Hosted at Valencia College’s West Campus, the CFEED Annual Summit 2024 marked a milestone in education data analytics, celebrating five years of transformative achievements. Midtown Consulting Group (MCG) played a crucial role in the success of the summit by providing cutting-edge technical, data, and AI solutions that demonstrated the power of advanced data sharing and analytics. MCG’s contributions, which included managing technical setups and implementing sophisticated data-driven and AI-based capabilities, were instrumental in fostering an environment where actionable education insights could flourish.

Reflective Opening

The event kicked off with an exploration of CFEED’s evolution, detailing how it has grown to manage over 250 impactful research projects, emphasizing the combined efforts that have significantly boosted student outcomes across partner institutions. CFEED also illustrated its’ journey towards advanced data architectures with its new Gen 2 update.

In-depth Sessions Around Education

CFEED Director Diana Pienaar, Valencia College’s Executive Vice President of Administrative Services Brandon McKelvey, and Isis Artze-Vega, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, participate in a fireside chat. Their discussion focused on leveraging CFEED data to enhance institutional decision-making and improve student success outcomes across the education ecosystem.

State of CFEED Presentation: Ashton Terry of CFEED presented on the recent initiatives, communicating the benefits of data-driven approaches in the Hospitality & Tourism sectors—vital to Central Florida’s economy. His presentation not only underlined the accomplishments but also engaged the audience in a dynamic activity to demonstrate the practical applications of CFEED’s data insights.

 Interactive Research Initiatives: MCG’s technical expertise was highlighted David Smith as attendees delved into CFEED’s student journey research platform, engaging directly with its extensive data capabilities. By integrating Microsoft’s Data and AI platform, we enriched these sessions, simplifying complex data interactions and enhancing participant engagement.

 Panel Discussions and Technical Workshops: MCG ensured the smooth delivery of content across discussions, where the practical applications of CFEED’s insights were shared. Our technical support was key in facilitating these insights and ensuring clarity and engagement.

 Building Support for College & Career Readiness: Danielle Malfara and Robert Palmer emphasized the importance of adopting community-based approaches in education, particularly in preparing students for college and career pathways. They discussed how Orange County Public Schools and The School District of Osceola County are leveraging CFEED data to fine-tune their strategies, ensuring students are better equipped for future career success. This session underscored the value of collaboration between districts and institutions, highlighting how shared resources and data insights can create a unified support system that maximizes student outcomes. 

Knight Track & Beyond: Kimberly Hardy and Angelia Smith provided a comprehensive overview of several key CFEED-supported initiatives, including the Knight Track and Transfer Ready Scholarship. They detailed how these programs align with CFEED’s analytical insights to guide student transitions from high school to college. Additionally, they demonstrated how longitudinal data shapes education pathways to support student success. Midtown Consulting Group’s (MCG) team of data analysts and IT professionals, embedded within UCF, played a crucial role in these efforts by assisting with data integration and analysis, ensuring that these initiatives are underpinned by accurate and actionable insights.

 Data Governance for Future Access: Braulio Colón emphasized the vital role of strong data governance in ensuring the integrity and accessibility of education data. His presentation explored the challenges and opportunities in data management within education, calling for greater advocacy to improve state data systems. A video showcase complemented his talk, highlighting successful data-driven projects across Florida and demonstrating the significant benefits of strategic data use in education settings.

Vision Team Roundtable Discussion

A highlight of the event was the Vision Team roundtable, featuring key leaders such as Dr. Kathleen Plinske, President of Valencia College; Dr. Alexander Cartwright, President of the University of Central Florida (UCF); Dr. Maria Vazquez, Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS); and Dr. Mark Shanoff, Superintendent of the School District of Osceola County (SDOC). They engaged in a meaningful discussion on how to adapt education strategies to better meet the evolving needs of students. MCG’s technical preparation and data analysis played a crucial role in supporting these discussions, emphasizing the importance of integrated systems that address both academic and emotional student needs.

Future Directions and MCG’s Role

As CFEED evolves, MCG will continue to play a critical role in advancing data and AI solutions as the CFEED technical partner.  We are excited about the potential of upcoming projects to transform education practices across Central Florida.

 Stay Connected and Informed
Keep an eye out for future updates as we build on this year’s summit successes. MCG will provide details on the next annual CFEED summit, promising even richer discussions and innovative strategies. For a deeper dive into the event’s insights and outcomes, read CFEED’s comprehensive article on the summit.

For ongoing updates on MCG’s initiatives and to learn more about their impact on the education sector, follow us on LinkedIn.

About MCG     

Founded in 2004, Midtown Consulting Group (MCG) is a management consulting firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA with clients across the United States. Our diverse team of experts are committed to delivering modern end-to-end data and AI solutions that extend, predict, and prescribe organizations’ potential. We believe that Generative AI, including ChatGPT, will impact every aspect of business, learning, and human interactions. Organizations who adopt sustainable data and AI platforms will improve how they run, grow, and optimize their organizations’ productivity.  Our experts are the backbone of our company; they innovate using technology to continually create optimal solutions for our clients. For more information, visit www.midtowncg.com