AI Lab Yearly Review
Fall 2025 – Spring 2026
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Yearly Review
AI Lab at Biola University
2025 – 2026 Academic Year
What Our Students Say
Benjamin Currie
AI Lab Associate
I got the opportunity to go to the Gloo AI hackathon this fall in Boulder, CO. I was able to build an iOS-based screen time app that used AI to help you think, pray, and get better at using your phone in a healthy flourishing way. This was by far the most exciting time of my first semester at Biola.
AI Lab Team 2025–2026
Pictured here is the AI Lab team for 2026. From right to left in the back row: Dr. David Bourgeois, Stefan Jungmichel, Mani Ellerington, Jefferson Hong, Joseph Han, Miracle Toluwalase, Phinehas Milton, and Dr. Arena. In the second row: Ruth Demissie, Felicity Zhang, Megan Lai, Clara Zhao, Maddie Ebright, Ben Currie, and Natasha Warner. A sincere thank you to Amber Nakamoto from Biola Admissions, with the support of Joseph Rubio, for generously equipping the AI Lab with new gear this year. We are deeply grateful for this team and excited to serve Biola faculty, students, and staff as well as Christian organizations in the years to come.
Our Partners
We collaborate with leading organizations to advance AI opportunities for Biola students, further AI research, and help advance Kingdom work through technology.
Partnered with
leading organizations
2025–2026 Timeline
Key moments from the year — from campus workshops to global mission.
Spoke at Christians for Impact Conference
Traveled to Washington DC for the Christians for Impact Conference, presenting a live showcase of the most influential AI tools alongside an ethical discussion grounded in Christian values. We also attended the AI & Religion conference, connecting with faith leaders on how to steward AI responsibly. Thank you to Shon Pan, JD Bauman, William Jones, and Vesa Hautala for the opportunity.
Spoke at Christians for Impact Conference
Traveled to Washington DC for the Christians for Impact Conference, presenting a live showcase of the most influential AI tools alongside an ethical discussion grounded in Christian values. We also attended the AI & Religion conference, connecting with faith leaders on how to steward AI responsibly. Thank you to Shon Pan, JD Bauman, William Jones, and Vesa Hautala for the opportunity.
Spoke at CUPA HR Conference
The AI Lab was invited for the first time to speak at CUPA HR, the premier conference for human resources professionals in higher education, bringing a conversation about AI to over 1,400 HR leaders from colleges and universities across the country.
Gloo AI Hackathon
A team of 13 students and staff traveled to Boulder, CO to compete among nearly 700 innovators from 48 states and 27 countries. We built three projects — two made the finals. Flora won 1st place ($10K) in Vibe Coding, and Ephphatha, an ASL church interpreter app, won the Hacker's Choice Award ($5K). Two awards. $15,000. Out of 98 teams.
Gloo AI Hackathon
A team of 13 students and staff traveled to Boulder, CO to compete among nearly 700 innovators from 48 states and 27 countries. We built three projects — two made the finals. Flora won 1st place ($10K) in Vibe Coding, and Ephphatha, an ASL church interpreter app, won the Hacker's Choice Award ($5K). Two awards. $15,000. Out of 98 teams.
Biola Housing RA Hiring System
AI Lab Associate Megan Lai built a custom hiring system for Biola Housing to streamline their Resident Assistant selection. A custom Apps Script form captures asynchronous candidate interviews, then synthesizes those responses with notes from two in-person interviewers into a single spreadsheet — letting reviewers compare candidates at a glance while preserving the nuance of each one's strengths and weaknesses. The system automated 30–50 hours of manual work previously spent searching through handwritten notes for over 100 candidates.
Spoke at the Christian Camp & Conference Association
Stefan Jungmichel and Joseph Hartono traveled to New Orleans for the Go With Me Conference, speaking to ministry leaders on how to use AI to increase administrative efficiency, apply it safely and responsibly across various use cases, and navigate the ethical risks AI presents specifically for kids ministries. Thank you to Jen Howver for the wonderful opportunity.
Spoke at the Christian Camp & Conference Association
Stefan Jungmichel and Joseph Hartono traveled to New Orleans for the Go With Me Conference, speaking to ministry leaders on how to use AI to increase administrative efficiency, apply it safely and responsibly across various use cases, and navigate the ethical risks AI presents specifically for kids ministries. Thank you to Jen Howver for the wonderful opportunity.
AI Lab Video Series
Launched our first video series exploring the heart behind the AI Lab — why it exists, what we believe about technology and faith, and what we're building toward.
AI Lab Christmas Special
To close out the semester, the AI Lab team went all out — producing two videos, launching a new landing page, building a holiday video game, recording a podcast episode, and publishing an article on AI and critical thinking. A creative sprint that showed what this team is capable of.
AI Lab Christmas Special
To close out the semester, the AI Lab team went all out — producing two videos, launching a new landing page, building a holiday video game, recording a podcast episode, and publishing an article on AI and critical thinking. A creative sprint that showed what this team is capable of.
AI Summit at Oklahoma Baptist University
Represented the AI Lab at the Oklahoma Baptist University AI Summit as keynote speaker and breakout session leader. Sessions covered the current capabilities of AI and their implications for higher education, applying AI responsibly within a Christian ethical framework, structuring assignments effectively in the age of AI, and thinking critically about AI implementation in the classroom. Thank you to Joshua Shoffner and OBU for the wonderful hospitality.
AI Summit at Oklahoma Baptist University
Represented the AI Lab at the Oklahoma Baptist University AI Summit as keynote speaker and breakout session leader. Sessions covered the current capabilities of AI and their implications for higher education, applying AI responsibly within a Christian ethical framework, structuring assignments effectively in the age of AI, and thinking critically about AI implementation in the classroom. Thank you to Joshua Shoffner and OBU for the wonderful hospitality.
AI Lab High School Camp
In collaboration with Biola's School of Science and Technology, we hosted an AI hackathon for high school students from across the Los Angeles area. Teams competed by building software projects from scratch — a hands-on introduction to AI, problem-solving, and technology with purpose.
CUPA HR Conference
Returned to the CUPA HR Conference to go deeper on AI in human resources — covering data visualization, workforce analytics, ethical AI, deepfake policy, and the future outlook for HR leaders navigating a rapidly shifting landscape.
CUPA HR Conference
Returned to the CUPA HR Conference to go deeper on AI in human resources — covering data visualization, workforce analytics, ethical AI, deepfake policy, and the future outlook for HR leaders navigating a rapidly shifting landscape.
Missional AI Conference
Attended Missional AI 2026, sending three students — Joseph Han, Felicity Zhang, and Ben Currie — alongside the AI Lab leadership team of Dr. Michael Arena, Dr. David Bourgeois, and Stefan Jungmichel. The trip was a focused research effort: listening, learning, and connecting with Kingdom-minded technologists working at the intersection of faith and AI. We left with a clearer picture of what's happening across the field, the people building in this space, and where the AI Lab can contribute meaningfully in the years ahead.
Biola Health Center Inventory System
AI Lab student Felicity Zhang built a smart inventory tracking system for Biola's Health Center. The software uses a scanner to automatically add and subtract inventory in real time, and includes an automated alert system that notifies staff when items are running low or approaching expiration. The prototype is currently in testing and nearing deployment.
Biola Health Center Inventory System
AI Lab student Felicity Zhang built a smart inventory tracking system for Biola's Health Center. The software uses a scanner to automatically add and subtract inventory in real time, and includes an automated alert system that notifies staff when items are running low or approaching expiration. The prototype is currently in testing and nearing deployment.
Student Articles by Joseph Han
AI Lab student Joseph Han wrote two student articles this semester — a summary of Claude's New Constitution 2026 and a brief summary of the International AI Safety Report. Both pieces distill dense, technical AI policy material into accessible reading for students, faculty, and anyone trying to keep up with where the field is heading.
Grace Adventures Database Integration
Biola student Maddie Ebright partnered with the AI Lab to build a custom software solution for Grace Adventures, a Christian camp and outdoor ministry. Grace Adventures had three separate databases with no unified way to access or query them together. Maddie leveraged AI tools to develop an integrated system that pulls from all three databases in one place — giving the Grace Adventures team a single interface to find information, surface insights, and streamline operations. The project is still in active development.
Grace Adventures Database Integration
Biola student Maddie Ebright partnered with the AI Lab to build a custom software solution for Grace Adventures, a Christian camp and outdoor ministry. Grace Adventures had three separate databases with no unified way to access or query them together. Maddie leveraged AI tools to develop an integrated system that pulls from all three databases in one place — giving the Grace Adventures team a single interface to find information, surface insights, and streamline operations. The project is still in active development.
Mission Trip to the Philippines
From April 10–19, the AI Lab traveled to the Philippines alongside Ani Fund and Sacred Harvest Foundation to train tribal communities, churches, and ministries on effective and responsible AI use. We taught handwritten form digitization (converting stacks of paper records into structured Excel dashboards instantly), automation workflows to eliminate manual data re-entry, Claude + Canva integration for professional on-brand design at minimal cost, and hands-on one-on-one sessions walking through real use cases from their actual work. A full documentary of the journey is coming soon.
Launched a Course for Fall 2026
Developed and will teach a new 15-week course at Biola's Crowell School of Business: BUSN 450 — "How to Build a Business with AI." Students build an entire business from scratch using AI responsibly across research, data analysis and visualization, marketing and content generation, website development and automation, and ethical AI grounded in human dignity, flourishing, and Imago Dei. All materials are built from real-world AI Lab client work.
Launched a Course for Fall 2026
Developed and will teach a new 15-week course at Biola's Crowell School of Business: BUSN 450 — "How to Build a Business with AI." Students build an entire business from scratch using AI responsibly across research, data analysis and visualization, marketing and content generation, website development and automation, and ethical AI grounded in human dignity, flourishing, and Imago Dei. All materials are built from real-world AI Lab client work.
Thank You
To everyone who has walked alongside the AI Lab this year — thank you. To those who have given financially, prayed for our work, followed along on social media, visited our space on campus, attended a workshop, or simply cheered us on from afar: none of this happens without you. Your generosity and encouragement have shaped every moment of the past year.
We are excited for what God has in store for the academic year of 2026–2027.