Alyssa Hayman was so excited about moving into the new AI & Cyber Living Learning Community, she was scheduling meetings with college staff, researching her dormmates and planning the beginning of her college career – more than a month before she moved in.
Hayman, a cybersecurity major from Lutz, is one of 60 students who moved into the LLC this week and calls Pinnacle Hall home for the next year. The tech-focused LLC gives students in computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, informational technology, and related fields an opportunity to live and learn alongside peers.
“That's what I want to do – have more experience and more connections with people my age,” she said. “I see there are about 15 girls in my LLC, and we can help each other, get to know each other, build relationships and work with the staff and everyone at USF. I'm just so excited because with this LLC, we have this opportunity to build community. A lot of the universities don't have a designated LLC catered to their specific major, like the cybersecurity, AI, information technology, where you’re grouped together perfectly.”
The LLC is dedicated to incoming first-year students in USF’s Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing and designed to bring together students who are pursuing technology-focused degrees.
Hayman looks forward to getting to know more about her roommate, mingling with other
students and taking part in the special experiences planned for the community. But
one of the first people to welcome her was USF President Moez Limayem.
Limayem visited the dorm Thursday to greet students and parents during move-in day.
He navigated through crowds of students, parents and future USF Bull siblings. New
students received t-shirts while potential students received USF sunglasses, only
if they promised to attend USF when they graduate high school.
“Otherwise, I will come to your house and take back the glasses,” he joked.
As Limayem made his way through the crowd, parents and students lined up for the elevators to take them to their fifth and sixth floor destinations of the AI & Cyber Living Learning Community. In tow were toiletry carts, mini fridges, Squishmallows, guitars, microwaves, laundry baskets, rolled up foam mattress covers, flat screen monitors and shower stands.
Bellini College Launch Dean Sudeep Sarkar also attended the opening to greet new students to the college and the new LLC.
“Today is an exciting milestone for the Bellini College as we welcome the first students into our AI & Cyber Living Learning Community,” Sarkar said. “We created the LLC to give students a sense of belonging and a place where they can build friendships, support one another academically and explore their shared interests in technology. I’m excited to see the connections they make here and how this community grows with them throughout their time at USF."
At the AI & Cyber Living Learning Community, students get exclusive opportunities to participate in networking events, take field trips to visit industry partners, share meals with local and campus leaders, support from tutors and have collaborative learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom. They also have access to their own advisor.
“Here, I can enhance my knowledge of cyber and cyber and intelligence studies because I want to work in the national security intelligence areas,” Hayman said. “With the LLC, we'll be engaging a lot more with our program, specifically in our track, and we will build more strong academic habits with support from the mentors that we will be pairing with, and the tutors and the sessions that we'll be having.”
While Hayman had almost everything moved in by Thursday, she still had a few last-minute items to get.
“My makeup and everything like that I saved that for last,” she said. “But just basically that and just the minor things. Right now, I'm just waiting for my roommate so we can hang out and help her move in as well.”