Business
Blackbaud and Student First Propel AI-Powered Connected Campus Vision for Higher Education Through Strategic Innovation Partnership
Blackbaud and Student First Propel AI-Powered Connected Campus Vision for Higher Education Through Strategic Innovation
About this update from Blackbaud, Inc.
Expanded Collaboration Helps Colleges and Universities Improve Visibility, Streamline Operations and Support Student Success CHARLESTON, S.C., July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world's leading provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact, today announced an Innovation Partnership with Student First, the provider of the most modern, AI-powered higher education student information system (SIS) designed to simplify administrative workflows and enhance the student experience.Building on Blackbaud's strategic investment in Student First earlier this year and the companies' ongoing collaboration through the Blackbaud Partner Network, this new Strategic Innovation Partnership deepens the relationship between the two companies and advances a shared vision for a Connected Campus in higher education."Our Innovation Partnership with Student First reflects a shared commitment to helping colleges and universities connect the systems and data that matter most," said Mark Davis, vice president and general manager of education products, Blackbaud. "As institutions face growing pressure to do more with less, they need technology that helps teams work from a shared view. By bringing together the systems that shape both the student experience and institutional performance, Blackbaud and Student First are helping colleges and universities build a stronger foundation for student success and long-term sustainability through our commitment to execution of a shared roadmap across both companies."Rising costs, enrollment pressures and evolving student expectations are forcing colleges and universities to rethink how they operate. Yet for many institutions, the systems that support critical infrastructure remain disconnected, creating barriers to collaboration, limiting visibility and making it harder to align resources with student success goals.By bringing together best-in-class solutions for student information, enrollment, financial aid, scholarships, advancement, finance and tuition payments, Blackbaud and Student First are working together to create a Connected Campus operating model that helps colleges and universities unite data, people and processes across the institution to provide greater visibility, reduce complexity and empower institutions to make more informed decisions. With this enhanced level of information flow and coll...