SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U Experience, a provider of unaffiliated campus experiences for college students, has received an undisclosed investment from billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper. The U Experience is also restructuring the company post-pandemic to better meet the needs of college students who have an option to take their classes online and are looking for alternatives to traditional campuses.
The U Experience is a self-contained environment for college students to live, study, socialize and participate in a variety of activities. Students taking courses remotely, regardless of where they are enrolled, can come to The U Experience to learn alongside others from schools across the country. With access to housing and campus life as a standalone product, students who cannot or choose not to attend their enrolled college in-person now have an alternative to living at home.
“There is going to be a significant shift in how and where students get their college education,” said Draper. “Due to a number of factors, not the least of which is cost, colleges are going to have to revisit how they provide academic programming to students. The past year has shown proof of concept for online learning, not by choice, but it has worked on a very large scale. We will likely see more online options for college students and, as we do, The U Experience will be well-poised to support this industry and flourish in what will be a new higher education landscape.”
The U Experience is expected to officially launch in the fall, with the company announcing details on dates, pricing and locations in the coming weeks.
“The future of learning is online, but the college experience can’t be had at home,” said Adam Bragg, president of The U Experience. “What we’re envisioning in the years ahead is a new type of higher education that combines the scalability and affordability of online learning with the excitement and stimulation of an independent campus. Students who take advantage of online education will be able to learn from anywhere and The U Experience will give them a network of campuses to move between as they please.”
The U Experience will convert entire resorts and hotel properties into campuses, with locations rotating between major cities. Students at The U Experience will be provided with a variety of housing and meal options, as well as a robust offering of extracurricular programming including guest speakers, social events, networking and professional development opportunities, athletic and recreational activities, concerts and other forms of entertainment.
Conceived during the pandemic, when college students were forced to take classes online, The U Experience is focused on supporting the increasing number of students choosing to learn online who want a more unique and enriching experience than offered by any single college or university campus.
The U Experience was founded in 2020 by Lane Russell, Adam Bragg and Chris Cook, three recent Princeton graduates who saw the widespread adoption of online education as an opportunity to reimagine how students learn and grow together by unbundling the college experience. The company is based in San Diego. More information is available at www.TheUExperience.com and on social media @TheExperienceU.
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