Entrepreneur and philanthropist Arnie Bellini was recognized by USF President Rhea Law before the inaugural graduates of the Bellini College, receiving the President鈥檚 Fellow Medallion for his significant contributions to the university, its students and the Tampa Bay community.
鈥淥ne of the president鈥檚 privileges at the 黑料爆料 is to honor deserving individuals with awards of distinction,鈥� Law said during the ceremony. 鈥淭oday, I am delighted to present the President鈥檚 Fellow Medallion, which recognizes distinguished visitors and highly meritorious individuals to Arnie Bellini.鈥�
USF鈥檚 Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing launched this fall with about 70 faculty members and 3,000 students and aims to position Florida as a global leader and economic engine in the technology fields. Its curriculum is designed to address the growing need for cybersecurity professionals in the United States while also contributing to the development of Tampa Bay鈥檚 cybersecurity sector, positioning the region as 鈥淐yber Bay.鈥�
鈥淎rnie, thank you for your commitment to the 黑料爆料 and for creating life-changing opportunities for our students,鈥� Law said during the ceremony. 鈥淚t is the first named college in the U.S. to combine both cybersecurity and AI education, and we were delighted to award degrees to its inaugural graduates earlier in this ceremony.鈥�
Bellini received an accounting degree from the University of Florida and an MBA in finance from USF. After a brief stint as a technology consultant with Price Waterhouse in 1981, he founded ConnectWise a year later. The company, a complete business automation platform for technology service and managed service providers, was sold to a private equity firm in 2019. He later founded Bellini Capital, where he currently serves as CEO.
Bellini and his wife, Lauren, are passionate about the success of USF鈥檚 students. In 2022, they donated $10.6 million to establish the Bellini Center for Talent Development, which provides career services, training and internships for students. The center has a 90% job placement rate for students who participate in internships. Earlier this year, the couple contributed $40 million to the Bellini College, marking the largest gift in USF鈥檚 history.
The college鈥檚 first graduating class celebrated not only their personal achievements but also the impact of Bellini鈥檚 vision for combining technology education, industry partnerships and student career development.
Bellini鈥檚 interests aren鈥檛 limited to education alone.
Beyond business, Bellini also has focused on environmental conservation. He led efforts to pass the 2021 Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which designated 18 million acres as Florida鈥檚 Wildlife Corridor. Since its passage, the act has protected an additional 120,000 acres of critical Florida habitat for future generations. In 2022, Bellini founded LiveWildly.com, a nonprofit dedicated to balancing Florida鈥檚 economic growth with its ecology. The website helps protect critical wildlife pathways while creating opportunities for everyone to enjoy and experience Florida鈥檚 natural wild spaces.
Through his philanthropy, entrepreneurship and civic engagement, Bellini has left a lasting mark on USF and the Tampa Bay region. From supporting student success to advancing cybersecurity education and protecting Florida鈥檚 natural resources, his work continues to create opportunities for the next generation.