Texarkana College Introduces AI Assistant to Enhance Student Support and Access

At the February board meeting, Texarkana College Trustees received an update on TESSA, the College’s new AI-powered student support assistant designed to enhance access to information and streamline communication throughout the student journey.

Brandon Washington, Vice President of Campus Operations, said TESSA was developed in response to increasing student communication needs, with the goal of expanding access and responsiveness without extending staffing hours.

“Enrollment questions surge during evenings and weekends, but they also occur consistently throughout the workday across phone calls, emails, and chat platforms,” Washington said. “While campus offices cannot operate around the clock, TESSA ensures students receive timely responses at any hour and can be seamlessly connected to campus staff during regular business hours for real-time assistance.”

Washington introduced the team leading implementation and training efforts: Bart Upchurch, Executive Director of Information Technology; Chris Townley, Database Administrator; Amanda Graham, Executive Director of Academic Services; and Dori Ballard, Digital Marketing, SEO and Communications Specialist.

Upchurch outlined the assistant’s technological framework and phased rollout plan.

“TESSA is trained using links to Texarkana College’s official website and uploaded institutional documents to ensure the information students receive is accurate and consistent,” Upchurch said. “We are conducting structured employee interviews and ongoing human reviews so the system reflects our policies and procedures. Training and testing are underway, with full implementation planned for Fall 2026.”

Upchurch said TESSA benefits both students and staff by providing timely answers to routine questions, clear next steps and seamless connections to campus offices, while reducing repetitive inquiries and allowing employees to focus on complex, high-touch student needs.

He also emphasized that the system operates with strong oversight. “Texarkana College staff control all content and updates within the system, and human judgment remains essential for advising and institutional decisions. Students are redirected to appropriate campus offices whenever individualized guidance is required.”

Amanda Graham assisted with a live demonstration for trustees, highlighting TESSA’s role in supporting students from initial inquiry through enrollment.

“TESSA helps us respond more quickly and guide students efficiently through the enrollment process,” Graham said. “During our demonstration, we showed how a prospective student interested in Construction Technology could receive step-by-step guidance on how to get started, explore programs and connect directly with the appropriate office for personalized assistance.”

For more information about programs and services, visit www.texarkanacollege.edu or call 903-823-3456 during regular business hours.