National Recognition for a University of Utah AI Initiative Built on Trust, Conversation, and Student Voice
When the 2026 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report highlighted the University of Utah's Student-Led AI Symposium as a national example of practice, it affirmed a simple but powerful idea: meaningful conversations about artificial intelligence should be shaped by the people most affected by it.
For Tony Sams, Learning Experience Manager with Digital Learning Technologies, that idea has guided his work from the beginning.
"When Dr. Caren Frost and I designed the Symposium, we made a very deliberate choice: students weren't just participants in the conversation about AI, they were co-creators," Sams said. "They set the agenda. They facilitated the room. Faculty came to listen."
That vision was brought to life by student co-chairs Jeb Dean, Diya Mandot, Logan Bogesvang, and Nicholas Pardon, who partnered in designing and leading the symposium. Their leadership helped ensure the event reflected authentic student perspectives on how AI is shaping learning, creativity, and academic life.
That approach stood out to EDUCAUSE, which featured the University of Utah's Student-Led AI Symposium as a model for addressing one of higher education's most pressing challenges: the changing relationship between students and instructors in an age of artificial intelligence. The report notes that more than 130 people attended the event and that participants left with a new understanding of both AI and one another. It also highlighted the AI Tinker Lab that emerged from the symposium's success.
For Sams, the recognition reflects more than a successful event.
"What the Horizon Report recognized isn't a program," he said. "It's a belief—that the people most affected by something should have a voice in how we make sense of it together."
That belief has become a cornerstone of AI engagement at the University of Utah. Through his work with the Adobe Creative Commons and Digital Learning Technologies, Sams regularly creates opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage in honest conversations about emerging technologies. By listening closely to students' experiences, questions, and concerns, he helps ensure that AI discussions remain grounded in learning, trust, and human connection.
The symposium itself was built through a strong partnership with Dr. Caren Frost, Senior Associate Vice President for Research Integrity & Compliance. Frost has been a driving force in advancing AI literacy and engagement across campus. She leads the University's AI Community of Practice, serves on the University's AI Leadership Team, participates in hackathons and innovation challenges as a mentor and judge, and consistently encourages students, staff, researchers, and faculty to explore AI thoughtfully and responsibly.
These efforts are strengthened through Frost's close partnership with Dr. Manish Parashar, the University's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. Together, they help connect the university's strategic vision for AI with the grassroots communities, educational initiatives, and innovation efforts emerging across campus. Their collaborative leadership has helped create an environment where students, faculty, researchers, and staff can engage with AI in ways that are both ambitious and deeply human-centered.
"What I've seen—genuinely seen—is clarity," Sams said. "When students and faculty sit in the same room and talk honestly about AI, something shifts. Faculty get a more defined picture of how students are using it. Students get a clearer sense of how faculty expectations are changing. Suddenly they're driving the car together instead of guessing at each other from a distance."
That spirit of collaboration continues to shape the university's broader AI ecosystem. Through partnerships across campus, the University of Utah is creating opportunities for the community to build AI knowledge, confidence, and practical skills together.
This fall, that work will continue through the new AI Foundations course and a series of AI Tinker Labs planned by Sams and collaborators. The university will also host its second annual Student-Led AI Symposium in Fall 2026, continuing the conversation that earned national recognition and creating new opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to explore the evolving role of AI in teaching, learning, and campus life. These experiences will provide hands-on opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to experiment with AI technologies, share perspectives, and learn from one another in a supportive environment.
The national recognition from EDUCAUSE highlights what many at the U already know: the most important conversations about AI are not really about technology. They are about people.
As higher education continues to navigate rapid technological change, the University of Utah is demonstrating that trust, curiosity, and community remain essential ingredients for innovation and that students deserve a seat at the table helping shape the future.