Upcoming Webinar – Human Connection in the Age of AI: Disruption, Dystopia, or Discovery?
Webinar - Upcoming Webinar – Human Connection in the Age of AI: Disruption, Dystopia, or Discovery?
March 14, 2025 at noon
The Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, in collaboration with MentorPRO and The Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring, is proud to announce the next installment in its highly anticipated 2025 Effective Student Mentoring Webinar Series. On March 27 at 12:00 PM ET, Julia Freeland Fisher, JD, Director of Education at the Clayton Christensen Institute, will lead a thought-provoking session titled Human Connection in the Age of AI: Disruption, Dystopia, or Discovery?
This webinar promises to be an essential event for educators, policymakers, mentoring practitioners, and anyone invested in the future of student support. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape education and mentoring landscapes, Julia Freeland Fisher’s expertise offers a critical lens into how technology can either disrupt or deepen human connections. Her research focuses on leveraging innovation to expand students’ social capital—the networks and relationships that play a pivotal role in their academic and personal success.
Freeland Fisher’s work at the Clayton Christensen Institute has been at the forefront of disruptive innovation in education. Her leadership has transformed rigid, factory-model systems into student-centered designs that prioritize individual potential. She is also the author of Who You Know: Unlocking Innovations That Expand Students’ Networks, a groundbreaking book that explores tools and practices for building meaningful connections in education. Her insights have been featured across major outlets such as Forbes, EducationNext, and CNN, making her one of the most influential voices in modern educational reform.
The webinar will delve into pressing questions about the intersection of artificial intelligence and human connection. How can educators and mentors harness AI to enhance relationships rather than replace them? What are the risks of relying too heavily on technology in fostering meaningful connections? And perhaps most importantly, how can we ensure that AI serves as a tool to empower students rather than alienate them? Freeland Fisher’s research offers actionable strategies for navigating these challenges while maintaining a focus on equity and inclusion.
This event also underscores MentorPRO’s commitment to evidence-based practices and its mission to support young people through innovative mentoring solutions. As a platform built on decades of research into effective mentoring, MentorPRO provides colleges and organizations with tools that integrate goal-setting, real-time engagement tracking, and mental health resources—all designed to foster impactful mentor-mentee relationships. With proven outcomes such as higher retention rates and increased student well-being, MentorPRO exemplifies how technology can be used responsibly to strengthen human connections.
Jean Rhodes, PhD, Co-founder of MentorPRO and Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring, emphasizes the importance of this dialogue: “At its core, mentoring is about relationships. As we navigate an era defined by technological advancement, platforms like MentorPRO are showing us how innovation can complement—not replace—the human touch that is so vital to student success.”
The webinar is free to attend and offers participants a unique opportunity to engage directly with Julia Freeland Fisher’s research while exploring practical applications for their own programs. Whether you’re an educator looking to integrate AI into your classroom or a mentoring professional seeking strategies to build stronger networks for students, this session will provide valuable insights.
Join us as we explore the future of mentoring and education in an age increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. Together with Julia Freeland Fisher’s expertise and MentorPRO’s innovative approach to student support, this webinar promises to be a transformative experience for all attendees.
