Lightning talks

From zero to AI hero: How to build a custom GPT in just 10 minutes

Mallory Willsea — Enrollify

Empowering yourself and your team with the tools to build bespoke AI solutions is an invaluable skill. This lightning talk demystifies the process of creating a custom GPT model using ChatGPT. In just 10 minutes, we'll not only discuss but also demonstrate live how you can construct an AI model that understands and addresses the unique challenges and opportunities within your institution. From enhancing student engagement to streamlining content creation, witness firsthand the simplicity and power of customizing your own AI, making this cutting-edge technology accessible to all, regardless of technical background. And bonus, you'll get immediate access to the custom GPT we create together!

Fast facts? Slow down! Turning numbers into stories

Donna Talarico — Stories & Such

We all have them. Whether you title it "Fast Facts," "By the Numbers" or "At a Glance," college and university websites usually have a page dedicated to data points and distinctions. These are important, but what do they really mean? What purpose do they serve in relation to our overarching digital goals? While this page type isn't likely to go away completely (politics and all that), could you be doing a better job of giving those stats some substance?

Case in point: many institutions tout, "You're more than a number here!" Let's treat our data the same way by looking beyond those facts and figures.

In this lightning talk, we'll explore the ways you can dig into that data to add context and, ultimately, get inspired to create more compelling content across your website (and other channels).

Despite the horrors, I persist

Jeff Stevens — University of Florida

Every morning, I wake up and hear Sebastian the Crab in my head:

"Ariel, the human world... it's a mess."

And boy howdy, what a mess. Higher education is under tremendous strains — enrollment issues, ideological divisions, the undermining of trust with the public, shrinking budgets. It's enough for anyone to raise their hands and shout "I've had enough!" and to walk away.

And yet, we're here. We're still here. And we're still fighting, and advocating to make the world a better place.

In this talk, I hope to provide people a moment to come together, to remember and reignite the spark that drives them and their work, and to remind them they are not alone. And together, we can make a difference.

Behind the music: Design systems at work in higher ed

Drew Stephens — University of Arkansas

Love them. Hate them. It's a matter of perspective. The quest to maintain consistent design, brand and code has birthed a world of design systems that have simplified and streamlined the way we work. Although sometimes referred to as UI kits, or component libraries, we've learned to appreciate how these systems save time, reduce confusion and ultimately empower everyone to execute and collaborate on brand. We're going to highlight the best and brightest design systems we've encountered in the higher ed space.

Expressing thanks: A small way to make a big impact

Meaghan Milliorn — University of Arkansas at Little Rock

We are all busy people and sometimes we get stuck in our own worlds. It can feel lonely at times, especially if we start to wonder if what we're doing matters or if anyone notices how hard we worked on that project or task.

But when someone takes the time to write a genuine thank you note (or email or Post-it!) it can have a powerful impact. A sincere thank you has the power to strengthen relationships, build trust and make the recipient feel valued, connected and appreciated. It lets someone know that they matter, and in a world where many of us face struggles and uncertainty (and work in silos), knowing that you matter can go a long way.

Expressing thanks to our colleagues is a seemingly small way to make a big impact.

In this lightning talk, I'll briefly explain the health benefits of expressing gratitude to others and I'll provide tips on how to get started practicing sincere thankfulness to those around you.