Before You Hire an AI Consultant, Do This

On this episode of Higher Ed Pulse, host Mallory Willsea sits down with Ed Cabellon, Interim Vice President for Student Experience at Frederick Community College, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about what it actually takes to build an enterprise AI strategy in higher education. Rather than rushing into flashy AI pilots or chasing trends, Ed shares how FCC spent months laying the groundwork for a sustainable, institution-wide AI roadmap rooted in governance, collaboration, and operational readiness. Together, Mallory and Ed unpack the realities of leading AI transformation on campus, including how to align cabinet leadership, faculty innovation, IT infrastructure, and institutional priorities before bringing in outside consultants.