Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


Claflin U Connects Online Students with 24/7 Support Resources

student working on laptop

South Carolina's Claflin University is working with ed tech startup Upswing to offer a variety of support resources for its online students. The historically black institution is looking to better engage students and improve outcomes, according to Syed Hasnain, director of online education at the university.

"Claflin University was seeking an option to provide students with online tutoring, as well as tools to improve student retention. We were impressed by Upswing's solution — particularly their virtual assistant, Ana. We look forward to seeing how adding Upswing to our student support resources impacts outcomes in the coming year," he noted in a statement.

Upswing tools involved in the rollout include:

  • Online Student Engage, a 24/7 tutoring platform that will connect students with Claflin online tutors for online as well as in-person sessions with flexible scheduling;
  • Reviews of writing assignments: Students can submit coursework to Upswing to have it reviewed by a Claflin or Upswing tutor for content and structure, with feedback provided within 24-48 hours;
  • Ana, an SMS-based virtual assistant that answers questions, schedules sessions, and sends reminders and other mass communications to students via cell phone; and
  • An administrator dashboard that summarizes usage data to track student performance.

"Upswing is proud to be partnering with Claflin University to help execute their vision for expanding the ways they engage and support online students," said Melvin Hines, co-founder and CEO of Upswing. "Claflin University understands the importance of providing online students with a sense of confidence that help is there when they need it and making it a priority for them to succeed in earning their degrees."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • artificial intelligence on laptop

    OpenAI to Combine AI Products into Desktop 'Superapp'

    OpenAI is reportedly developing a desktop application that would combine several of its emerging AI products into a single platform, according to reports, marking the latest step in the company's effort to transform ChatGPT from a standalone chatbot into a broader productivity and automation environment.

  • Abstract digital data stream with binary code and colorful light trails

    Microsoft Releases Open Source AI Safety Tools for Agent Development

    Microsoft released RAMPART and Clarity as open-source projects intended to help developers test AI agents earlier in the software lifecycle and turn red-team findings into repeatable engineering checks.

  • abstract illustration of artificial intelligence

    CSU Shares AI Learnings in Systemwide Survey

    In a systemwide survey of more than 94,000 faculty, staff, and students, California State University recently documented widespread AI use across its 22 campuses.

  • Profile silhouette of a person thoughtfully touching their chin, overlaid with transparent data visualizations and digital interface elements suggesting artificial intelligence and analytics.

    The Institutional Knowledge Shift Is Reshaping Higher Ed IT

    Higher education IT leaders are navigating a quiet but consequential transition: Experienced team members are retiring or leaving for private-sector roles, and the teams replacing them are smaller, newer, and often stretched thin. The result is a structural shift in how technology decisions are made, executed, and sustained.