When geography major Mila Mullin first walked into the University of Florida's AI2 Center Student Club, she had little experience with artificial intelligence. “I really was starting from scratch,” Mullin said. “The true benefit [of the club] is that you get to speak to people in all their lived experiences with AI, using it in their research in ways I’ve never even thought of.”
Established in Spring 2024, the AI2 Center Student Club unites approximately 400 students across UF’s colleges, majors and disciplines around a shared passion for an evolving technology.
“It doesn't matter if it's medicine, business, law or engineering, every field is going to be using AI in some way, shape or form,” said Aniruth Venkedesh, a senior studying neuroscience and club co-president. “Our goal isn’t just to teach students about the technology, it's to prepare them for future industries and academic fields that are being increasingly dominated by this tool.”
For the 2026-2027 academic year, Venkedesh shares presidential duties with Ethan Pecora, a senior business administration major. “Being able to interact with so many incredibly intelligent and aspirational students in this club helped me find a sense of community and belonging on campus,” said Pecora.
Mullin’s exposure to a variety of AI use cases informs applications in her own studies. “I will never touch a soldering machine; that's just not my skill set. But I do get to talk to people that do, and I think what they're building is so cool. I get to learn the basics and relate to people more.”
“You can always find someone in the club who is interested in a similar career path to what you're looking for,” said Aseel Ismail, a data science junior and club executive vice president. “I think that's really important in finding your community is expanding beyond the horizons of just your major and finding people who still have similar career interests, but maybe in a different field.”
The club provides a venue for both graduate and undergraduate students to discover exciting AI events and programs available across UF’s sprawling campus and beyond.
Marquise McGriff, assistant director of AI student engagement and experiential learning, serves as the club’s advisor. “We started the club to connect our center to the student body, letting us know what they are saying and what they’re in need of,” said McGriff. “How can we be sure students are all aware of the opportunities there are for them?”
“You get a lot of opportunities that you wouldn't know of outside the club,” said Sarah Spellman, a sophomore studying computer engineering and club communication director. “We get the first wave of information on all the new AI opportunities, with HiPerGator tours, AI Days, and chances to get involved in places where other students won’t know to look.”
The AI2 Student Club incorporates various committees that focus on supporting different populations of students and their interests, including the AI Research Committee, the AI Future of Work Committee, the AI Teaching and Learning Committee, AI Connections Committee, the AI Law and Policy Committee, and the AI Technological Advancements Committee. These committees drive many of the club’s panels, workshops and social events.
“We have a research committee dedicated to helping students find research on campus, but also developing the soft skills required for research,” said Venkedesh. “Coming to UF, I didn't really know about poster presentations, manuscripts or drafting abstracts. That's where our research committee is helping students.”
The club often invites guest speakers from different companies to talk about programs, products or tools that students can leverage for their academic success. The club also puts a heavy emphasis on how the workforce is evolving and how students can best prepare to enter industry. “Maybe it's internships, part-time or full-time opportunities that these companies have,” said McGriff. “And they are looking not just for talent, but they're looking for Gator talent.”
Every year, various leadership roles in the club become available. “All of the committees have directors, and each committee should have co-directors,” said McGriff. “Then there are those traditional cabinet level opportunities for students who want to be a secretary or treasurer, vice president, president.”
One such role is vice president for undergraduate engagement, held by Aditya Bajaj. “Having this role at the AI2 Center Student Club on my resume will definitely be a big help for me finding a full-time job post-grad,” said Bajaj.
“I'm looking to build community with our graduate students,” said Shahzadhi Nyakhar, who serves as vice president for graduate student engagement. “We have so many graduate students that are doing incredible research or work in AI, and so the club provides a space to connect with other graduate students that are doing the same.”
Unfamiliar with AI at first, Mullin is now a junior and secretary for the club. “I knew from the second I joined that I wanted to get involved further. It's really hard to take your first step in learning the basics, which is why I pursued a higher role in the club to make it a landing zone for students to come get that first step.”
Take the first step and attend a general body meeting or event hosted by the AI2 Center Student Club. “The easiest way to get involved is to just start showing up to events,” said Venkedesh. “You can find a full list of our events on the Gators for Good website. Sign up and we'll be expecting you there.”
Find out more about the club and access the membership registration form at https://ai.ufl.edu/ai-university/the-ai-center/ai-student-club/.