Pathify and Higher Ed Leaders Bring AI Strategy and Tech Consolidation to the EDUCAUSE 2026 Annual Conference

Pathify-led AI discussion and customer perspectives highlight a shift toward more intentional, connected digital campus strategies

DENVER, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As colleges and universities balance pressure to embrace artificial intelligence with the need to reduce technology complexity and costs, Pathify and leaders from its customer institutions will bring these issues to the forefront at the 2026 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference, with sessions focused on AI readiness, governance and strategic system consolidation.

During the "Timing the AI Leap: Governance, Hesitation, and Building Digital Strategy" panel, Pathify CTO Chris Hagan will join Los Angeles Community College District Vice Chancellor and CIO Dan Watkins and MIT Sloan School of Management Managing Director and Deputy CIO of Sloan Technology Services Rajiv Shridhar to explore practical approaches to assessing AI readiness, establishing governance and determining where conversational AI agents will deliver meaningful value without adding complexity. The panel will take place Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m. MDT.

"Higher education doesn't need to choose between moving quickly on AI and moving responsibly," said Hagan. "The more important question is whether institutions have the strategy, governance and digital foundation to make AI useful across the campus. AI shouldn't become another disconnected tool — it should reduce friction and strengthen the broader digital experience."

On Oct. 2 at 8:00 a.m. MDT, leaders from four Pathify customer institutions will take the stage for "The Art of the Essential: Reclaiming Sanity through Strategic System Consolidation." California Institute of the Arts VP for IT Allan Chen, Los Angeles Community College District Vice Chancellor and CIO Dan Watkins, Central Michigan University Director of Marketing Eric Hazen, and University of Utah Product Manager and Interim Associate Dean for Online Education Sarah Williams will discuss how institutions should reduce technology sprawl, evaluate portfolios more holistically while creating more unified digital environments.

Pathify, a 2026 EDUCAUSE Strategic Partner, was also selected for the inaugural EDUCAUSE Higher Ed Ready Program.

"EDUCAUSE is pleased to recognize Pathify as part of the first cohort to earn the Higher Ed Ready designation. This recognition reflects Pathify's demonstrated commitment to understanding and serving the distinct needs of higher education, and we appreciate their early participation in helping shape the program as it launched," added John O'Brien, Ph.D., President and CEO, EDUCAUSE.

The 2026 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference takes place Sept. 29-Oct. 2 in Denver. Pathify's Campus Experience Platform (CXP) provides a unified, system-agnostic, AI-driven digital interface connecting institutional systems, resources and people across the campus experience.

About Pathify
Pathify's Campus Experience Platform (CXP) empowers institutions to meet rapidly rising consumer expectations by unifying disparate legacy systems into a single AI-driven interface, transforming the fragmented higher education journey into a seamless, lifecycle-wide experience that drives student success, enrollment and operational efficiency. By making it easy to find information, automate routine tasks and deliver intelligent nudges, the CXP dramatically reduces the support burden on staff while delivering the consumer-grade experience students demand with the price of admission. Pathify powers more than 300 institutions globally, helping millions of students navigate and engage with their campus experience while enabling institutions to rebuild trust, improve enrollment and drive student success. Learn more at Pathify.com.

SOURCE Pathify