Montclair State University students with questions on majors can consult Major Mentor, a new, custom-built AI guide. The AI provides insights on all university majors, minors, relevant careers and contacts for further details.
The AI availability was shared with students in a November Red Hawk News email. The interactive agent was launched in January 2025 after being designed by Adam Mayer, University College career and academic programming director.
Adam Mayer, University College career and academic programming director. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
According to Mayer, as of Dec. 4, Major Mentor has had 541 chatbot conversations since its debut. The tool can be found at the bottom of the Career Services website. It can also be accessed on Engage-posted workshops by QR code.
Mayer explained that Major Mentor is designed to respond to typed queries. The conversational agent asks questions based on user input, covering majors, minors, academic program restrictions, related careers and expected salary ranges.
“It’s designed to help pre-major students with major exploration,” Mayer said. “But it can do a lot more than that.”
Major Mentor also shares campus organizations and outreach groups such as Counseling and Psychological Services. Mayer said the service will not provide actual academic advice.
University College in Cole Hall Room 300 is the office location of Adam Mayer, Academic Program Coordinator For University College. Mayer is the creator of Major Mentor, a chat GPT guide about the university's educational offerings, social activities, and student services. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
“In fact, I have given it instructions, because it is a custom GPT, ‘Do not provide any guidance on course selection,” Mayer said. “[The program will] refer back to academic advising to the user.’”
Nonetheless, the GPT model can give a Handshake link for a career advising appointment.
Mayer shared the Major Mentor idea came after attending the spring 2024 National Career Development Association Conference in San Diego, California, where he learned about the emerging use of ChatGPT, at a seminar.
“I talked with the presenter afterwards, kept in conversation with him, had a couple Zoom meetings,” Mayer said. “With his guidance, I developed Major Mentor.”
Albert Antomattei, academic program coordinator for University College, was part of the rigorous Major Mentor vetting process, sharing he found the ChatGPT program to be reliable.
Albert Antomattei, academic program coordinator for University College. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
“At least in my experience, I didn’t come across many points of error,” Antomattei said.
Antomattei explained Major Mentor’s advantage is its around-the-clock availability.
“It’s meant to supplement the advisor,” Antomattei said. “But now with technology, people are accessing resources on line anytime of day. Before business hours, before the office is open… It could be late at night when they have questions, or they have these late-night contemplations.”
Antomattei said the interactional site is part of an emerging trend.
“AI has been burgeoning in recent years and so much so that students are using it,” Antomattei said. “Whether it’s high school students, or college students — it could be even younger than high school.”
Monica Carbonell, freshman psychology major. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
Monica Carbonell, a freshman psychology major, said she welcomes the advent of Major Mentor. Carbonell said the AI assistant offers fact-finding convenience.
“I think it’s a flexible idea, that is on the go,” Carbonell said. “Instead of having to make a meeting with somebody, you can just set it on you.”
Carbonell shared how Major Mentor’s strength is providing quick details about university educational programs and recreational clubs, sharing the ChatGPT beats contacting people and having to wait for a reply.
Carbonell explained how this can benefit campus newcomers.
“I think it would be helpful especially for freshmen, since they are new like me,” Carbonell said. “They wouldn’t want to make appointments because they don’t know how. It just would be more accessible and more comfortable for people.”
