Fresno State showcased the Cal State Ready Alexa skill at the 2019 Central Valley High School Counselor Conference on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Alexa skill was developed through a collaborative effort between the California State University Chancellor’s office and four CSU campuses, including Fresno State, Long Beach, Northridge and San Bernardino. This innovative project is an effort to design a virtual high school counselor’s assistant that provides friendly, accessible information to prospective students on how to prepare, apply and pay for college within the CSU system.

High school counselors are an integral part of the school system and not only provide guidance on course selection, but also help students with challenging life decisions that impact their futures.

In Fresno County, the ratio of students to counselors is 844 students for every one counselor (2017), leaving many students without adequate support. With the Amazon Alexa skill, counselors are able to provide a more personalized support system and students obtain pertinent information in a timely manner. Counselors are freed up to focus on preparing their students for their college experience and the California workforce.

“As a first-generation college student, I could have really benefited from this device in high school,” said Gunpreet Kaur, Fresno State business administration student. “I remember when I was looking for college information, I would be online all day searching for answers that this device answers in seconds.”

Counselors were intrigued as they tested out the new devices and received updates from the Chancellor’s Office on initiatives, admissions, academic preparation, financial aid and student services for the upcoming academic year.

“Across the CSU, IT units have been exploring conversational interfaces such as chatbots and voice-enabled skills," said Kate Miffitt, assistant director for innovation at the Chancellor's Office. "Alexa was selected for this project so that prospective students can ask questions in a more natural way, without having to navigate multiple web pages and sites to find answers. Fresno State's DX and Innovation team has been instrumental to the project, leading the technical development. Their unique internship model provides students rich hands-on experience to work on real world projects, and allows DX Innovation to bring together students from multiple disciplines to collaborate on projects.”

About the Digital Transformation (DX): The Hub of Digital Transformation (DX) at Technology Services seeks to establish a digital common ground for which communities can build up their success through technological innovation. These functions are increasingly important as the imperative to compete in a global marketplace increases. No one left behind! We carry innovation around town. Explore, Experience and Excel!

For more information, contact Max Tsai at 559.278.4180, janq@csufresno.edu, or visit dx.fresnostate.edu.