Nike Co-Founder Phil Knight Gives $1bn to University of Oregon

Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny Knight, have donated $1 billion to the University of Oregon, in what the university described as the largest gift ever made to a comprehensive public university, according to the Guardian.

The donation is intended to fund the establishment of a new engineering school in Eugene, Oregon, where the university is based. In a news release seen by the Guardian, the university said the new school would aim to educate engineers for the future.

A record gift to public higher education

Phil Knight, who co-founded the sportswear giant Nike and graduated from the University of Oregon, has a long history of philanthropic giving to his alma mater, including previous major donations toward athletics facilities and academic programs. The latest gift marks a significant escalation in the scale of his support for the university.

The Guardian's report did not provide a detailed timeline for when the new engineering school would open or additional specifics about its planned curriculum or capacity. University officials described the donation as transformative for the institution's academic offerings.

The gift adds to a broader trend of major philanthropic donations from technology and business figures toward American public universities, particularly in fields such as engineering and applied sciences.