How Agentic AI Helps Prospective and Existing Students at DeVry

Why It Matters

The initiative shows how for‑profit higher‑education can use agentic AI to boost student experience, accelerate enrollment and cut operational expenses, setting a replicable model for the sector.

Key Takeaways

• DeVryPro offers 24/7 AI-driven enrollment assistance.
• AI agent reduces onboarding time for 4,700 new students.
• Human‑in‑the‑loop routes complex queries to advisors.
• C‑suite engagement critical for successful agentic AI rollout.
• Process redesign required before deploying agentic AI.

Pulse Analysis

Adult learners dominate DeVry’s enrollment, with 83% over age 25 juggling full‑time jobs and family responsibilities. Traditional support channels close well before these students begin their studies, creating a service gap that can hinder retention and satisfaction. By deploying an agentic AI solution, DeVry addresses the after‑hours demand, delivering instant answers about courses, enrollment steps, and payment options. This move reflects a broader shift in higher education toward AI‑driven student services that align with the schedules of non‑traditional learners.

Technically, DeVryPro leverages Salesforce Agentforce to ingest unstructured data from the university’s handbook, academic catalog and career services, turning static documents into conversational knowledge. The AI operates as a digital faculty member, handling routine interactions while a human‑in‑the‑loop framework escalates nuanced queries to advisors with full context. Campbell emphasizes that successful deployment required reengineering existing workflows and securing C‑suite commitment; without process redesign, agents can inherit legacy bottlenecks that diminish performance. Data readiness, while imperfect, was treated as a launch condition rather than a barrier, enabling rapid iteration and learning.

From a business perspective, the AI agent reduces manual onboarding labor, accelerates the intake of 4,700 new students per session, and eliminates the need to expand support staff for night‑time coverage. The scalable architecture keeps operational costs flat while improving student satisfaction, a critical metric for for‑profit institutions. DeVry’s experience offers a blueprint for other universities: prioritize executive sponsorship, audit and streamline processes before AI integration, and adopt a hybrid human‑AI support model to maximize efficiency and educational outcomes.