Paul Nagy

Higher Education IT Executive of the Year

Paul Nagy is a transformational data and technology leader. Over the last year at Hillsborough Community College, Nagy has implemented and refined both the near-grad and auto-grad programs. The college’s chatbot, Gwen, reaches out to “near-grads” who stopped attending with fewer than 15 credits away from a degree. In the chatbot’s pilot program, 61 students finished their degrees after receiving text messages from the chatbot. The auto-grad program automates the graduation process for students who have fulfilled requirements but never formally applied for graduation. This program now accounts for over 28% of all degree and certificate graduates.