Dive Brief:
- University of Phoenix founder John G. Sperling passed away on Friday, according to a statement issued by the Apollo Education Group.
- The statement hailed the 93-year-old Sperling's "indomitable ideas and life’s work" for spurring innovation and increasing accessibility to higher ed for older students.
- Sperling's cause of death was not revealed.
Dive Insight:
While the Apollo Education Group and its University of Phoenix have fallen under federal scrutiny as of late, the impact Sperling's company had on the higher ed landscape is considerable. As Bloomberg reports, Sperling was an innovator of online courses and class schedules designed with working adults in mind, as most traditional non-profit institutions have adopted similar programs and schedules.
For more on Sperling's life, read Apollo's memoriam here.