Leveraging Generative AI in the Classroom
Find out how faculty in the College of Charleston School of Business are using GenAI to showcase business education at its best.
By Grace Stroup ’26 (M.F.A.)
When students across the country open their syllabi, they’re often met with a generative AI statement that reads something like, “In this course, the use of ChatGPT or any other generative AI tool that can produce text, images or content based on user prompts is strictly prohibited.”
Faculty at the College of Charleston, however, are embracing AI. CofC students are learning how AI works, how to best craft prompts and assess its responses, and how they can leverage it to maximize efficiency and improve workflows. That all began nearly two years ago.
“Provost [Suzanne] Austin, in a very strategic and visionary way, recognized the potential impact of generative AI,” says Carrie Messal, associate dean of the School of Business, explaining that the provost formed a campus task force, creating a committee with a little bit of seed funding in each of the university’s schools.
When the School of Business Office of the Dean realized the enthusiasm faculty had for these tools, it gave every department the opportunity to leverage the tools for their students. In a matter of days, the school had received 12 different proposals to bring AI into the classroom in unique and innovative ways. Leadership recognized the transformative potential these projects had and began looking for ways to find more support.
Around the same time, the Dreyfus family approached the School of Business to learn what the school was doing to prepare their students for generative AI. A transformative gift emerged, establishing the Teaching with AI Professional Learning Community, which allowed School of Business faculty to pilot pedagogical strategies for teaching GenAI-related topics like ethical use, prompt engineering, data analysis and quantitative analysis. The community aims to empower a population of students and faculty to seek training on different AI tools.
A Workable Model
One of the faculty members to implement AI tools in the classroom is Roy Martin, assistant professor of accounting. With the gift, Martin spent last summer creating a project for his tax students that mimicked the way accounting firms are using AI.
Martin’s project consisted of three main parts.
First, the students completed a short AI-prompting course provided by accounting firm EY. The course covered various prompting strategies, when each strategy is preferred and the ethics about AI use.
Then, students were presented with a complex tax scenario to analyze alongside AI. They were asked to submit work highlighting their specific prompting strategy, the reasoning behind that strategy, the output from AI and their own analysis of that output. Students learned how to properly assess the tool’s ability to effectively communicate results, and to make sure that the results were correct.
Finally, the students edited the AI output into a client-ready report. This exercise highlights what Martin sees as the most important: students understanding the content.
“My firmly held belief is that AI will never replace a knowledgeable professional,” says Martin. “AI will, however, change how professional work is completed.
“AI can accelerate writing, explore possible solutions and provide creative ideas, but it cannot supply professional judgment or accountability,” he continues. “The workable model is straightforward: Use AI to move faster, but humans apply professional judgment, check sources, resolve ambiguity, explain results and deliver client-ready documents.”
Building Momentum
Other classrooms across the business school are offering AI, too.
In project management instructor Debby Marindin‘s fall 2025 capstone course, for example, students discussed how AI is being used in practice and engaged in a bonus activity of their choosing, adding their own reflections about the use of AI. One student treated AI as a productivity partner in the classroom, relying on it for outlines, formatting and schedules. Another student used it for financial and operational analysis across organizations under the same private equity firm. And a third framed AI as a thinking partner for risk and stakeholder management.
“Their stories remind us that when learners are trusted with meaningful tools and guided by strong ethical frameworks, they do more than complete a degree – they build momentum for the next chapter of their professional lives,” Marindin says. “And that is the promise of business education at its best.”
The Right Tech, the Right Way
Apart from improving workflows, a real promise with GenAI is improving efficiency – and Kelley Cours Anderson, assistant professor of marketing, was curious how the tool could effectively free up time for creativity and human connection.
“One important (and frequently asked) question from faculty emerged in conversation over this summer: How do I unplug my classroom while still supporting students who need laptops for accommodations?”
To answer that question, Cours Anderson tested out Zoom’s AI-powered meeting notes, launching a Zoom session, reminding students that class would be unplugged and ensuring Zoom’s AI Companion was turned on.
“The result? It was simple, inclusive and effective … a small win for digital wellness that didn’t compromise accessibility,” says Cours Anderson. “This experience reminds us: Digital wellness doesn’t always mean ‘no tech.’ It can also mean using the right tech in the right way. This means leveraging tools that support focus, reduce overload and give us space to reconnect with each other.”
Growing Interest
As professors across the College started researching how to best implement these tools into the classroom, students’ interest grew.
In November 2025, the School of Business launched AI Month, which included student ideas and startup pitches, industry voices and larger campus conversations. The Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the AI Innovation Challenge, drawing more than 60 submissions for high-potential business ideas that apply AI to solve real business problems. Supported by a generous gift from Richard Maclean ’88, the AI Innovation Challenge winners received a grand prize of $5,000.
While technology continues to evolve, the College of Charleston remains poised to meet these demands and equipping students with the skills and tools to thrive in a changing world.
Grace Stroup ’26 recently graduated from the College of Charleston Graduate School with an M.F.A. in creative writing.
