Ever heard of 2U? Founded in 2008, the fast-growing ed-tech company partners with major universities—Harvard, Yale, Berkeley and Northwestern, to name a few—to take select master’s and doctorate programs online, allowing remote grad students to earn the same bona fide degree or certificate without having to be on campus.
And now higher education is getting the star treatment at the company’s new digs in Clarendon. Headquartered in Lanham, Maryland, 2U recently revamped the former Henninger Media space off Wilson Boulevard to create a satellite office with eight TV studios, where visiting professors can spend a whirlwind three to four days taping lectures and other multimedia course materials designed to supplement live classroom chats and streaming video. During their stay in Arlington, the professors get a dressing room, a place to store their wardrobe, and even a high-backed director’s chair to sit in while having their makeup done.
Plus, “they’re wined and dined in the neighborhood,” says TJ Trochlil McGreevy, vice president of video production at 2U. Where do serious scholars go for lunch? The Italian Store, Rocklands Barbeque and Sawatdee Thai are favorites. 2u.com