisions “blind,” urging listeners to engage with the conversations shaping higher education.

“The Signal” is committed to uncovering those real-world insights and fostering a community where innovative ideas can thrive.

The show continues every Friday with the same format and commitment to honest conversations about leadership and technology’s impact on higher education.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 79 - Valerie Fox: The New Front Door to Graduate Enrollment Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

In a higher ed landscape crowded with sameness, how can institutions truly stand out and drive enrollment growth, especially for graduate and professional programs?

This week on The Signal: On Air, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Val Fox, a strategic advisor at EAB with decades of experience leading marketing at both major universities and consumer brands like Bose. Val argues that the biggest mistake institutions make is trying to scale the undergraduate playbook for their graduate programs, which are often fragmented, under-resourced, and siloed.

Val shares critical insights from EAB's latest research on the modern adult learner, revealing a fundamental shift toward stealth shopping, digital-first decision-making, and a surge in AI adoption for program discovery. She explains why "supportive faculty" and "strong outcomes" are just the category minimum, not differentiators, and offers a practical guide on how to build a genuine brand "moat" by getting specific.

Tune in to learn how to move from endless debate to disciplined experimentation, align your cross-functional teams, and ensure your institution is visible at the new AI-powered front door of higher ed.

Key Takeaways

Stop Using the Undergraduate Playbook: Graduate enrollment is fundamentally different. It's often fragmented and under-resourced, requiring a distinct strategy focused on the unique needs of adult, professional, and online learners, not a scaled-down version of the traditional undergraduate model.
Data Beats Enthusiasm: Too many programs are launched based on internal enthusiasm rather than market demand. Institutions serious about growth must ground their decisions in public data (like IPEDS and BLS) to validate student demand and employer needs before investing in new programs.
Differentiation Requires a "Moat": Generic claims like "supportive community" or "academic excellence" are just the sector minimum. To truly stand out, institutions must get specific and "compound" their differentiators—building a unique set of program-level advantages that are hard for competitors to simply copy.
The Student Journey Has Fundamentally Changed: Today's graduate learners are "stealth" shoppers. Over 80% complete their research and decide on a short list without ever contacting the institution. They expect a self-service, digital-first experience akin to Netflix or Amazon.
AI is the New Front Door: Prospective students are rapidly adopting AI (with 5x growth in usage) to synthesize information and compare programs. However, there's a dangerous gap between institutions researching AI and actually auditing their visibility in these new channels. If you aren't visible there, you're falling behind.
Move from Vanity to Actionable Metrics: Focus on metrics that directly tie to enrollment, such as application starts and inquiry requests, rather than vanity metrics like page views. Institutions must create a "bright line" between marketing efforts and these digital behaviors.
Transform Through Experimentation, Not Debate: Successful institutions prototype their way forward. They run pilots with clear success metrics, are willing to stop what isn't working, and embrace disciplined experimentation instead of getting bogged down in multi-year committees.
Align Teams with a Shared Reality: Friction across marketing, admissions, and academic leadership often stems from different assumptions. Building a shared baseline understanding of market conditions and using frameworks to reduce complexity can align teams and accelerate decision-making.

The Signal Newsletter:
https://edtechconnect.com/newsletter

Find Val Fox:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriekfox/

EAB

http://eab.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 78 - Shannon Vander Muelen: Students Don’t Hate Waiting They Hate Uncertainty Mar 13, 2026

Show notes

Jeff Dillon sits down with Shannon Vander Meulen, Co-Founder and CMO of WaitWell, a tech platform transforming how students access campus services—from advising to financial aid.

A former public service office manager turned tech founder, Shannon brings a rare blend of frontline operational experience and educator empathy to the problem of waiting. She shares how her decade running a busy registry office revealed that what people truly want isn’t popcorn or music—it’s competence, clarity, and their time back. Shannon unpacks how WaitWell eliminates physical lines, empowers staff with AI-driven insights, and gives students the digital-first experience they now expect. From onboarding without tech fatigue to launching their new AI agent “Waillo,” this conversation is a useful guide to building solutions that solve real problems—not just deploying tech for tech’s sake.

Whether you’re in student affairs, IT, or service operations, you’ll walk away with actionable ideas for making service interactions faster, fairer, and more human.

Key Takeaways

Waiting Is a Universal Pain Point – Long lines aren’t just inefficient—they create stress for both visitors and staff. Modern students expect the same digital convenience (DoorDash, Uber) when accessing campus services.
Competence Trumps Friendliness – While a welcoming environment matters, what people truly want is to be served by someone with the right training to solve their problem—quickly and correctly.
Transparency Reduces Frustration – Simply knowing how long a wait will be—whether 15 minutes or 2 hours—dramatically improves the service experience and reduces anxiety.
Educator Mindset Informs Product Design – Shannon’s teaching background taught her to “scaffold” complex processes into smaller steps—a skill that directly translates to building intuitive, user-centered technology.
AI Should Solve Real Problems, Not Chase Hype – WaitWell’s AI agent “Waillo” was born from customer feedback. It helps staff ask natural-language questions like, “When’s the best day to close for training without impacting wait times?”
Onboarding Is the Secret Sauce – Successful tech adoption hinges on dedicated setup: sandbox environments, workflow mapping, and a single point of contact (account manager) to ensure smooth implementation.
Tech Fatigue Is Real – Staff are often juggling dozens of tools. The best new solutions either integrate seamlessly or replace existing systems—not add to the clutter.
Data Reveals Hidden Patterns – Once organizations track wait times and service demand, they often discover unexpected peaks and valleys—enabling smarter staffing and resource allocation.
Keep the Human in the Loop – While AI and chatbots can handle routine inquiries, many institutions still value in-person connection. The key is balancing digital efficiency with human touchpoints where they matter most.
Build a Culture That Listens – WaitWell’s product innovations are driven by weekly meetings between support and development teams, ensuring engineers hear directly from users—keeping the company focused on solving real problems.

Find Emily Vander Meulen:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonvandermeulen/

WaitWell

https://waitwellsoftware.com/

And find EdTech Connect here:

Web: https://edtechconnect.com/

Ep. 77 - Stephen Laster: From Harvard to Panopto - Scaling EdTech That Matters Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

Stephen Laster is the CEO of Panopto and a veteran leader in digital education whose career spans Harvard Business School, McGraw-Hill, D2L, and Ellucian.

Stephen shares how his own experience as a dyslexic learner—and an early adopter of the Apple II—shaped his lifelong mission to use technology to make learning more accessible and human. He unpacks what it truly means to be a “human-centered AI-first” platform, how Panopto is using AI to extend—not replace—the learning community, and why interoperability and focus are more critical than ever in edtech. From navigating institutional change to fostering a culture of smart risk-taking, Stephen offers a candid look at the patterns, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of teaching and corporate training.

Whether you’re leading digital transformation, building learning tools, or thinking about how to scale knowledge in a rapidly changing world, this conversation is packed with wisdom from the front lines.

Key Takeaways

Technology as an Accessibility Lifeline – Stephen’s dyslexia led him to an Apple II in 1981, where he built his own spell checker and word processor. This personal experience cemented his belief that technology should empower learners by removing barriers, not creating them.
Human-Centered AI Expands Community, Not Replaces It – Panopto’s AI strategy focuses on automating time-consuming tasks (summarization, translation, generating knowledge checks) to give time back to instructors and learners—strengthening human connection rather than substituting it.
Interoperability Is Non-Negotiable – Seamless LMS integration and open ecosystems are essential for adoption. Panopto’s success is rooted in making technology “fade into the background” so teaching and learning can take center stage.
Institutional Knowledge Must Be Findable & Reusable – Beyond capturing lectures, Panopto is evolving into a knowledge hub that serves alumni, prospects, and partners—turning video libraries into searchable, AI-enhanced assets that support lifelong learning.
Teaching Experience Makes You a Better EdTech Leader – Stephen credits his seven years teaching at Babson as foundational to understanding the realities of the classroom. His advice: “If you're really going to be passionate about anything you're making technology for, go do the job.”
Innovation Requires Smart Risk-Taking & Space to Fail – Successful digital transformation hinges on creating conditions where “smart failures” are rewarded. Institutions and companies need to embrace deliberate experimentation and learn from iterative pilots.
Focus on North Stars, Not Just Features – Panopto operates under three durable guideposts: lead in visual/auditory learning, be the most customer-centric edtech provider, and be a destination for top talent. Clarity of mission enables agility without losing direction.
The Biggest Gap Isn’t Technology—It’s Time – Faculty and instructional designers need dedicated time and support to innovate. The industry must prioritize professional development and create breathing room for pedagogical experimentation.
Jobs Are Changing Faster Than Ever – In both higher ed and corporate learning, the imperative is to reskill and upskill continuously. Platforms that enable just-in-time, accessible learning are critical to retention and growth.
Stay Calm, Stay Focused, Stay Open – Stephen’s background as a merchant mariner taught him to problem-solve calmly under pressure—a mindset that translates directly to leading through edtech’s relentless waves of change.