Photo courtesy of USF
By Julia Ferrara
With the single largest gift in the University of South Florida’s history, a $40 million donation from Arnie and Lauren Bellini will establish the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, and Computing.
The new college will help address the country’s recent threats, including increased cyberattacks, AI risks and competition in digital security with other nations. It will also help alleviate the ongoing cybersecurity workforce shortage.
“The future of warfare, economic power and national security is digital. Cyberattacks are the new missiles, and AI is the arms face of our time,” Arnie Bellini said. “Right now, America is under siege in cyberspace every nanosecond of every day.”
Positioned to be the country’s cybersecurity capital, Tampa will now be at the intersection of technology, global commerce and military defense. Dubbed “Cyber Bay” by USF, the city already possesses over 25% of Florida’s tech jobs, including the headquarters of offices of well-known cybersecurity companies such as ReliaQuest, Rapid7, KnowBe4 and ConnectSecure.
According to the university, with over 700,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs, the U.S. faces a shortage of professionals, which only exacerbates the billions of dollars cybercrime costs the country every year.
The college is set to open in fall this year and will uniquely pair AI and cybersecurity in a consolidated approach that will aim at recognizing AI as both an enabler and a threat in the cyber world. It will partner with government agencies, defense contractors and Fortune 500 companies.
“We are at a pivotal moment in history where AI and cybersecurity must evolve together,” USF President Rhea Law said. “This college will produce the talent and innovation needed to meet the escalating challenges of the digital era. We are proud to stand alongside the Bellinis in shaping the future of AI and cybersecurity.”
The Bellini’s invested an additional $11 million to create the Bellini Center for Talent Development at USF’s Muma College of Business. This center provides students with the professional and technical skills needed to be successful in the industry.
Arnie Bellini is the co-founder and former CEO of the Tampa software development company ConnectWise, and Lauren Bellini is a graduate of USF, holding a degree in marketing. When Arnie sold his company in 2019, he and his wife shifted their focus to philanthropic efforts.
“Lauren and I are committed to ensuring Tampa doesn’t just keep up with the AI revolution, we lead it. This college is just the beginning. The future of cybersecurity, AI and digital defense will be built right here in Cyber Bay,” Arnie Bellini said.
