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University of Phoenix has continued its evolution into a fully online institution of higher education and has shed some of its existing real estate in the process. Most recently, the University vacated over 260,000 square feet of a building space located on Riverpoint Avenue in Phoenix, much of it to the e-commerce car selling giant Carvana.
While University of Phoenix will still maintain space on the Riverpoint campus, it has been shifting more decidedly into an almost fully virtual experience and related that just 4 percent of its enrolled students from the Valley require a physical space for their coursework such as in-person practicums. The Master of Clinical Health Counseling at University of Phoenix, for instance, involves a practicum course in which students learn to assess and document patient mental health and to integrate the theory learned in coursework into practice with patients. University of Phoenix’s Nursing degree program also requires a practicum.
With so few students needing physical space to meet the requirements of their coursework, it made sense to downsize. “We’ve learned over the past two years that we can successfully maintain productivity and service levels while remote and create greater work/life balance for our workforce,” said Andrea Smiley, University of Phoenix’s vice president of public relations, in a statement. “Therefore, with this reduced need for a physical footprint, we are pleased to sublease a portion of Riverpoint to Carvana.” Carvana is growing exponentially and expanding its in-office workforce and was looking for large spaces to occupy, particularly after its recent purchase of the auto auctioneer Adesa.
A Focus on Virtual Learning at University of Phoenix
This latest shift to a virtual workplace for employees may be a newer phenomenon accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but University of Phoenix has always been forward thinking when it comes to providing a highly rated, accredited and fully online college experience aimed at working adults. The University first began offering online classes in 1989 and has since become a leader in virtual learning. University of Phoenix offers fully online degree programs that provide a rich learning experience for students, complete with student interactions, instructor feedback and ongoing assessments to measure and reward learning with digital badges as students progress through courses.
Virtual learning was the norm at University of Phoenix long before the pandemic, and the University was called upon to share its expertise as other educational institutions struggled to cope with quickly transitioning to digital classrooms in recent years. As numerous schools reached out for help, University of Phoenix partnered with Blackboard® Inc., an education technology company, to launch the Alliance for Virtual Learning. Together, they provided free webinars aimed at educators on topics relevant to the virtual classroom transition.
Doubling down on its commitment to the highest quality virtual education experience, University of Phoenix has again partnered with Blackboard to expand its digital toolkit to enhance the learning and teaching experience. These tools include Blackboard Collaborate, which offers features such as interactive whiteboarding, chats, polls, breakout groups and real-time feedback; Blackboard Ally, which is focused on greater accessibility of digital course content; and SafeAssign, which helps teachers prevent plagiarism by allowing them to compare submitted assignments to a set of academic papers.
Blackboard is a registered trademark of Blackboard Inc.
“University of Phoenix is committed to providing an advanced and robust differentiated learning environment for its students,” said University of Phoenix President Emeritus Peter Cohen. “That environment requires integrated technologies that Blackboard is providing to support a unique connected student experience through our learning management platform. Our continued partnership with Blackboard is helping us deliver on our goal to meet the needs of each and every learner.”
University of Phoenix Offers Fully Accredited Online Programs
While the vast majority of University of Phoenix’s courses can be taken 100 percent remotely, the University’s programs are held to the same rigorous standards as peer institutions, and the University has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) and its predecessor for the past 42 years. That accreditation assures students that the University’s curriculum, faculty, support services, finances and facilities meet the highest quality standards.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is committed to advancing the educational goals of adult and nontraditional learners and to providing maximum support for transfer students to reach their goals affordably. The University offers numerous associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs that prepare students for careers in fields including criminal justice, business, healthcare, education, information technology and cybersecurity. Flexible schedules with multiple start dates give working adults the opportunity to complete their degree without putting their lives on hold. University of Phoenix offers numerous scholarship opportunities, online learning, career-guided degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment to active students and graduates to help them more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu.