During an open forum, Jeremy Patterson, dean candidate for the College of Graduate Studies, talks about his idea of an AI ecosystem in graduate studies programs inside the UCF SPRK building on Wednesday.
Leah Judah
Artificial intelligence and regional collaboration took center stage Wednesday in the SPRK building as Jeremy Patterson, candidate for dean of the College of Graduate Studies, outlined a plan to position UCF as a national leader in graduate AI education.
Patterson, executive director of Innovation and New Ventures at Wichita State University, emphasized building industry partnerships, embedding artificial intelligence across graduate programs and preparing students for a rapidly evolving workforce.
“UCF is already charging forward in AI research and technology,” Patterson said. “Being based in Orlando provides opportunity for growth through partnerships and innovation.”
Central to his vision is what he described as an “ecosystem.” A collaboration between the university, industry, donors and the city to expand innovation and student opportunity.
“The only way to really elevate what UCF is doing is to partner with the city,” Patterson said. “To be able to figure out where they want to be with AI and how it feeds their economy, that’s where the strength is going to be built.”
He added that universities are uniquely positioned to lead emerging technology efforts, which makes them the perfect place to experiment.
Patterson also emphasized the role of faculty in preparing students for careers beyond graduation. He said that faculty should aim to develop graduates who already operate like professionals with several years of experience.
To support that goal, Patterson introduced a framework centered on four areas: professional skills, deep disciplinary knowledge, digital and AI fluency and leadership development.
“To be able to add these together and make sure that we have a balanced graduate,” Patterson said. “That’s really going to contribute and be in high demand.”
His proposed five-year plan begins with integrating AI fluency across graduate programs and positioning graduate studies as a connector between the university and the broader Orlando community. By year three, the plan calls for interdisciplinary degree pathways combining AI with fields such as cybersecurity, healthcare and space.
Within five years, Patterson said he aims to establish UCF as a top national destination for graduate AI education, with Orlando emerging as a leading AI hub.
Research shows universities are already rapidly integrating artificial intelligence into academics. A 2026 study titled “Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: A Global Statistic Synthesis for Policy and Quality Assurance Reform,” found AI has shifted from an “optional” tool to a core part of higher education infrastructure, with widespread student adoption and growing institutional reliance on AI in research and learning.
A 2025 study, “Generative AI in Higher Education: Evidence from an Elite College,” found that more than 80% of college students have used AI tools academically within just a few years of their introduction, highlighting the speed of adoption.
Patterson acknowledged that rapid growth comes with risks, emphasizing the need for responsible implementation. He said that there are ways to implement an ethical framework to make AI honorable and impactful.
Beyond academics, Patterson addressed graduate student well-being, noting that success is influenced by more than the classroom.
“A student’s well-being isn’t just about the environment,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with their health, financial stability and how they’re feeling on campus.”
He pointed to the amount of anxiety many students face from worrying about affording college tuition and juggling multiple jobs.
Autumn Perez, junior psychology major, said Patterson’s ideas resonated with her.
“I think he had great, concise points on the benefits and the overall experience of graduate students,” Perez said. “He seems to have their best interest in mind.”