The University of South Florida has unveiled plans for a new building near the main entrance of its Tampa campus to house the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing, giving the growing school a permanent home after its launch last year.
The proposed building, shown in a new architectural rendering released by USF, will bring the college’s academic programs and research operations into a dedicated facility. USF secured $10 million in state funding in 2025 and another $25 million in the state’s 2026-27 budget toward construction, although the university has not announced a groundbreaking date or final project cost.
For now, the college operates out of the USF Library and other campus facilities, serving more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students across 15 degree programs with a faculty of more than 65. USF first announced the school in March 2024, then formally launched it in fall 2025 following a record $40 million commitment from Tampa technology entrepreneur Arnie Bellini, the founder of ConnectWise, and his wife, Lauren.
Rendering of the proposed Bellini College building at USF’s Tampa campus. (Rendering courtesy of USF)
Their gift, the largest private donation in university history, established the first named college in the United States dedicated to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The Bellinis also pledged to match up to $5 million in additional contributions, helping USF expand a program designed to prepare graduates for one of the fastest-growing areas of the technology industry.
Tampa’s cybersecurity industry has already begun investing in that effort, with ReliaQuest committing $1.5 million in June to establish the college’s first endowed professorship and expand ReliaQuest Labs, a training program the company and USF started in 2018. More than 300 students have completed the program, most going on to jobs at ReliaQuest or other cybersecurity employers, and the latest expansion adds software engineering projects involving the company’s GreyMatter security platform.
USF is now adding another hands-on component through a $2 million federal grant for an Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Makerspace, which the university says will be the first facility of its kind at a Florida university. The grant comes from the National Institute of Standards and Technology after U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee selected the project as a priority for federal community funding and supported it through the congressional appropriations process.
Inside the makerspace, students and researchers will have access to advanced computing equipment, AI-enabled sensors and processors, and tools for hardware experimentation, reverse engineering and vulnerability analysis. More than 800 students each academic year are enrolled in undergraduate courses that could use the facility, with faculty planning to incorporate its equipment into classes covering penetration testing, malware analysis and cybersecurity.
Researchers will also be able to examine how artificial intelligence interacts with physical equipment, including the security risks that emerge when connected devices are used in critical infrastructure. The work will extend beyond campus through partnerships with regional businesses and public agencies, which will be able to explore AI applications, test vulnerabilities and help employees develop technical skills through short courses and professional credentials.
“The development of trustworthy AI will require people who understand both what the technology can accomplish and how to make it secure,” said Sudeep Sarkar, the college’s launch dean. “By bringing those disciplines together in one dedicated facility, USF can help educate that workforce while producing research and technologies that benefit the region and the nation.”
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