Jotform Presentation Agents Help Upward Bound Automate Student Onboarding.

Jotform's Presentation Agents are moving from announcement to real-world implementation. The AI-powered feature, designed to transform static slide decks into interactive presentation experiences, helped the Upward Bound Program at Harris-Stowe State University eliminate manual oversight from their summer student onboarding process.

Kevin Todd, Upward Bound Program Director, shared in a case study that limited staffing resources previously required oversight of every step in the enrollment workflow. With Presentation Agents, he built a fully self-directed system in time for summer programs, allowing students to complete orientation independently while staff focused on higher-value work.

This follows Jotform's November launch of Presentation Agents, which positioned the tool as a way to replace static PDFs and PowerPoints with guided, interactive experiences that collect data and adapt to user responses.

Before implementing Presentation Agents, Upward Bound's onboarding required staff to manually walk students through orientation materials, answer questions in real time, and ensure each step was completed correctly. The process consumed significant time during peak enrollment periods when staff availability was already stretched thin.

Todd used Presentation Agents to create an interactive orientation that guides students through program requirements, expectations, and necessary forms without staff intervention. The AI-driven presentations adapt based on student responses, providing relevant information and collecting required data simultaneously.

The system handles everything from initial program introductions to consent forms and scheduling, transforming what was once a staff-heavy process into an automated workflow that students complete at their own pace.

The shift to self-directed onboarding delivered measurable results for Upward Bound. Staff time previously allocated to orientation sessions became available for program development, student support, and other priorities that require human judgment and relationship building.

Todd noted the flexibility gained from the implementation. Students can now complete orientation on their own schedule, reducing no-shows and eliminating the need to coordinate multiple group sessions. The automated system also ensures consistency in the information every student receives, removing variability that can occur when different staff members handle orientation.

For organizations running programs with limited budgets and staff, the ability to automate repetitive processes without sacrificing quality represents a significant operational advantage. Upward Bound's experience suggests Presentation Agents can replace manual workflows in education, nonprofits, and other sectors where guided onboarding or training is necessary but resources are constrained.

Jotform has been expanding its AI agent capabilities throughout 2024 and 2025, with Gmail integration and workflow automation features joining Presentation Agents as part of a broader push to embed AI across its form and data collection platform.