University of South Florida

June 25, 2026 By Kim Vreeland The University of South Florida today announced a $1.5 million investment from ReliaQuest to expand AI cybersecurity programming within the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing, establish the new college’s first-ever endowed professorship and create a new study track within the ReliaQuest Labs program focused on artificial intelligence-supported software engineering.

By Anna Mayor, University Communications and Marketing and USF Health In the hours following sexual assault, teens may face difficult decisions about seeking medical care and whether to undergo a forensic exam that could support a future investigation or prosecution.

By Joey Garcia, University Communications and Marketing It often starts by sending a private image through text or a social media platform, and then suddenly, it turns into threats of exposure and demand for payment. Such is the rising case that many young men and teenage boys are facing with financial sextortion, one of the fastest-growing forms of online exploitation.

For the second year in a row, graduates of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. The exam, commonly known as PANCE, is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is required for physician assistant licensing.

For many patients, recovery from a viral infection marks the end of illness. The fever fades or the symptoms improve, and life returns normal. But emerging research at USF Health suggests that with some viruses, especially as people age, the most serious effects may surface years later, quietly unfolding in the brain. Bob Gallo and Eleni Markoutsa Researchers at the USF Health Institute for Translational Virology and Innovation (ITVI) — founded and directed by renowned scientist Robert C.

By Adam Freeman, photos by Torie Doll, University Communications and Marketing The University of South Florida Board of Trustees today unanimously elected Mike Griffin to serve a two-year term as board chair. Griffin has been acting chair since April when Will Weatherford announced he was stepping down as chair, but would remain on the board.

Media Reuben had 495 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season [Photo by USF Athletics] By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing Mudia Reuben grew up hearing his parents’ stories of childhood in Nigeria, where survival came before anything else. Their mornings began with long walks, often barefoot, to distant streams to collect water, followed by gathering tree sap after school to help their families earn income. But the stories only went so far.

The University of South Florida has appointed Janice C. Zgibor, PhD, as the new dean of the USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy following a national search. A pharmacist and epidemiologist, Zgibor has served at USF for more than a decade and brings over 20 years of academic leadership experience to the role. Zgibor will become just the second permanent dean of the Taneja College of Pharmacy, which welcomed its charter class in 2011.

By Paul Guzzo and Matthew Cimitile, University Communications & Marketing Mascots are vital to a university’s identity and culture. Their impact is felt in athletics, student life, community engagement and so much more. Being a university’s mascot also impacts the student behind the costume. For some, it brings them out of their comfort zone; for others it makes them more connected to the campus community. For many, it becomes a defining moment of their college experience.

College of Education Dean Jenifer Jasinski Schneider [Photo courtesy of the College of Education] By Tara Centeno, USF Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President The University of South Florida announced the appointment of Jenifer Jasinski Schneider as the new dean of the College of Education, bringing to the role a distinguished record of leadership, research and service focused on literacy, creativity and student success.