Lynne, a member of the ASU+GSV Higher Education Insights Board, will participate in leadership sessions on non-traditional learners, innovation and opportunity — and host a University reception tied to the launch of the University's new Career Optimism Index® study

PHOENIX, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Phoenix President Chris Lynne is participating in leadership conversations at the ASU+GSV Summit, held April 12–15 in San Diego, California, where he will discuss how higher education must evolve to better serve working adult learners. His focus includes improving student persistence, integrating career relevance into degree programs, and building operating models that create clearer pathways to opportunity. 

Lynne is a member of the ASU+GSV Higher Education Insights Board, a new collective of more than 40 university presidents and chancellors representing nearly 1.5 million students. The board is focused on redefining higher education to meet the needs of today's learners through innovation, collaboration, and data-informed strategies.

Panel Focus: Serving the New Majority of Students
Lynne will speak on the panel "The Resilience Imperative: Serving the New Majority of Non-Traditional Students." This session convenes higher education leaders discussing how institutions can adapt to meet the needs of non-traditional students, adult learners, who are working, parenting, and caregiving while pursuing a higher education. The session highlights evidence-based strategies that improve outcomes for these students, including:

• Workforce-aligned and stackable credential pathways
• AI-powered proactive student support tools
• Transfer credit facilitation and credit mobility policies and processes
• Flexible enrollment models and academic calendars
• Systems designed to improve student persistence and completion.

At University of Phoenix, serving working adult learners is central to the institution's model. Lynne has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and has served as president since 2022, after joining the University in 2018 as chief financial officer. He has helped guide the institution's evolution to enhance degree programs with skills-aligned curriculum and embedded AI literacy and the expansion of career mobility solutions for students, alumni and employers, with a focus on improving retention, completion and learner satisfaction.

"Today's students expect higher education to reflect real life," said Lynne. "That means built-in flexibility, real-world relevance and meaningful support. Institutional resilience starts by meeting students where they are — not where higher education legacy models expect them to be."

Lynne's participation comes as colleges face growing pressure to demonstrate how they support working adults with flexible, workforce-aligned models and career-connected outcomes, critical changes as the majority of students balance education with work and life responsibilities.

Panel Focus: Investment Opportunities for Higher Education
Lynne also will participate in the Summit session: "How Private Capital Is Unlocking Educational Innovation and Impact." This session explores how investment strategies and operating models can:

• Address persistent challenges in education
• Expand access to opportunity
• Accelerate innovation in learning models.

Career Optimism Index® Launch Event
On April 14, University of Phoenix and Lynne will host a reception at the ASU+GSV Summit to mark the launch of the new 2026 Career Optimism Index® study, produced by the University of Phoenix Career Institute®. The reception will convene education and workforce leaders to discuss:

• Emerging workforce trends: workers who are knowledgeable about AI report even greater optimism about available job opportunities than workers overall (75% vs. 63%).
• The role of AI in career mobility: 50% of workers say AI makes them more confident about pivoting into a new role;
• Implications for education and employers: 60% of workers want more guidance in learning AI tools.

Additional University of Phoenix Leadership Activities
University of Phoenix Provost and Chief Academic Officer John Woods, Ph.D., and Chief Operating Officer Raghu Krishnaiah will also join session panels at the event. In April 2026, University leaders will participate in the ASU + GSV Summit, UPCEA Annual Conference, AACRAO Annual Meeting, and PESC Data Summit. These engagements underscore the University's commitment to innovation and thought leadership in higher education for working adult learners, providing valuable insights on workforce trends, skills-alignment, AI frameworks, and transfer credit.

Recognition and Innovation Focus
University of Phoenix's presence at the Summit builds on its recognition as part of the 2026 GSV 150, reflecting its continued focus on digital innovation, skills-aligned learning and efforts to reduce friction between education and career pathways.

About Chris Lynne
In addition to his role as President of University of Phoenix, Lynne serves as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Phoenix Education Partners, Inc., the University's parent company. His career includes senior leadership roles at Cadence Education, HotChalk and Northcentral University. His work focuses on workforce-aligned learning, institutional innovation and improving outcomes for both learners and employers. His insights have been featured at ASU+GSV and in Forbes, and he was named a 2026 AZBusiness Leader and one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Arizona Business by AZ Big Media in 2025.

Learn more about Lynne's sessions and the ASU+GSV Summit here.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life^® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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SOURCE University of Phoenix