Pierian Spring Academy will make its home at the remodeled Sarasota High School building
Three local lifelong learning institutions will become part of Ringling College’s combined adult education offerings when Pierian Spring Academy merges with the school a year from now.
Recently the 17-year-old Lifelong Learning Academy of Sarasota announced plans to join with Ringling’s Continuing Studies department, effective next month. The latest agreement between Ringling and Pierian Spring means all three will make their home at the remodeled Ringling College South Campus — formerly the Sarasota High School building.
For 18 years, Pierian Spring has provided college-level courses for adults at various locations in Sarasota and Manatee counties. It now has 1,350 students and offers nearly 70 seminar-style courses.
“All three mergers will allow Ringling College to offer the widest menu of both continuing studies and lifelong learning classes in all of southwest Florida,” said Jerry Bladdick, assistant vice president for Continuing Studies and Special Programs at Ringling.
Lifelong Learning and Pierian were among four nonprofit adult education groups that joined forces a year ago, in an effort to pool their marketing and outreach efforts. The other two were Adult and Community Enrichment at Suncoast Technical College, and Longboat Key Education Center.
