How Nevada State University Uses AI to Extend Financial Aid Expertise and Improve Student Support

About Nevada State University

Nevada State University is a public institution located in Henderson, Nevada, dedicated to expanding access to higher education and supporting student success. As one of the fastest-growing universities in Nevada, the institution serves a diverse student population through innovative academic programs and a student-centered approach.

With a strong focus on removing barriers and creating pathways to opportunity, Nevada State continues to invest in resources and services that help students thrive throughout their educational journey.

The challenge: Student expectations were changing

Financial Aid has always been one of the most important — and most complex — areas of the student experience.

Students have questions about FAFSA completion, scholarships, aid eligibility, refunds, enrollment requirements, deadlines, and more. The answers are often nuanced, time-sensitive, and critical to a student’s ability to enroll and persist.

At the same time, student expectations have changed.

Today’s students are accustomed to finding information on demand. They expect answers when they need them, whether they’re researching colleges late at night, completing applications on a weekend, or preparing for the start of a new semester.

For Nevada State University, the challenge was clear: how could the institution make information more accessible without sacrificing accuracy or overwhelming staff resources?

The university recognized an opportunity to improve the student experience by making it easier for students to find answers, navigate processes, and connect with campus resources whenever they needed support.

The solution: Building a smarter virtual assistant

Nevada State first implemented the Ivy & Ocelot from Gravyty (formerly Ocelot) virtual assistant in 2019, making them an early adopter of AI-powered student support technology.

Initially launched across key student service offices, including Financial Aid, Admissions, Advising, and IT, the virtual assistant provided students with another way to access information without needing to call, email, or visit an office. As adoption grew, the university expanded the platform’s reach across campus.

As the technology evolved, so did Nevada State’s approach.

Rather than treating the virtual assistant as a static resource, the team continuously refined and improved the experience. Conversations were reviewed, content was updated, and responses were optimized to ensure students received accurate, relevant information.

The introduction of generative AI created new opportunities to improve how students interacted with the virtual assistant. By combining AI capabilities with institution-specific content and ongoing oversight, Nevada State created a more dynamic experience that could provide conversational, context-aware responses while still relying on trusted university information.

Over time, the virtual assistant became more than a tool for answering questions.

It evolved into a valuable source of insight, helping identify gaps in content, uncover outdated information, and improve the quality of resources available to students.

During Nevada State’s transition from Nevada State College to Nevada State University, the virtual assistant even helped surface outdated webpages and content that needed updating, accelerating broader improvements across the institution’s digital experience.

“The chatbot is another front door. Students don’t know what technology is behind it. They only know whether they can get the information they need.”

Extending financial aid expertise beyond office hours

For Financial Aid, the impact was particularly significant.

Questions about aid eligibility, FAFSA completion, scholarships, refunds, and enrollment requirements don’t stop when offices close for the day. Students often need answers while completing important tasks outside traditional business hours.

The virtual assistant helped bridge that gap.

Rather than waiting for an office to reopen, students could access information immediately and continue moving through critical processes on their own schedule. At the same time, staff were able to spend more time focusing on complex situations that required personalized support.

Rather than replacing the Financial Aid team, the virtual assistant extended its reach — making expertise more accessible while preserving staff capacity for higher-touch interactions.

What began as a Financial Aid resource ultimately became a campus-wide support tool, helping students access information related to admissions, academics, registration, billing, technology support, and more.

The results: Creating better access to information across campus

Since implementing the virtual assistant, Nevada State has recorded:

• 150,895 virtual assistant interactions
• 36% of interactions occurring after business hours
• 15% of interactions occurring on weekends
• 6,034 educational videos viewed
• Support delivered across Financial Aid, Admissions, Advising, IT, Registrar, Student Financial Services, and other student service areas

The impact extends beyond the numbers.

By making information easier to find, Nevada State has reduced barriers for students seeking answers, improved self-service capabilities, and created a more consistent experience across campus departments.

The virtual assistant has also become an important feedback mechanism, helping identify content gaps, improve website accuracy, and ensure students can access the information they need through the channel they prefer.

Most importantly, students are receiving support when they need it.

Whether they are researching programs, navigating financial aid requirements, troubleshooting a technology issue, or preparing for graduation, students have access to information that helps them continue moving forward.

Solution spotlight

Gravyty is the AI-powered engagement platform purpose-built for higher education, K-12 schools, and nonprofits. From first engagement to first gift, Gravyty empowers institutions to deliver smarter, faster, and more personalized engagement at every step of the student and donor journey. With solutions for 24/7 student support, alumni engagement, fundraising and stewardship, Gravyty helps teams scale their impact, break down silos, and provide always-on support without burning out staff.

Ivy & Ocelot from Gravyty empowers teams to create always-on, high-touch communication, without increasing staff workload. From multilingual virtual assistant support to data-powered content improvements, Ivy & Ocelot helps higher education institutions drive meaningful engagement, streamline support, and ultimately increase enrollment yield.