The Challenge: Overwhelmed Teams, Rising Expectations

At Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, the enrollment team was facing an all-too-familiar struggle. Applications were rising, expectations from students were intensifying, and yet staff capacity was shrinking. The team spent their days chasing incomplete applications, sending repetitive reminders, and fielding the same questions over and over again.

Despite their best efforts, response times lagged. Students grew frustrated waiting for answers, and staff morale sank under the weight of tasks that pulled them away from meaningful advising.

The stakes were clear: if Clayton State didn’t find a new way to scale its outreach and support, the university risked losing students to institutions that could.

The Turning Point: Choosing AI Agents Over Traditional Tools

When exploring solutions, Clayton State quickly realized that another CRM upgrade or chatbot wouldn’t solve the problem. What the team needed wasn’t more features that would sit unused—it was teammates. Intelligent, proactive AI agents that could handle full jobs from start to finish.

That’s why they turned to Element451’s Bolt Agents. Unlike traditional systems that wait for staff to trigger action, these agents act autonomously—reaching out to students, tracking progress, and adapting in real time. The choice wasn’t just about efficiency; it was about reshaping what the team could focus on and how the university could deliver on its promise to students.

The Solution in Action: Agents Working Beside Staff

Clayton State began by introducing AI agents across two critical areas: admissions and student success.

In admissions, agents reached out to applicants who had started but not completed their applications, nudging them to finish the process. They followed up with admitted students, guiding them through submission, and they provided instant responses to applicant questions—no matter the time of day.

On the student success side, agents worked behind the scenes to send proactive reminders about payment deadlines and refund notices from the Bursar's Office and advising sessions, helping ensure no student slipped through the cracks.

The effect was transformative. For the first time, staff felt like they had breathing room. AI agents handled the repetitive, time-sensitive work, while counselors and advisors could devote more energy to what mattered most: one-on-one conversations and relationship-building.

ROI That Speaks for Itself

The results were immediate and measurable. Within the first semester, Clayton State saw a 75% reduction in staff time spent on routine communications. Response times that once dragged on for days were cut down dramatically. Most importantly, the university recorded a 7% year-over-year enrollment growth, all without adding new staff positions.

Looking Ahead: A Future Built on Agents

With admissions and success teams already benefitting from AI agents, Clayton State is looking to expand even further. The university’s next step is to deploy agents into current student engagement for new student programs and events. Leaders are also exploring ways to extend the power of agents into alumni engagement, ensuring graduates stay connected long after they leave campus.

By embracing AI agents as teammates, Clayton State has not only improved enrollment results but also created a new model for how higher education can meet rising expectations with fewer resources.

Ready to see what Bolt Agents could do for your institution? Try an agent now.