Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing<\/a>, which was established with a $40 million gift from ConnectWise co-founder Arnie Bellini. ConnectWise is recognized as the first technology company in the Tampa Bay region to be valued at $1 billion.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cI have strategic dreams for USF, which encompass a very high level framework vision of what success looks like,\u201d Limayem said. \u201cIt\u2019s time for us to move from AAU status to being a true model of a new generation university in an era of intelligence systems.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He explained that this can be measured in multiple ways. With artificial intelligence, education is rapidly changing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a model means we have to completely reset and rethink how we do things,\u201d\u00a0 Limayem said. It is imperative to train \u201ccritical thinkers\u201d who do not \u201coutsource their thinking\u201d to generative AI technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are dealing with a generation who cannot write a simple text without going to ChatGPT or other systems,\u201d he explained. \u201cImagine if we don\u2019t do anything. What kind of doctors, engineers, accountants, artists and historians would we be training?\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership CEO Jason Mathis, left, in conversation with University of South Florida president Moez Limayem.<\/p>\n
Limayem believes that interpersonal skills are just as important. Some young people do not even know how to shake someone\u2019s hand properly. He explained that this is not \u201cunique to USF.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Experimental learning is key. Limayem said that research has shown that students are more likely to receive jobs if they complete an internship or participate in another real world learning opportunity. The USF team\u2019s vision is simple: students will not graduate regardless of their major if they do not gain \u201cpractical experience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Limayem added that another central focus of USF moving forward is to teach young people how to \u201cdisagree respectfully.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople now when they talk about emotionally charged topics, they listen to attack, to undermine and in many instances to kill,\u201d he said. \u201cI want our students at USF to be actually the best at civil discourse where they listen to understand and be better people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Limayem emphasized that the St. Petersburg property will play an essential role in helping USF become a national and statewide model for other universities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI see our campus in St. Pete as one of the major major assets that we have,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are a lot of things that we can do here in St. Pete to make it the campus of choice for people not only from our region, but from around the country and the world that we cannot do in Tampa or any other campus.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Limayem added that the location and size of the site makes it especially attractive. One of the most unique logistical aspects of the property is that students can walk to internships. Limayem said that he wants to work with local business leaders to help grow the St. Petersburg campus. He argued that \u201cwe have to think innovatively, creatively and out of the box on distinctiveness.\u201d <\/p>\n
Programs could play a key role in shaping the campus\u2019s identity, Limayem said. The College of Marine Science is an example.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In May, USF\u2019s Marine Science Laboratory<\/a> was severely damaged by a fire. When asked about the future of the site, Limayem explained that the educational institution is currently in the planning process to \u201crebuild.\u201d The goal is to create a state of the art facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cWe look at controversy, problems and challenges and we always make the best of them to make them great opportunities,\u201d he said. \u201cSeeing and feeling the support of the St. Petersburg community and the region to USF during that tragedy was really heartwarming.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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