Grand Valley State University Earns Prestigious Recognition for ProfAI Innovation

GRAND RAPIDS — Grand Valley State University has been selected as a 2026 CIO 100 Award winner by Foundry, recognizing the leadership of the Information Technology Division in the development of ProfAI, an AI-powered educational tool that transforms traditional lectures into digital content.

The honor comes as part of the 2026 CIO 100 Awards & Conference, scheduled for August 17-19 in Frisco, Texas, where Grand Valley will be recognized alongside other enterprise technology leaders for driving innovation and delivering measurable value through strategic use of information technology.

From a Teaching Challenge to National Recognition

The project began when Chandrash Baid, assistant professor of management in the Seidman College of Business, sought help creating course content for his students. Baid connected with Joseph Van Harken, IT Innovation + Research's innovator-in-residence, to explore potential solutions for improving how faculty deliver lecture content.

Van Harken and the team at GVSU's futurEDlab partnered with students and faculty to develop ProfAI, an AI-powered tool that transforms hour-long lectures into concise and accessible 5-7 minute segments. The platform also generates a digital avatar of the instructor, mirroring their appearance and voice to deliver the content.

ProfAI is currently being fully developed by the futurEDlab in collaboration with Blue Nucleus and will be tested by a small group of faculty members later this year.

Technology That Empowers, Not Replaces

The tool is designed not to replace instruction but to create more opportunities for meaningful faculty-student engagement. Van Harken emphasized the approach: "Emerging technology can feel intimidating, but when we explore it together, it becomes an opportunity."

The project demonstrates how GVSU is leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance teaching and learning while maintaining the human element of education. The digital avatars allow instructors to create reusable content that students can access on-demand, freeing up time for more interactive classroom experiences.

"ProfAI is about helping faculty feel more confident using these tools, creating efficiencies in their work and opening the door to new ways of thinking about teaching and learning," Van Harken said.

The futurEDlab Approach

Eric Kunnen, senior director of IT Innovation + Research, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project: "The futurEDlab is a collaborative platform uniting people, ideas and technology to spark innovation and shape the future of education at GVSU."

Kunnen noted that Joseph Van Harken's pioneering work in the development of ProfAI reflects how the division approaches innovation—by working collaboratively to create solutions that empower faculty, engage students, and expand what is possible in teaching and learning.

The CIO 100 Awards have honored institutions and organizations for more than 40 years, recognizing those that drive innovation, deliver measurable value, and demonstrate excellence in the strategic use of information technology.

Looking Ahead

As Grand Valley prepares to be recognized at the CIO 100 Awards & Conference in August, the futurEDlab continues its work with ProfAI and other innovative projects. The collaboration between faculty, technology teams, and students exemplifies GVSU's commitment to leveraging emerging technologies to enhance the educational experience.

The project showcases how Grand Rapids-area institutions are at the forefront of educational technology innovation, using artificial intelligence to transform traditional teaching methods while maintaining the core mission of student success and engagement.