Strategic partnership introduces responsible AI-powered learning solutions to enhance educational experiences and career readiness
New York, NY & Tysons, Virginia (June 9, 2025) – Guttman Community College is advancing responsible education with and about AI through an ongoing initiative that provides students and faculty in the Departments of Humanities and Social Sciences with access to BoodleBox, a collaborative GenAI platform built specifically for lifelong learning and work with AI. This focused implementation serves as a model for future campus-wide AI integration initiatives.
The partnership represents a thoughtful approach to incorporating AI in higher education as it continues to reshape the professional landscape. Through use of BoodleBox by faculty and students, Guttman evaluates and refines best practices for responsible AI integration while providing participants with essential tools for success in an AI-enabled world.
“Generative AI is both an amazing tool and a significant disruptive force in Higher Education. Just as gifted players utilize the best instruments to make creative music, AI needs to be harnessed to benefit students, colleges, and communities. Thus, I’m incredibly pleased to see our Faculty – like Dr. karen g. williams – leading the charge to incorporate AI into assignments, classrooms, and lifelong student learning. It is exciting to see what our students can do when provided ethical, principled, and responsible approaches to using AI now and in the future,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Reifenheiser.
The partnership focuses on:
- AI-powered learning innovation: Faculty can seamlessly integrate AI tools to enhance curriculum development and create personalized learning pathways – from adapting course materials to creating specialized bots – that meet diverse student needs.
- Responsible student-AI collaboration: Students gain access to industry-leading AI models (including GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and others), empowering them to develop essential AI literacy skills and responsibly evaluate AI outputs.
- Transparent assessment frameworks: Students can cite and share AI-assisted work, allowing professors to evaluate both process and product, from individual AI interactions to group projects, while maintaining academic integrity and fostering skill development.
In her Ethnographic Methods at Work class, Dr. williams emphasizes guided exploration through structured activities to help students understand AI’s capabilities and limitations. The activities provide an ethical framework for students to learn responsible AI use, including when to rely on AI and when human judgment is essential. Students choose whether and how to apply various tools in their assignments, learning skills transferrable to a job market that is increasingly interested in responsible, effective use of AI.
“AI tools are rapidly being integrated across industries and professions, with employers increasingly valuing candidates who can effectively leverage these technologies,” said Dr. williams, assistant professor of anthropology. Students who understand how to ethically and efficiently use AI will have a significant advantage in the job market compared to peers without these skills. As AI continues to evolve, having foundational knowledge allows students to adapt to new tools and applications throughout their careers, effectively future proofing their professional development.”
Through an ethnographic fieldwork assignment, AI helps Guttman’s anthropology students streamline routine aspects of research, allowing students to focus on higher-level analysis and critical thinking. Taking field notes at specific sites chosen by Dr. williams, students make observations and gather information, then use AI to help create individualized templates for data collection.
“We allow students to freely explore using AI—it is not a requirement. We practice in class, and then students have the option to apply what we learned to their assignments, or not,” said Dr. williams.
France Hoang, CEO and co-founder of BoodleBox, stated, “This partnership exemplifies the thoughtful approach needed to successfully integrate AI in higher education. By starting with specific departments and courses, we can work closely with faculty and students to optimize the platform’s impact on learning outcomes and develop scalable best practices for future expansion.”
BoodleBox for Higher Education launched in July 2024 to democratize AI access and knowledge across academic institutions and workspaces. In just six months, over 10,000 professors and students from more than 650 colleges and universities have come to rely on BoodleBox. The platform’s commitment to accessibility, security, sustainability ensures institutions can confidently integrate AI while maintaining the highest standards of data security and student privacy.
Watch a short video to learn more about Guttman’s AI integration in the classroom.
. . .
BoodleBox is the pioneering collaborative GenAI platform for lifelong learning and work. Developed in partnership with educators and educational institutions, BoodleBox provides affordable, equitable access to leading AI models while maintaining strict privacy standards. The platform’s comprehensive features include document management, group collaboration, and AI-powered custom bots, supporting both academic innovation and workforce preparation. For more information about BoodleBox, visit boodlebox.ai/edu.
Stella and Charles Guttman Community College was CUNY’s first new community college in more than forty years. Reimagining what community college could be, Guttman opened its doors in Manhattan in August 2012 to create a research-based, innovative model focused on moving students efficiently toward graduation. Offering associate degree programs in a nurturing environment, the College provides holistic support and advising to ensure timely degree completion, and most graduates transfer to senior colleges. Guttman is federally designated as a Hispanic-serving institution and minority-serving institution with more than 90% of the student population identifying as Latine, Black/African American or Asian. Niche.com named Guttman the best community college in America in 2020 and the top community college in New York State in 2021.
