St. Bonaventure University
Artificial Intelligence at Bona's
St. Bonaventure University is embracing artificial intelligence as a transformative tool for learning, research, and community engagement. Our approach centers on ethical innovation: advancing academic excellence while upholding the Franciscan values of compassion, reflection, and responsible stewardship.
Dr. Jeff Gingerich, University President
“To remain competitive and deliver an exceptional experience for students, faculty and staff, St. Bonaventure must not simply adopt AI tools — it must instill ethical use of them.”
Academic Innovation
Integrating AI Across the Curriculum
The university has approved new AI-focused courses in Computer Science and Philosophy and is collaborating with a consortium to develop AI Literacy and Applied AI programs as majors, minors, or concentrations. AI-related curriculum updates have been implemented across most academic disciplines, supported by $50,000 in funded AI curriculum projects this academic year. On the student-support side, we launched Ocelot, our AI chatbot known as “Ask Reilly” on my.sbu.edu, providing 24/7 assistance to enhance engagement, address routine inquiries, and streamline staff workloads. Additionally, a ChatGPT EDU pilot involving 300 students, faculty, and staff is now underway, offering access to one of the most secure and effective large language model platforms available.
Ethical Leadership and Governance
Franciscan Values in a Digital Age
St. Bonaventure continues to ground its use of artificial intelligence in strong ethical frameworks that prioritize privacy, data integrity, and responsible innovation. Through a Mission Integration lens, the university emphasizes using technology to serve others, advance the common good, and reflect our Franciscan values. Faculty across Philosophy, Theology, and Education are actively collaborating to examine the moral and societal impacts of AI, ensuring that innovation remains thoughtful and reflective.

The Presidential Commission on Artificial Intelligence
Guiding the Future of AI at Bona's
In October 2025, President Jeff Gingerich established the Presidential Commission on Artificial Intelligence to provide strategic guidance on the academic, operational, and ethical integration of AI across the university. The commission was created to ensure that St. Bonaventure remains proactive, responsible, and mission-aligned as emerging technologies continue to transform higher education.
The commission’s work centers on several key focus areas: academic integration, governance and ethics, faculty and staff capacity, operational efficiency, and its ongoing advisory role to the President. Together, these priorities guide a comprehensive approach to AI that supports innovation while upholding the university’s values and long-term strategic goals.
Commission Membership:
- Dr. Mike Hoffman, co-chair, dean of the School of Graduate Studies, associate provost, and chief information officer
- Dr. Dave Hilmey, co-chair, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs
- Danny Bush, Senior Multimedia Producer
- Dr. Anne Foerst, professor of Computer Science
- Tim Geiger, director of Enterprise Services
- Fr. Stephen Mimnaugh, O.F.M., vice president for Mission Integration
- Tom Missel, chief communications officer
- Dawn Parisella, executive director of Employee Benefits and Campus Leave Administration
- Dr. Tracy Schrems, assistant professor of Education
- Dr. Stephen Setman, assistant professor of Philosophy
- Dr. Scott Simpson, professor of Chemistry
- Dr. Erin Sadlack, dean of Arts & Sciences
- Adriane Spencer, executive director of the Student Success Center
- Ann Tenglund, director of Friedsam Library and Faculty and Staff Resource Center
- Dr. Mark Wilson, professor of Finance
hosting conference Nov. 21 on ‘Harnessing AI for Growth’

St. Bonaventure University’s School of Business and the Entrepreneurship Center are inviting business leaders, alumni and professionals to the Growth Conference on Friday, Nov. 21.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the university’s Doyle Conference Center. A limited number of tickets are available at. The first 100 tickets are $99 each.
This year’s theme, “Harnessing AI for Limitless Growth,” is built around one goal: helping attendees turn artificial intelligence into real business results. It will feature a lineup of sessions designed to help business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals in sales and marketing apply AI-driven tools to accelerate growth and efficiency in their organizations.
The day will feature hands-on sessions like “Automating Your Business Life Using AI” and “Increasing the Speed of Growth in Your Business,” along with more dynamic workshops led by experienced entrepreneurs and innovators.
The conference’s keynote speaker, , is the former CEO of the World Presidents’ Organization and a globally recognized leadership mentor. He will speak about clarity, leadership and growth in an AI-powered world.
“This event is for people who are ready to move from curiosity to action,” said Tom Cullen, director of the Entrepreneurship Center. “People will leave with tools they can use immediately — and the inspiration to keep growing. Having Warren Rustand headline this year makes it truly special.”
About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).