Saint Leo University is combining its business school with its computing and AI programs into a single college, a move the Pasco County school says will produce graduates who can work at the intersection of business strategy and emerging technology.

The university announced Thursday, July 23, the launch of the Donald R. Tapia College of Business and Technology, created by merging the existing Tapia College of Business with the College of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Data Science. The combined college begins operating in fall 2026.

"Business leaders must understand cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analytics, while technology professionals must understand finance, operations, risk management, and organizational strategy," Dr. Derek Mohammed, dean of the new college, said in the announcement distributed through the Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce. "The Tapia College of Business and Technology was created to develop graduates who can operate confidently at that intersection."

Students will be able to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in business administration, accounting, finance, marketing, computer science, cybersecurity, AI, robotics, software engineering, and data analytics under one college. Saint Leo is also introducing a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics and a new drone initiative focused on unmanned aerial systems for industries including public safety and logistics.

The restructuring comes as AI adoption accelerates across the workforce. A September 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 21 percent of U.S. workers use AI to complete at least some portion of their work, up five percentage points from the year before.

Saint Leo President Dr. Jim Burkee said the college represents a shift toward teaching students to work alongside AI ethically. Dr. Michele Flint, the college's senior associate dean, said the curriculum will emphasize applying AI tools across disciplines rather than treating business and technology as separate tracks.

The university also plans to expand relationships with regional employers through embedded internships, co-designed curriculum, and capstone projects, according to the Business Observer.

The college is named for Donald R. Tapia, an Arizona businessman and Saint Leo alumnus who donated $4 million to the university in 2010 to build its original business school. Tapia, who earned his bachelor's and MBA through Saint Leo's online programs, later served as U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica from 2019 to 2021.

Saint Leo's main campus sits off County Road 52 in unincorporated Pasco County, roughly 10 miles north of the SR-56 corridor. No specific enrollment deadline or first day of classes has been announced beyond the fall 2026 launch window.