The University of South Florida (USF) recently announced a $1.5 million investment from ReliaQuest that will benefit students in the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. The gift expands AI cybersecurity programming, establishes the new college’s first-ever endowed professorship and creates a study track within the ReliaQuest Labs program focused on AI-supported software engineering.
Made through the USF Foundation, the gift will establish the ReliaQuest AI and Cybersecurity Professorship and expand the ReliaQuest Labs experiential learning program, strengthening the college’s ability to attract top talent and prepare workforce-ready graduates.
“This transformative gift enhances USF’s hands-on learning opportunities for students while supporting USF’s efforts to attract and retain world-class faculty in critical and rapidly evolving fields,” President Moez Limayem said. “I am grateful that we have been able to strengthen an already amazing partnership with one of the most forward-looking companies in our nation.”
The ReliaQuest Labs program was established in 2018 to provide students with hands-on experience that complements the in-class curriculum. More than 300 USF students have graduated from the ReliaQuest Labs program since its inception, with the vast majority accepting jobs at ReliaQuest or other leading cybersecurity employers.
“Cybersecurity is the greatest technical challenge of our generation, and with AI reshaping the threat landscape, it’s only getting more complex. That just creates even more opportunity for talented individuals to enter this industry,” said ReliaQuest founder and CEO Brian Murphy. “Our partnership with USF has always been about making sure students graduate ready to seize that opportunity, and this investment helps do that on a broader scale.”
Of the total, $1 million will endow the named professorship, enabling the college to attract and retain world-class faculty who will continue to elevate teaching, advance research and drive the future of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity education.
The remaining $500,000 will support the continuation of the already successful ReliaQuest Labs program and enhance hands-on learning opportunities for students. It will also add a second track in software engineering to the existing cybersecurity operations focus.
“ReliaQuest’s support enables USF to expand cutting‑edge research and education in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity by attracting exceptional faculty members,” said Sudeep Sarkar, launch dean and professor in the college. “The ReliaQuest Labs provide a powerful experiential learning environment, one of the core pillars of our academic mission, where students engage directly with real‑world challenges and translate research and innovation into impact.”
The new track will center on software engineering and emerging areas, such as prompt engineering, aligning with growing industry demand in AI-driven security and preparing students for evolving workforce needs.
“We are deeply grateful for Brian Murphy and ReliaQuest’s continued investment in USF and our students,” said Jay Stroman, USF Foundation CEO. “Partnerships like this expand opportunity. They empower our faculty and students and advance innovation and workforce development in areas that are critical to our future.”
For more information, visit www.usf.edu.