Student Success Team launching AI-powered texting chatbot
Undergraduate students can now text Scorch to receive personalized support.
Minnesota State Moorhead is launching an SMS chatbot named Scorch to support the university’s retention efforts. The AI-powered tool is built by EdSights and uses a research-backed framework to help identify and resolve underlying issues students may be facing. It will also provide the Student Success Team powerful analytics and actionable insights.
Scorch will send a welcome message at the beginning of the semester, to be followed by scheduled, proactive check-in questions. These communications measure four key areas that influence student success: academic engagement, social engagement, financial distress, and wellness.
Students can reply to Scorch’s messages at any time to ask questions. The chatbot will respond with campus-specific resources and will elevate any issues it can’t address to a staff member.
To receive messages from Scorch, students should make sure their cell phone number is correct. They can check the number we have on file by visiting MyMSUM and reviewing the mobile number in their Student Success Snapshot. Students who need to update their cell phone number can email scorch@mnstate.edu.
Learn more about the chatbot here: https://www.mnstate.edu/academics/support/asc/student-learning-resources/text-scorch
If you have any questions about the EdSights chatbot, please contact Erika Beseler Thompson, interim executive director of Student Success, or email scorch@mnstate.edu.