Tampa tech exec, philanthropist donates $1.5M to Pasco college

Tampa tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Arnie Bellini has donated $1.5 million to St. Leo University in Pasco County that will go toward the school's first dedicated cybersecurity scholarship. 

The gift comes three months after Bellini, founder of ConnectWise, and his wife Lauren Bellini, donated $40 million to the University of South Florida to go toward the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at that Tampa school. A private equity firm acquired ConnectWise in 2019 for about $1.5 billion.

The St. Leo gift, according to a statement, is for $1 million on top of an initial $500,000 contribution made in 2024. The donation, the release adds, will establish The Bellini Family Endowed Scholarship and “significantly expand the university’s reach in cybersecurity education, fueling initiatives designed to close workforce gaps and prepare students for high-demand careers.”