AI Agents in Advancement Academy: Demystifying AI Agents for Advancement

August 18, 2026  |  10:30 am – 4:30 pm  |  Clark University, Worcester, MA
 

Program

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10:30 AM - 10:35 AM Welcoming Remarks

10:35 AM - 11:15 AM AI Agents 101 for Advancement Leaders

Create a common foundation for understanding AI agents and their implications for advancement.

• Understand what agents can and cannot do today

• Understand the difference between AI tools, assistants, and agents

• Learn the current AI landscape

• Explore advancement-specific opportunities

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11:20 AM - 12:05 PM Designing the Human + AI Advancement Organization

Explore how advancement teams and organizational structures may evolve.

Understand Human + AI organizational design principles

• Explore emerging advancement staffing models

• Examine future roles and responsibilities

• Identify functions that remain uniquely human

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12:05 PM - 12:15 PM Break

12:15 PM - 1:00 PM  Working Lunch\Fireside Conversation
What Advancement Leaders Need to Know About AI Agents

• Governance, Risk, Ethics, and Institutional Trust

• The future of AI in higher education

• Organizational readiness

• Talent implications

• What is real versus hype

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1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Building Your Advancement Agent
Demonstrate how institutions can move from experimentation to implementation.

• Understand agent architecture

• Learn implementation pathways

• Explore advancement workflows suitable for automation

• See live demonstrations

2:30 PM - 2:40 PM Break

2:40 PM - 3:30 PM AI Agents Across the Advancement Enterprise

Explore practical use cases being deployed today.

• Understand fundraising use cases

• Explore stewardship applications

• Learn alumni engagement opportunities

• Examine communications and event management workflows

• Review advancement operations examples

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3:30 PM - 4:25 PM - Workshop: Building Your Institutional AI Roadmap

Help attendees leave with a practical implementation plan.

• Assess organizational readiness

• Identify quick wins

• Prioritize pilot opportunities

• Establish governance priorities

• Create a 90-day action plan

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