Clark University, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), convened more than 400 leaders from over 100 universities, healthcare organizations, foundations, and nonprofits for an inaugural AI Agents Academy in downtown Worcester on Tuesday, August 18. The national forum explored how AI agents are transforming mission-driven organizations.
The academy brought together advancement leaders, nonprofit executives, technologists, and institutional decision-makers from across the country to explore how AI is reshaping fundraising, alumni engagement, operations, communications, and organizational design.
Participants engaged in day-long discussions that involved case studies, demonstrations, and hands-on learning exercises focused on the opportunities and challenges presented by AI Agents; sessions explored human + AI organizational design, fundraising, advancement operations, workflow automation, governance, ethics, institutional risk, and practical roadmaps for AI adoption.
“Universities and nonprofits have a unique opportunity, and responsibility, to shape how artificial intelligence is adopted in ways that reinforce trust, human connection, and institutional values,” said Clark President David Fithian. “The AI Agents Academy reflects Clark University’s commitment to convening leaders around one of the defining challenges and opportunities of our time. By learning from one another and sharing practical approaches, we can ensure AI strengthens the people, relationships, and missions that define our institutions.”
Event attendees shared examples of how AI is already transforming work traditionally performed by administrative, operational, and research teams. Speakers from Clark University, Amazon Web Services, Quantiphi, Pomona College, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, and Marts & Lundy emphasized that the greatest opportunity presented by AI may not be simply improving efficiency but reimagining how organizations are structured and how people and AI systems collaborate.
The academy builds on Clark’s growing leadership in responsible AI adoption across higher education, including research, executive education, and innovation in advancement. The event follows the publication of “Becoming AI-Ready: Designing Future Nonprofit Teams” (Clark University Press, May 2026), co-authored by Joe Manok, vice president of University Advancement (shown in top photo).
More than 650 professionals registered for the Academy. Given the strong widespread national interest in the topic, event organizers plan to expand the AI Agents Academy into a year-round community that convenes online throughout the year and annually at Clark University to share practical approaches to responsible AI adoption.
