SUNY Old Westbury, with funding provided by the Old Westbury College Foundation, is launching a Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO), an artificial intelligence-powered ambassador designed to strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, parents and friends of the University.
Developed in partnership with Givzey | Version2.ai, the VEO, named “Amanda,” will expand the capacity of SUNY Old Westbury’s Office of Institutional Advancement by engaging supporters in personalized conversations, sharing information about University priorities and opportunities, gathering feedback, and connecting individuals with advancement staff when a human conversation is most valuable.
Old Westbury College Foundation funds innovative engagement initiative designed to extend human connection through ethical use of artificial intelligence."
The initiative reflects the priorities of SUNY Old Westbury's 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, “Owning Our Future Through Community, Excellence, Impact and Distinction,” which identifies innovation and creativity as one of four institutional goals while reaffirming the University's longstanding commitments to inclusion and social justice.
It also builds on the University's broader approach to moving from Artificial Intelligence to Ethical Intelligence, or “AI to EI” initiative, ensuring that emerging technology is used critically, responsibly and in service of people. SUNY Old Westbury has already committed to integrating AI across teaching, research and operations while pairing AI fluency with the critical thinking and ethical values central to its public liberal arts mission.
“For a University founded on the principles of equity and social justice, the question is not whether we should engage with artificial intelligence, but how we ensure it is used responsibly, equitably and in service of people,” said Angela Wambugu Cobb, vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the Old Westbury College Foundation. “Our Institutional Advancement Office is among the smallest advancement operations within SUNY, yet our responsibility is to build meaningful relationships with thousands of alumni, donors and friends. ‘Amanda’ gives us additional capacity to listen and connect, without sacrificing the human relationships at the heart of our work.”
The VEO is intended to augment, not replace, the work of advancement professionals. ‘Amanda’ can maintain ongoing contact with a larger community than the University's lean staff could consistently reach on its own, while allowing staff to devote more time to the personal conversations, stewardship, and relationship-building that require human judgment and connection.
The University's implementation strategy supports that model. Planning materials for the initiative envision ‘Amanda’ initially managing a portfolio of up to 1,000 constituents, with supporters transitioning to human gift officers when appropriate.
“Technology should allow us to become more human, not less,” Wambugu Cobb said. “For us, success is not measured simply by how many people AI can reach. It is measured by whether we are listening to more voices, creating more pathways for participation and ultimately building stronger human relationships. That is what Ethical Intelligence looks like in practice.”
The approach is particularly consistent with SUNY Old Westbury's history. Its Strategic Plan explicitly describes the University's purpose as advancing academic excellence, innovation, inclusion, social justice, and sustainability, while its mission emphasizes critical thinking, empathy, creativity, intercultural understanding, and a commitment to building a more just and sustainable world.
Amanda will initially engage a select portfolio of alumni and supporters, helping the University better understand their interests and experiences and connecting them to opportunities to engage with and support SUNY Old Westbury.
Through the Foundation's investment in the VEO, SUNY Old Westbury is putting its AI to EI philosophy into practice: embracing the potential of emerging technology while keeping ethics, equity, transparency, and human connection at the center.
About the Old Westbury College Foundation
The Old Westbury College Foundation supports SUNY Old Westbury's mission by securing philanthropic resources and partnerships that expand educational opportunities, strengthen academic programs, enhance the student experience, and advance institutional excellence. Through the generosity of alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations, the Foundation helps create pathways for student success and long-term impact.
About Version2
Version2 is the first AI research and design lab dedicated to advancing fundraising through autonomous engagement solutions. Its Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO) technology helps organizations build stronger relationships with supporters through personalized, AI-powered conversations that expand engagement and fundraising capacity.