As described in a recent news release, the purpose of the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing is to help fill the cybersecurity workforce shortage as America faces more frequent and sophisticated attacks on the cyber front.
Arnie Bellini, tech entrepreneur and former owner of Florida-based cybersecurity company ConnectWise, said he and his wife Lauren are committed to making Tampa a hub for AI and digital defense, starting with their donation, the largest in USF’s history.
“Cyber attacks are the new missiles, and AI is the arms race of our time. 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,” he said in a public statement. “That changes today.”
In 2023, the FBI received a record 880,000 cyber crime complaints, with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion. At the same time, the country’s workforce is not equipped to handle increasing threats. The International Information System Security Certification Consortium estimated in 2023 that 482,985 cybersecurity positions were unfilled in the United States, and Cyberseek puts the figure at 457,398 this year. According to the news release, USF's new college will produce thousands of professionals ready to protect private and public institutions from cyber threats.
“America cannot afford to be reactive — we must be proactive,” Bellini said. “Cyber criminals and rogue nation-states are already deploying AI-driven cyber attacks at an alarming scale. The Bellini College will train the cyber warriors of tomorrow to outthink, outmaneuver, and out-innovate these threats.”
The new college will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science, cybersecurity, computer engineering, AI and more. Regardless of subject area, studies will focus on ethical AI implementation and responsible governance, according to the news release.
The college will also leverage area resources to build internship programs and research projects with companies, government agencies and defense contractors. Tampa is home to MacDill Air Force Base, which hosts one of the country’s 11 central military commands, making the bay a hub for military cyber operations. On the industry side, the news release said, more than 25 percent of the state’s tech jobs are in Tampa, as are headquarters for key cybersecurity companies like KnowBe4, ReliaQuest and ConnectSecure.
“This initiative will be a game-changer for industry, government and academia,” USF Provost Prasant Mohapatra said in a public statement. “By integrating AI and cybersecurity in one college, USF is creating a national model for preparing leaders in this rapidly evolving field.”
The university will also foster collaboration across departments to tackle complex challenges, another news release said. While the Bellini College will focus on computer science, cybersecurity, information technology and AI, students will have opportunities to explore additional, specialized areas of study, like medicine, business, arts and humanities.
Interim Dean Sudeep Sarkar said he anticipates that eventually the new college will offer interdisciplinary majors that combine computer science with one of these specialties.
“The idea is that the students can be hired by a tech firm that doesn’t specialize in their interdisciplinary field,” Sarkar said in a public statement. “But the students will learn how to leverage computer science and artificial intelligence to improve work in the interdisciplinary field.”
Instructors and researchers will share resources to explore AI’s cross-disciplinary impact, as well. According to the news release, the Bellini College will lead a universitywide initiative to investigate the issue of how to use AI to enhance work rather than replace people.
