Quinnipiac University and Verndale Demonstrate How AI Agents Can Make Every Story Work Harder
The AI-enabled model improves content article optimization by 90% and AI readiness by 25%.
BOSTON, Sept. 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- Quinnipiac University and Verndale are highlighting an AI-enabled content operating model that helps the university's digital content marketing team turn existing QU.edu stories into more reusable, discoverable digital experiences that showcase the breadth and credibility of the university.
At Opticon 2026, Lisa Scrofani, Director of Product Strategy at Quinnipiac University, and Doug Yoder, Technical Director at Verndale and an Optimizely MVP, shared how they built and deployed AI agents to surface hidden content and optimize pages for both visitors and AI search, resulting in:
- 33% improvement in content messaging recall for readers and a 75% improvement in user experience through proof points that enable scanning and better retention
- 90% increase in content article optimization and 91 minutes of additional compounded productivity per week for marketers
- 25% improvement in AI readiness, supported by structured content and stronger authority signals
"Content must be unique to us and move the needle to ensure we're visible in an AI-search-first world," said Lisa. "Marketers need AI that's consistent, easy to use, and in systems they're already in and that's what we're accomplishing with our AI agents."
Working together, Quinnipiac and Verndale started with use cases that were structured, repeatable, and scalable enough for Optimizely's Agent Platform, Mark (formerly known as Opal). This approach was well-suited for AI and let the university focus its AI investment rather than attempt to automate every marketing task at once.
The agent workflows help with:
- Creating article highlight (TL;DR) summaries from long-form stories
- Extracting faculty media mentions into reusable blocks to build credibility
- Surfacing testimonials hidden in news articles and stories for reuse across the sites
- Building photo galleries more timely to create more engaging experiences for users
The workflows connect Quinnipiac Today, Mark, and Optimizely CMS, treating AI agents as an extension of the marketing team. AI agents manage structured work, while people focus on strategy, creativity, and final approval.
"In our experience, some of the most impactful applications are operational. Think about the work your marketing team performs every week across content QA, CMS updates, or metadata. Those are all structured decisions that you make repeatedly," said Doug. "We weren't looking for AI to be creative. We were looking for AI to consistently handle structured work so the marketing team could focus on the decisions that matter."
This project builds on Verndale's previous work for QU.edu, where the agency supported a digital transformation spanning research, design, development, and measurement, leveraging Optimizely technology.
The collaboration follows Quinnipiac's recognition in 2025 for Optimizely's Immersive Experience Award for pushing the boundaries of content management and creating digital experiences that engage and inspire audiences.
Read the full case study story, How AI Changed the Digital Content Marketing Operating Model for Quinnipiac University, which also illustrates a framework for building AI Agent workflows.
About Verndale
Verndale is a digital experience agency that helps organizations across industries design, build, and optimize complex digital ecosystems. As a Premier Platinum Optimizely partner, Verndale specializes in CMS, AI-enabled workflows and agents, and experimentation. The company is also certified in Optimizely's Agent Platform, Mark. With over 60 Optimizely certifications, multiple Partner of the Year awards (2019, 2021, 2023), and the 2024 Customer Choice Partner for North America, Verndale delivers measurable value through strategy, design, development, data, and digital marketing. Learn more at www.verndale.com.
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