ORLANDO, FL (Nov. 4, 2025) - BNY, a leading global financial services company, and the University of Central Florida (UCF), today announced a ground-breaking Pegasus Partnership that establishes a co-located educational innovation hub on UCF’s main campus — the first-of-its-kind in Florida.
The $5M, five-year commitment reimagines how universities and global enterprises can work together to prepare the workforce of the future, leveraging collaborations to enhance career readiness for UCF students, as well as talent development and acquisition for BNY.
At the heart of this collaboration is the 8,400 square-foot Next-Gen Cybersecurity Technology and Operations Center Lab (CTOC Lab). This dedicated space on UCF’s campus will host an experiential learning course, “Introduction to Applied Technology in Banking.”
This hands-on course, led by BNY executives, teaches students how to translate their technical skills learned from coursework to industry applications. It also includes a special topics seminar course, guest lectures, adjunct instruction and more.
“My favorite part has been the people,” said Katrina Gumerov, a computer science major at UCF, who is participating in the course this semester. “There are so many BNY leaders who fly in from all different kinds of industries within the company. And we also have great leaders who are here every week. It's a very mentorship style environment where I'm never afraid to ask questions. Having that support behind me has been incredible.”
This marks a milestone in realizing UCF President Cartwright’s vision of co-located industry and academia collaboration. It will give UCF students real-world experience with one of the world’s most respected financial institutions, while leveraging the university’s faculty excellence, research power and startup-like agility to anticipate market and technology disruptions in fintech and wealth management.
“UCF is built to work at the intersection of opportunity and innovation,” said UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Our Pegasus Partnership with BNY brings that to life, creating a dynamic environment where talent, ideas and industry converge together, as we accelerate the future of finance and technology.”
“By working with UCF, we’re deepening and broadening our connection to Central Florida, home to our Lake Mary office,” said Robin Vince, Chief Executive Officer of BNY. “This collaboration is an opportunity to help build a workforce ready to succeed in the rapidly changing technology landscape — which in turn helps our local community grow and thrive.”
Upon completing the initial course, students will progress through a semester of advanced coursework in application development and infrastructure engineering using real-world examples. High performers will be invited to apply for summer internships during their senior year with the goal of being hired as full-time analysts at BNY after graduation.
The inaugural CTOC Lab class launched in the fall with 27 students and BNY expects to continue enrolling an additional 25-30 new students into the program each semester.
“This is such an exciting evolution of our work with UCF,” said Sabet Elias, Chief Technology Officer at BNY. “We’re bridging the gap between the classroom and the workforce and getting in front of the bright talent cultivated at UCF. Together, we’re committed to giving back to our community, nurturing these innovative minds, identifying curricular gaps and equipping students with the skills to drive the industry forward.”
Investing in Students and the Future
BNY’s investment extends beyond the classroom. BNY has committed to be platinum partners for the College of Business for the duration of this agreement, including support for case competitions, student activities and enhanced recruiting opportunities. Through the BNY scholars program, UCF Burnett Honors College students will be selected to receive scholarships to support their academic journey. Additional investment is also being made in student cybersecurity initiatives, including Hack@UCF and the internationally acclaimed Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition (CP3) Team.
Additional initiatives include unique “Meet the Firm” on-campus events designed to elevate BNY’s profile and strengthen talent recruitment across all disciplines; lifelong learning and training for BNY employees through facilitated executive education; and professional development to complement the company’s internal resources.
About BNY
BNY is a global financial services company that helps make money work for the world – managing it, moving it and keeping it safe. For more than 240 years BNY has partnered alongside clients, putting its expertise and platforms to work to help them achieve their ambitions. Today BNY helps over 90% of Fortune 100 companies and nearly all the top 100 banks globally access the money they need. BNY supports governments in funding local projects and works with over 90% of the top 100 pension plans to safeguard investments for millions of individuals, and so much more. As of September 30, 2025, BNY oversees $57.8 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and $2.1 trillion in assets under management. BNY is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Headquartered in New York City, BNY has been named among Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies and Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators. Additional information is available on www.bny.com. Follow on LinkedIn or visit the BNY Newsroom for the latest company news.
About University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida is a public metropolitan research university built to power the future. Founded to fuel the space race, UCF has grown into Florida’s Premier University for Engineering, Technology, and Innovation, a place where imagination and determination turn bold ideas into real-world impact. Each year, more than 18,000 Knights earn degrees that prepare them to lead, and 85% of UCF’s graduates launch their high-impact careers in the Orlando region, strengthening Florida’s workforce and economy. Through powerful partnerships with industry and government, UCF connects talent, opportunity, and possibility — producing graduates ready to solve problems, drive discovery, and shape tomorrow’s economy. Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s most innovative universities, UCF continues to prove that the future is not something we wait for — it is something we dare to invent.
Media Contacts
BNY
Ray McConville
+1 917-658-1460
raymond.mcconville@bny.com
UCF
Margot Winick
305-308-7738
margot.winick@ucf.edu