In this episode of the Unofficial Office Hours podcast, host Dr. Justin Hodgson is joined by Dr. Sheneese Thompson for a wide-ranging and timely conversation about where higher education is headed with AI—and whether institutions are moving too quickly, not quickly enough, or in all the wrong ways. Drawing on headlines, classroom practices, and student perspectives, the conversation explores resistance to AI in education, student perspective (and faculty assumptions) about AI, and whether the college essay as we know it is due for reinvention.

We also dig into Dr. Thompson’s designing of engaging, student-centered learning experiences that use low-lift AI tools—like Adobe Podcast—to empower students with agency, creativity, and ownership over their work. This episode closes by looking ahead: What do we hope for higher education in 2026?