By Sarah SellUniversity communications and marketing
A group of potential students from Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in South Korea spent a week exploring the Tampa Bay region and having an overview USF Fintech Center at the Kate Tiedmann School of Business and Finance.
The international visit was part of a new strategic partnership between Muma College of Business and SKKU of the USF, aimed at extending the global presence of the USF and enriching the educational experience for students who are pursuing a diploma in finance and In the end. Fintech refers to the integration of technology into financial services and has quickly become one of the most dynamic and vital aspects of the company today.
During their stay at the USF, SKKU students met Fintech teachers, learned the academic programs and joined group discussions with Fintech industry leaders.
“By welcoming global prospects, we are not only enriching our university community, but we also prepare our students to lead in the dynamic and interconnected business and finance world,” said Gary Patterson, Dean of the Kate Tiedemann School of Business and Finance and Campus Dean du Muma College of Business at USF Saint-Petersburg.
The FinTech Center of the USF Saint-Petersburg is an entrepreneurial ecosystem dedicated to helping students, teachers, business community and successful entrepreneurs and have a positive impact in the rapidly growing Fund Forces sector.
The growth of the Fintech industry stimulates new academic programs at university. The USF currently offers a undergraduate diploma in finance with a concentration in fintech. From the fall of 2025, the USF will offer a master’s degree in fintech, with a funding baccalaureate available in the fall of 2026.
“This is a win-win for our universities,” Jung Chul Park, Associate Director of the Kate Tiedemann School of Business at USF Saint Petersburg, said. “We can offer students a study program with more technical content that will meet industry requests.”
As part of the partnership, SKKU students will have the opportunity to start their higher education in SKKU and to complete their graduate diploma in the USF.
The STEM Fintech Printch program also offers students three years of optional practical training (OPT), temporary employment authorization which improves the chances of obtaining an internship or employment in their field of studies. The OPT is generally one year old, which can make companies difficult to hire international students.
“From their point of view, this could be an excellent platform for students to acquire advanced and advanced skills thanks to an education at the USF and work for a company in the Tampa Bay region,” said Park .
Fintech education and programming develop at USF as quickly as the field is evolving. This growth was stimulated by a transformational gift of $ 14 million from Kate Tiedemann and Ellen Cotton in 2022, which supported the vision of the university by becoming a “hub of excellence” in Fintech.
In 2024, the Fintech center launched a Online certificate program This teaches the dynamic world of Fintech. The eight -week program provides a fundamental and non -technical understanding of Fintech and its impact on the future of business for students, entrepreneurs and professionals.
In addition, a multi -year partnership between Muma College of Business and Tampa Bay Wave helps high -growth and high -growth startups in mentoring, field coaching and investment training. The fintech accelerator | XA worked with more than 50 startups to transfer them to sustainable, scalable and profitable companies.
Amanda Reineke, CEO and co-founder of Avove Ninja, a company for compliance solutions to tax notices, was part of the accelerator program. During a round table with Skku students, Reineke, Michael Wiemer, Director of the USF Fintech Center, and Sam Tuffaha, consulting partner at Vivat, a global software solutions company, shared precious advice for those who pursue Future diplomas and careers in finance.
“Whatever the area of the industry in which you are, you want to take advantage of it. This will give you more curiosity to develop, learn, create and bring more to your business, ”said Reineke. “I think if you have a passion, a product and an idea, run with it. There are so many opportunities here. “”