When University of Phoenix was founded more than three decades ago, the leading edge of the Baby Boom generation was just turning 30 and the first personal computers were introduced.
It was in this context that Dr. John Sperling, a Cambridge-educated economist and professor-turned-entrepreneur, anticipated the confluence of technological, economic and demographic forces that would herald the return of working adults to higher education.
He saw a growing need for institutions that were sensitive to and designed around the learning characteristics and life situations of the working adult population. He suggested how institutions would pioneer new approaches to curricular and program design, teaching methods and student services. These beliefs eventually resulted in the creation of University of Phoenix and they continue to inspire the University’s mission, purposes and strategies today.