SAINT LEO, Fla. — Not long ago, Courtney Desse says pulling up an artificial intelligence browser in class felt like a punishable offense.
"It was kind of like a crime, if you even had the browser open," said Desse, a Saint Leo University senior. "It was like, oh, you are cheating."
That culture is shifting, and Saint Leo is moving with it.
Beginning this fall, the university will integrate hands-on AI training into every academic major, from nursing to English to pre-law, as part of a new partnership with IBM. Students will use IBM's SkillsBuild platform to earn industry-recognized certifications, which will be woven directly into their coursework.
"If they are a nurse, English major, pre-law student. You name it, they are going to have to earn the degree and build a digital portfolio," said Jim Burkee, president of Saint Leo University.
The goal is to ensure graduates can walk into job interviews not just familiar with AI, but certified in it.
"So you'll graduate as a nurse, walk into the interview and say not only do I use AI but I'm certified by IBM in it, I've had a micro-internship in using AI," Burkee said. "And I'm prepared to help you figure out how to use AI in my profession."
Student ambassadors for the new program say they are already finding practical applications. Samuel Lopez Cid said he uses AI to customize media arts projects and generate tips for completing coursework.
Desse, who also serves as a program ambassador, pushed back on concerns that AI will displace workers.
"I hear from my friends all the time, 'oh, AI is taking over, it's going to take our jobs,'" she said. "AI can't just do all that for you. What it can do is help companies with the mundane stuff, and someone always has to be there to watch AI."
The IBM partnership is part of a broader strategic overhaul under Burkee, who is six months into his tenure as the university's 12th president. The initiative also includes embedded internships, expanded employer partnerships throughout the Tampa Bay region and a renewed focus on serving military-connected students.
Saint Leo, founded in 1889, is the oldest Catholic university in Florida and the only one in the Tampa Bay area.
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