By Timothy Ritterbusch, Staff Writer
Wheaton College faculty and students are grappling with how generative artificial intelligence (AI) will affect academics after the college began a pilot of BoodleBox AI, a collaborative AI platform.
Political science professor and dean of arts and sciences Bryan McGraw said that AI offers an opportunity for faculty to find ways to effectively and ethically explore its learning potential.
“It provides a real challenge for us to demonstrate to parents and prospective students that this is worth your money,” he said.
McGraw said that the college would be developing an endorsement in AI for students to gain practical experience, similar to programs implemented by other liberal arts colleges in the area. He said that the BoodleBox pilot was an example of Wheaton’s exploration of AI.
In addition to the endorsement, Richard Gibson, professor of English, and William Struthers, professor of psychology, will be teaching an advanced integrative seminar called “AI and Human Agents,” which will meet as a night class on Tuesdays during the fall semester of 2026. Gibson also led a faculty seminar on AI in spring 2025.
Others at Wheaton say the college may need to take other steps. Professor of business Paul Lee noted that while the BoodleBox pilot was a good step, others would be needed. Lee pointed to the prevalence of AI tools like Claude, a chatbot popular in professional applications, in the business world.
“It is a helpful tool, but it’s not what they need to learn in order to help them advance and have a competitive advantage in the marketplace,” Lee said.
Individual faculty members’ perspectives on AI also vary, though many professors focus on the need for students to use AI in ways that enhance learning, rather than replacing it. In previous semesters, biblical and theological studies professor Stephen Wunrow had an assignment in his New Testament class requiring students to generate a reflection on a chosen passage of Scripture using AI and reflect on their experiences. However, Wunrow chose to remove the assignment this semester because of students’ increasing familiarity with AI.
“ Most people are already familiar with it and what it can do, and those who aren’t don’t want to use it,” Wunrow said.
Wunrow also cited his growing concerns about AI as a reason for changing the assignment. He emphasized the specificity found in Christianity, contrasting it with the general answers he noted are often found in AI use. “ We don’t believe in a generic God, and AI tends to genericize everything,” Wunrow said. “ I think the way it fosters certain ways of thinking and learning is not Christian.”
For professor of biology Kristen Page, concerns about the water and energy consumption associated with AI are significant. Page noted that while AI can be a useful tool, it should be used wisely. “ I think it’s like any other resource that we have at our disposal; we have to understand there are implications on creation,” she said.
Similar to professors, students also have mixed feelings about the use of AI. Many, like first-year philosophy student Matthew Shehadey, avoid using AI altogether. Shehadey noted that AI may be important to integrate, but challenging oneself is more important.
“Insofar as AI can be a tool to expand the horizon of challenging oneself, then it can be applied and useful in the academic setting,” he said.
Senior business major Andrew Johnston was positive about the pilot at Wheaton. Johnston, who uses AI extensively for his work in social media marketing, believes that AI skills are crucial for students to develop. “I think it’s going to open doors for students to be more familiar with AI, especially considering that we’re moving into this world,” Johnston said.
Many professors note that students must learn the fundamentals of their field before integrating AI. Thomas VanDrunen, professor of computer science, doesn’t allow students to use AI in introductory classes, but has integrated AI tools like Claude into his upper-division classes. “Our current puzzle is how to both teach our students how to code without any AI-assisted tools, but also how to do large-scale software production with it,” VanDrunen said.
Lee encourages students to explore AI in ways that enhance learning. In particular, he emphasized that students should be looking to learn in areas that can help them in the workforce. “What I’m hoping to see in the future is to train our students in ways that will be helpful and will give them a competitive advantage in the marketplace,” he said.
Provost Karen Lee emphasized that continuing to educate students well is a key part of preparing students for the changing world. Lee noted that the college’s role in training students to think is still crucial. “This means nurturing adaptability and versatility as independent thinkers in a rapidly changing world, equipping our students to lead virtuously and ethically as image-bearers of Christ,” Lee said.
Though AI may have a significant impact on Wheaton in the future, some, including Paul Lee, argue that the liberal arts will be as important as ever.
“You’ve got to develop skills that will be unique to humanity, and that can make a unique contribution to society,” Lee said. “I think we should continue to focus on what we do best: Christ-centered liberal arts education.”
