The University of Phoenix is opening a west-side campus at NewMarket Square at 21st and Maize.
“From a student’s standpoint, they’re going to be ecstatic about coming out to NewMarket Square,” says April Reed of Slawson Cos., which owns the center.
Reed says she can envision students stopping off at NewMarket’s numerous restaurants before or after class or stopping in various stores to run errands while there.
In the past, the University of Phoenix has been in office settings, Reed says. It has an east Wichita campus at the Feist building at 3020 N. Cypress Dr. It’s now moving into retail areas like NewMarket.
“We just thought it would be a great opportunity and a great location,” says Philip Orlando, the university’s director of academic affairs in Wichita.
He says the new location will be more convenient for some current students and will be a draw for new students as well.
“We’d like to think that we’re going to see a new influx,” Orlando says.
Reed had to get special permission from several large tenants at NewMarket before the university’s move could be approved.
“They want to make sure that the center is maintained as a Class A retail center,” she says.
The university, which Reed says is the largest privately accredited university in the country, will take 6,602 square feet in the same building where Pei Wei is. Meritrust is on the north end, Pei Wei is on the south, and there’s 1,471 square feet left to lease just north of Pei Wei.
Most of the university’s students are nontraditional ones — a lot of them have day jobs — and most classes are after 5:30 p.m.
Look for the school to open this fall.
Orlando says that’s it for the school’s current expansion plans, but look for more down the road.
8 Comments
They can’t even keep faculty at one location, let alone two. What a waste. The East side campus is a complete joke.
Students beware!
Adjunct faculty often teach at more than one campus and university, and in more than one modality. While Phoenix has classroom programs, most of their students and faculty are online.
The East side campus set a new standard in classroom technology when it opened several years ago, prompting other universities to upgrade. Yea! Opportunities for students have increased all across the board since Phoenix came to Wichita. Whatever they do on the West side will likely stimulate more choices and convenience for students.
I say congratulations to every business that is expanding! Go Wichita!
@redbud – did you also know that Phoenix will change your oil, mow your lawn, and go shopping for you?
Phoenix is also responsible for the 21st street widening, a new park, and helping an old lady across the street!
Sorry, hiphopflipflop. My snark skills are deficient. Please forgive me for not understanding how your clever comments enlightened this discussion ;-(
But have a wonderful day! Go Wichita!
Redbud – I believe hiphop was pointing out how you have attributed the “rise” in educational quality in Wichita to UoP. According to you, they have single handedly saved the whole of Wichita’s post-secondary education! Praise UoP!
Do me a favor, tell your boss at UoP that you did good and spouted the company line with aplumb! Then, go back to bilking students out of their money for substandard classes taught by a shrinking faculty.
Wordsmith, please read carefully. I said classroom technology upgraded, and student opportunities (referencing online programs and modalities) multiplied. True, and positive.
I clearly cannot compete with snark. You win!
Have a wonderful day! Go Wichita!
Looks like someone once had their feelings hurt…lol WichitaWordsmith, I am not a student through University of Phoenix but I know many others who are. I give much kudos to Phoenix for bettering people’s lives. I am glad to see them expanding their learning center. Way to go Phoenix!
looks like there are a couple of angry people here. it doesn’t matter. (wichitawordsmith) take a chill pill dude. I graduated from UOP and it was not easy, but very rewarding. I spent some time on a campus with other working adults and online. The faculty were highly educated with either Master degrees or Doctorates and I feel as though I earned my degree and it was not a waste of time or money. With the same accreditation as other “public” higher ed schools, UOP is worth the effort and expenditure. Thanks for your time…Wordsmith