by Olivia Williams
Have you gotten this funky little message from a chatbot named Mac? Mac is a new part of our campus community! It was already around in 2020 as a very early prototype, then went and took a little nap, and is now back and more than ready to help. While talking to Jamie Pjesky, Director of Academic Advising and Student Success at McPherson College, as well as the head of the MacBot and its interactions, she shared that, “Mac is a chatbot aimed towards answering student’s questions and getting them the help they need”. Especially outside of regular faculty office hours, the MacBot wants to make sure that students get their questions answered. Pjesky adds, “Mac is here to answer over 400 questions and get you in contact with staff members who can help if necessary”. Whether you are worried about finals, or what you are going to have for dinner, feel free to send him a text and he will respond within minutes. Many students might be wondering: Why a chatbot, and why is it messaging me? Mac is happy to reach out and welcome you to the joys on campus, communicating through the most looked at item on campus: the phone. “The goal is to help students feel welcome,” Jamie Pjesky shares, “If students are ever worried about anything, they can reach out to him and he will get the information to the right people”. Pjesky also suggests students to reach out to and interact with the MacBot to get to know the new resource on campus. She also welcomes everyone to ask it some questions about itself in order to find out what more it has to offer. With that being said, be excited for our newest staff member of McPherson College: the MacBot!
