The University of South Florida’s newest college now has a name.
A record-breaking $40 million gift by tech entrepreneur Arnie Bellini and his wife Lauren has established the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing.
According to the university, this is the largest investment in USF's nearly 70-year history. It also marks the first named college in the nation dedicated exclusively to the convergence of AI and cybersecurity.
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Arnie Bellini is a tech entrepreneur and investor who built ConnectWise into a billion-dollar cybersecurity and IT services leader before it was sold in 2019. This helped catalyze Tampa's tech boom. He's now the CEO of Bellini Capital, where he continues to champion the Florida's transformation into a global technology powerhouse.
The historic investment also follows the Bellinis' $11 million gift to establish the Bellini Center for Talent Development at USF's Muma College of Business. This has equipped students with the professional and technical skills needed to enter the workforce.
According to a release, the gift comes as the nation faces an "unprecedented wave of cyberattacks, AI-driven threats and global competition in digital security."
USF said the new college will expand access to state-of-the-art AI and cybersecurity training while producing thousands of professionals prepared to defend businesses, institutions and government agencies from cyber threats.
“The future of warfare, economic power, and national security is digital. Cyberattacks are the new missiles, and AI is the arms race of our time,” Bellini said. “Right now, America is under siege in cyberspace every nanosecond of every day. We are failing to produce the talent and technology needed to defend ourselves."
Bellini told WUSF that he believes the Tampa Bay region's cybersecurity sector is one of the best in the country, and a dedicated college is the next step forward in the field.
“The University of South Florida is that catalyzing ingredient that will have the entire ecosystem just take off," he said.
USF said the college will be unlike traditional cybersecurity programs due to pairing AI and cybersecurity in an integrated approach. It will also recognize that AI is the "greatest enabler," but also the "greatest threat in the cyber landscape," according to the release.
“We’ve moved from a physical world to a digital world, we’ve taken all of the knowledge and capital and transactions and digitized them and yet we haven’t secured them,” Bellini said.
He added that the U.S. cannot afford to be reactive and must instead be proactive.
"Cybercriminals and rogue nation-states are already deploying AI-driven cyberattacks at an alarming scale," he said. "The Bellini College will train the cyber warriors of tomorrow to outthink, outmaneuver, and out-innovate these threats.”
In an effort to do this, Bellini said the college will offer opportunities for students to come up with innovative solutions to current tech issues.
“We’re really going to promote this concept of camaraderie, competition, engaging education that meets students where they are and gives them the hands-on experiences," he said.
The Bellini College will also feature:
- Undergraduate and graduate degree programs fusing AI and cybersecurity into real-world applications
- AI-driven research to develop next-generation cybersecurity solutions
- Strategic partnerships with government agencies, defense contractors and Fortune 500 companies
- A focus on ethical AI implementation and responsible digital governance
Andres Faza/USFUSF cybersecurity student Brianna Deaubler, USF Provost Prasant Mohapatra, USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman, Arnie and Lauren Bellini, USF President Rhea Law and USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford (left to right).
In general, USF Provost Prasant Mohapatra said the university is creating a national model for preparing leaders in the rapidly evolving field by integrating AI and cybersecurity in one college.
"This initiative will be a game changer for industry, government and academia," Mohapatra said.
Tampa is arguably uniquely positioned to become the nation's cybersecurity capital as it has an intersection of technology, military defense and global commerce.
"Lauren and I are committed to ensuring Tampa doesn’t just keep up with the AI revolution — we lead it,” Arnie Bellini said. “This college is just the beginning. The future of cybersecurity, AI, and digital defense will be built right here in Cyber Bay."
The new college will officially open in Fall 2025. In an effort to raise an additional $10 million, Bellini has agreed to match every dollar donated up to $5 million. To learn more, click here.
