In the fall, the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society launched ExLENT Data Crossings with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program welcomed its inaugural cohort of 19 “explorers,” bringing together Notre Dame students and working professionals from non-technical backgrounds. Midway through the program’s first year, we invited participants to reflect on their fall experiences and share what stood out, what challenged them, and what they are already applying.
For many participants, the Explorations course has shifted data and AI from abstract ideas to practical tools that influence decisions, perceptions, and outcomes. Notre Dame Political Science sophomore Piper Burrows described one of the most common takeaways: “One concept that changed how I think about data is how important the storytelling is.” Similar reflections surfaced throughout the cohort as participants began paying closer attention to how framing, chart choice, and audience can shape what people take away from the same information.
For working professionals, that lesson has sometimes arrived with a jolt of realism. In the data visualization class, Keli Bedics, a Notre Dame Inspired Leadership Initiative fellow, noted how easily interpretation can change without the underlying data changing at all: “It was interesting to see how different presentations of the very same data could lead viewers to different assumptions…” The takeaway reflects a broader theme in participant responses: learning data skills also means developing discernment, both in consuming information and communicating it responsibly.
Participants also described a growing awareness that AI is not simply a “source of answers,” but a system that requires direction, skepticism, and ethical awareness. Political Science freshman Alexa Luna put it plainly: “Small changes in prompts can lead to very different outputs… AI interpretation depends on context and is not fully accurate or neutral.” Many reflections echoed this mindset as participants practiced testing wording, checking outputs, and treating AI as a tool that supports thinking rather than replaces it.
When asked how ExLENT’s mixed-cohort approach has strengthened the Explorations course concepts, participants consistently pointed to the Experiential Learning Studios as the place where learning becomes more tangible. Students have often brought speed and comfort with digital tools, while working professionals have brought context, constraints, and a clear sense of what “usable” looks like at work, and that mix has helped teams move from concepts to application. Participants described the studios as guided practice, step-by-step use of AI, and a chance to produce insights, visualizations, and work products they can carry back into classes, internships, and workplaces. Kevin Ricksgers, a supply chain manager, reflected: “When we designed an AI-powered tool to solve a real human need and turned it into an actual prototype, the capability was like nothing I’d seen before.”
Looking ahead, Valya Kuskova, Principal Investigator of Data Crossings, Professor of the Practice, and Associate Director of the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society, has been encouraged by the cohort’s growth, noting that participants are moving from simply trying tools to using them with more intention and discernment. Spring sessions will continue to focus on application through studio work and capstone projects grounded in real-world challenges.
Applications for the second ExLENT Data Crossings cohort (2026–2027 academic year) open in March 2026 for Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s students in the arts, humanities, languages, and social sciences, as well as working professionals in the broader Indiana community who are seeking to expand or pivot their careers.
To learn more about the program, please visit the website.
Contact:
Martha Aikiriza, Institute Coordinator and Program Administrator, ExLENT Data Crossings
Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society / University of Notre Dame
maikiriz@nd.edu / 574.631.0219
lucyinstitute.nd.edu / @lucy_institute
About the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society
Guided by Notre Dame’s Mission, the Lucy Family Institute adventurously collaborates on advancing data-driven and artificial intelligence (AI) convergence research, translational solutions, and education to ethically address society’s vexing problems. As an innovative nexus of academia, industry, and the public, the Institute also fosters data science and AI access to strengthen diverse and inclusive capacity building within communities.