EUGENE, Oregon – Phil Knight, the co‑founder of Nike, and his wife Penny announced a historic $1 billion donation to the University of Oregon. The gift will fund the construction of a new engineering school, the largest contribution ever made to the university.
University of Oregon President Karl Scholz praised the Knights’ long‑standing commitment to education, saying, “Phil and Penny Knight have a long history of believing in things before they exist. They did it in 2016, and they are doing it again now, at a scale that is genuinely hard to take in. I am grateful to them, and I am grateful to be here for it.”
Background on the Knights’ philanthropy
The Knights have a deep connection to Oregon. Phil ran track for the Ducks under legendary coach Bill Bowerman before earning a business degree at Oregon in 1959 and an MBA from Stanford in 1962. A Stanford paper he authored on importing Japanese athletic shoes led to the founding of Nike, which has grown into a global sportswear powerhouse.
Beyond this latest pledge, the Knight family has contributed more than $5 billion to higher‑education institutions. Highlights include a record $2 billion gift in 2025 to the Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute, earlier donations that funded the university library, a basketball arena named for their late son Matthew, and two $500 million gifts that created the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact.
Impact on the university and the state
The new engineering school is expected to attract top faculty, expand research capacity, and create high‑skill jobs in the region. State officials have welcomed the donation as a boost to Oregon’s economy and a signal that the state remains a hub for innovation.
Local business leaders noted that the infusion of capital will likely spur partnerships between the university and industry, fostering technology transfer and entrepreneurship that benefit the broader community.
Recent Knight family giving
Just a week before the Oregon pledge, the Knights announced a $1.1 billion donation to Providence Health & Services in Portland, further underscoring their commitment to improving health care and education across the state.
Both gifts reflect the Knights’ belief that private philanthropy can complement public investment, helping Oregon maintain its reputation for academic excellence and economic vitality.
University officials plan to break ground on the engineering school later this year, with construction slated for completion in the early 2030s.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
