(NewsNation) — Arizona State University is bringing campus closer to home.

The university launched several campuses, including one in California, to bring the curriculum to students who don’t want to enroll in the typical four-year college experience away from their home state.

“Some people want the traditional college experience and living in the dorm, while others have different priorities,” said second-year ASU student Kara Smith.

Smith is taking full advantage of ASU Local, the new hybrid program, allowing her to take classes in-person and online. The program is tailored to the post-pandemic experience with campuses in Los Angeles,  Washington, D.C., and Yuma, Arizona.

University President Michael Crow calls it, “The new American University.”

“This is every tool imaginable, every innovation we can acquire, every means we can enhance learning and then no, we will not stay isolated in a single location. Why would we?” Crow said.

The emergence of ASU Local into other markets has drawn criticism from some who say the university is stealing students away from their home states. But, Crow says it’s giving families exactly what they need.

“We are not competing against anybody in California,” he said.

According to a 2021 study on online learning by Sallie Mae, 70% of Black students and 54% of Hispanic students reported success when learning online compared to in-person.

Nearly half of the respondents said online learning allowed them to attend a school they wouldn’t normally be able to because of its location.

Smith agrees, “Even though the pandemic was definitely something that was traumatizing for everyone, it allowed some people to realize, ‘Oh, I do want to work from home. I do want to go to school from home.;”

During the pandemic other universities also followed a similar structure.

Portland State University launched its “attend anywhere” pilot program last spring. More than 3,000 students, from graduating seniors to stay-at-home parents, are enrolled for this spring’s semester.

College is what you make it, and Smith says it’s all about prioritizing yourself.

“You don’t have to push yourself to do something you don’t want to do and make sure you prioritize yourself first. Whether that’s your financial needs, you career or academic needs, or the things you want socially. Make sure you do what you want,” she said.