Former alumnus donates 1 billion USD to his alma mater

The University of Oregon receives a 1 billion USD donation from Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, marking the largest contribution ever made to a public university.

The University of Oregon announced the news on 25/9. The funds will establish an affiliated engineering school, focusing on training engineers and applied scientists in biotechnology and other high-demand fields. The university also aims to attract leading faculty and researchers, accelerating the transformation of laboratory discoveries into practical products.

This significant donation comes as the University of Oregon grapples with financial challenges, primarily due to a decline in international student enrollment. International students typically pay higher tuition fees than domestic students, impacting the university's budget.

"At a time when we all feel shaken, this is incredibly great news", Chancellor Karl Scholz shared with The New York Times.

Phil Knight, aged 88, is a 1959 alumnus of the University of Oregon. Six years after his graduation, he co-founded the predecessor of Nike with his university track and field coach.

Over the subsequent decades, Phil and his wife became influential donors to higher education in the US, according to the University of Oregon's website. His brand became so closely associated with the university that it earned the nickname "Nike University".

This new contribution elevates the family's total donations to the university to over 2 billion USD. Explaining his decision, Knight stated that transforming a bold dream into reality requires not only rich imagination but also significant opportunities.

"We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to invest in the future of the next generation of potential in this way", Phil Knight said.

Large donations rarely go to public universities. Previously, the largest recorded amount was approximately 500-550 million USD, which was granted to Stony Brook University and Western Michigan University.