From the President

Dear alumni, friends and supporters of USF,

From historic gifts to well-deserved recognition for the top-ranked medical school in Florida, this has been a memorable spring for the University of South Florida. 

At the same time, this has been a season marked by changes across the higher education landscape. As we navigate these complexities, USF’s mission remains unchanged. We are focused on supporting student success and our world-class faculty, whose research and community service improve the quality of life across Tampa Bay, our state and the nation. As you will read in this issue of USF magazine, we have many reasons to be excited about the future of our great university — beginning with the establishment of USF’s 14th college. 

We are incredibly grateful to alumni Arnie and Lauren Bellini, whose record-setting $40 million gift established the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. Arnie and Lauren also announced that they will match every dollar donated to the college up to $5 million, with the goal of raising an additional $10 million and bringing the total in philanthropic support for the new college to $50 million. As you will read in our cover story, this transformational investment — the largest in USF’s history — marks the first named college in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the convergence of AI and cybersecurity. When classes begin next fall, USF will dramatically expand access to state-of-the-art AI and cybersecurity training, producing thousands of highly skilled professionals prepared to defend businesses, institutions and government agencies from cyber threats. 

We also were thrilled to celebrate the naming of the Peter and Cynthia Zinober Concert Hall at the School of Music. Pete and Cynthia are longtime supporters of the arts at USF and throughout the Tampa Bay region, and their gift to the USF College of Design, Art and Performance — recently renamed to highlight the wide variety of programs it offers — was the largest single donation ever to the college.

There is another “first” I want to share with you: the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is the top-ranked medical school in Florida, and it is one of 16 nationally — and the only one in Florida — to receive a Tier 1 ranking, the highest designation by U.S. News & World Report. We are incredibly proud of our physicians, faculty, staff and students, who are creating a healthier future for the Tampa Bay region and the state of Florida by delivering innovative patient care and leading impactful research. 

I have heard from many members of the USF community since my announcement that I plan to step down as president following a national search and the selection of a successor. With all that we have accomplished over the past several years, USF is in a very strong position and the foundation is in place for the next leader to be successful.  

Serving as USF’s eighth president has been the honor of my lifetime, and I am excited about what the future holds for our great university. Thank you for all that you do for our students and for USF. 

Rhea F. Law, '77
President, University of South Florida
Life Member #976