2026 Rising Star Award Recipient

Alex Jacoby

Director of Technology Strategy, Northwestern University's School of Communication

The 2026 EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award is presented to Alex Jacoby, Director of Technology Strategy, Northwestern University's School of Communication, in recognition of his leadership, community involvement, and innovative work advancing technology-enhanced teaching and learning practices.

Alex has quickly established himself as a trusted institutional leader whose work bridges technology, pedagogy, policy, and innovation. Drawing on a background in teaching, digital humanities, and academic research, he has helped CalArts address complex challenges while advancing culturally responsive solutions. This leadership trajectory recently led to his appointment as Director of Technology Strategy at Northwestern University's School of Communication. Alex's career reflects expanding responsibility and a talent for translating emerging technologies into meaningful outcomes. His work is distinguished by a collaborative mindset that brings faculty, staff, students, and academic leaders into shared conversations about technology adoption in a creative arts context.

Alex's growing influence is reflected in the following contributions to the CalArts community:

• Led the evolution of the digital learning environment at the institution by playing a key role in the selection, governance, and adoption of a new learning management system, strengthening faculty engagement and expanding student access to course materials.
• Advanced a community-centered approach to artificial intelligence (AI) policy by creating an inclusive AI task force, helping to establish governance processes that reflect the perspectives of students, faculty, staff, and academic leaders.
• Built strategic partnerships across academic and administrative units to improve accessibility, student support, onboarding experiences, and AI literacy.
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial leadership in emerging technologies by securing support for an admissions chatbot proof-of-concept, evaluating its effectiveness, and using the project to inform AI adoption.

Through these efforts, Alex has helped create a more innovative, inclusive, and adaptable approach to technology adoption across the institution.

He is also a valued contributor to both the EDUCAUSE community and the broader higher education community. He serves on the EDUCAUSE Young Professionals Advisory Committee, participates in EDUCAUSE professional development programs, presents at conferences, and contributes to cross-institutional discussions through the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD). Through his work with AICAD, he helped design the AI Cross-Institutional Dialogue Series, bringing together more than a dozen institutions to explore ethical, operational, and policy questions related to AI.

Colleagues describe Alex as thoughtful and decisive, noting his effectiveness in building consensus around challenging issues. He is recognized for fostering trust across diverse stakeholder groups, navigating complex decisions, and turning ideas into action.

Alex Jacoby's accomplishments, leadership trajectory, and momentum reflect the potential and future impact celebrated by the EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award.