Starting April 1, the Lone Star College Office of Technology Services (OTS) has transformed the student experience with Ellis C., an AI-powered chatbot designed to provide quick and reliable support. Available 24/7 on the myLoneStar student portal, Ellis C. helps students navigate essential services like Admissions, Advising, Financial Aid, and Veteran’s Affairs in over 100 languages.

Enhancing Student Support with AI

Students frequently have questions about admissions, class registration, and financial aid. Ellis C. offers instant answers to these common inquiries, reducing response times and alleviating the workload of faculty and staff. By automating routine questions, advisors can dedicate more time to personalized student interactions.

Advancing Ellis C.: A Chatbot Development Initiative

To improve Ellis C.’s capabilities, OTS and the Goal 4: Advising team launched a three-month chatbot development project in January. This initiative, led by the Chatbot Steering Committee, aims to expand Ellis C.’s knowledge base, making it a more effective resource for students and advisors.

The project focuses on three key areas:

• Knowledge Base Development: Refining chatbot responses to provide more accurate and helpful answers.

• Continual Improvement: Establishing workflows to ensure ongoing chatbot enhancements and quality assurance.

We Value Feedback

Students stopped by each main LSC campus on March 20 to test the new chatbot. They loved the look and feel and the convenience! Their feedback helped us fine-tune the tool before going live, and we can't wait to hear what they think of Ellis C. now that the bot is live!

Lone Star College is dedicated to using technology to empower students and streamline support services. Ellis C. is just one of the many ways we’re enhancing the student experience—one conversation at a time.

What's Next

Stay tuned for updates as we continue enhancing this tool to support student success!