When it comes to artificial intelligence, Illinois Tech is positioning itself as a leader in research, instruction, and application. Susan Lewers, Illinois Tech’s associate vice president of major and planned gifts, stated, “We teach the growing industry of AI in the classroom. We should look for ways to implement these practices for university operations, including advancement.”
Illinois Tech is part of an inaugural group of 13 universities across the United States utilizing an AI fundraiser to engage prospective donors. The new addition to the university's fundraising team is Scarlet, an autonomous "virtual engagement officer." Scarlet has already interacted with 709 prospective donors and secured 28 gifts. As a computer-generated avatar, Scarlet communicates with donors about Illinois Tech in a casual manner.
Scarlet is being developed to become the world's most experienced fundraiser by learning from industry best practices and using information from Illinois Tech’s various content channels like its website and LinkedIn account. Adam Martel, founder and CEO of Givzey—the creator of this AI software—explained that “this marks the first time in history that the nonprofit sector has used fully autonomous fundraising at scale."
Martel added that “Scarlet is designed to engage with the same care and responsiveness expected of traditional fundraisers,” emphasizing that it adapts in real-time to make donors feel understood.
The virtual officer can send personalized communications and even gifts to donors, engaging more individuals than any single human fundraiser could manage. Given staffing limitations, many prospects might otherwise remain unengaged by human fundraisers. Scarlet aims to address this gap by connecting personally with graduates and building a robust donor pipeline.
Lewers expressed pride in collaborating with Givzey on this innovative approach: “Innovation and entrepreneurship are essential components to an Illinois Tech education, and this partnership brings those elements to how we communicate with alumni.”
Donors are informed that Scarlet is not a real person but have the option to connect with human team members if they prefer. Scarlet can thank donors for their contributions using robotic handwritten notes, invite them to events, share news about areas relevant to them at Illinois Tech, and connect them with meaningful support opportunities.
Scarlet also learns from each interaction for more tailored future communication.
For more information about Scarlet or AI fundraising initiatives at Illinois Tech, interested parties can contact Lewers at slewers@illinoistech.edu.