Elizabeth City, N.C. — Before a student fails a class, drops out or loses confidence in their success, artificial intelligence (AI) may one day help universities recognize the warning signs. If universities could identify students in need of support before they ever consider leaving college, what impact would that have? That question was at the heart of research presented by Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) student Chinenye C. Udensi at a national conference in Los Angeles this past April, where he shared findings on how AI could help institutions better understand the motivational factors that influence student success. The conference proceedings were officially published in June.
Udensi, a double major in Aviation Science and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, presented “Evaluating AI Tools in Coding Motivational-Developmental (MD) Constructs from Open-Ended Student Responses,” a study examining whether AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can accurately analyze students’ written reflections and identify patterns that may indicate when a student needs additional support.
The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of Virginia and Norfolk State University, and was guided by mentor Olasunkanmi Kehinde, Ph.D., assistant professor of Quantitative Psychology and Psychometrics. The researchers found that AI demonstrated strong potential for detecting students’ goals, doubts and mindsets. These insights could one day help colleges intervene before small struggles become major barriers.
“For HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions like ECSU, this is significant because it could create an early warning system to identify students who need extra support before they fall behind,” Udensi said. “This could help improve retention, graduation rates, and close achievement gaps.”
Udensi said his interest in the topic is deeply personal.
“I’ve seen firsthand how students from diverse and often underrepresented backgrounds face significant academic and life challenges,” he said. “Many good students struggle not because they lack ability, but because of setbacks, pressure or lack of support. Some don’t recover from those setbacks.”
The opportunity to present at the conference marked a significant milestone for Udensi, who was born in Nigeria and completed much of his education in England before coming to ECSU. He said representing the university on a national stage affirmed both his work and the contributions HBCUs continue to make in research and innovation.
“This conference is highly regarded because it brings together leading researchers, educators and policymakers focused on improving how we measure, assess and support student learning and success,” Udensi said. “Representing Elizabeth City State University on a national stage was an incredible honor and a powerful validation of the work we’re doing at ECSU.”
According to Udensi, his presentation showed that research from ECSU is “valuable and worthy of being shared on one of the biggest platforms in the world of education.”
“It reinforced my belief that HBCUs like ours have important contributions to make in education research, innovation, and the use of technology to solve real problems.”
He added that success in higher education should not be determined by intelligence alone.
“Success in higher education is not just about intelligence or resources; it’s about the ability to adapt, bounce back, and persist when things get difficult,” Udensi said. “I became particularly passionate about this topic because I believe measuring and strengthening academic resilience can be life-changing, especially for students at HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions.”
According to Udensi, AI has the potential to help universities measure student performance in other ways.
“This work can help universities move beyond traditional metrics like GPA and test scores,” he said. “By using AI to analyze students’ own words, institutions can better understand the motivational and emotional factors affecting performance.”
Such insights could enable colleges to provide more timely and personalized interventions, including mentoring, academic advising and mental health support, ultimately helping more students remain enrolled and graduate.
Udensi credited ECSU’s Department of Aviation for helping make the opportunity possible.
“The Aviation Department’s support was instrumental,” he said. “They assisted with my travel, which allowed me to present on a national stage. This kind of investment shows ECSU’s strong commitment to student research and innovation.”
He said the university’s support sends a powerful message to students across campus.
“It tells students that even as an undergraduate, your ideas matter and the university is willing to back you in sharing them with the broader academic community,” Udensi said.
Looking ahead, Udensi hopes the research will inspire greater use of practical AI applications in higher education and create new opportunities for ECSU students and faculty.
“At ECSU, this work can open exciting new doors for students and faculty to engage in interdisciplinary research,” he said. “Long-term, I hope ECSU becomes recognized as an institution that produces graduates who don’t just study technology, but use it to create meaningful impact in their communities, whether in education, aviation maintenance or other critical fields.”
Udensi, who is expected to graduate in Fall 2028, believes the next decade will bring a fundamental shift in higher education as AI becomes an increasingly powerful tool for identifying challenges, personalizing learning and empowering student success.
