Phil Knight Pledges $1 Billion to University of Oregon for New Engineering College.

Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny Knight, have committed $1 billion to the University of Oregon to establish a new college of engineering. The contribution is among the largest philanthropic gifts made to the university and is expected to significantly expand its engineering education, research, and innovation capabilities.

The new Knight College of Engineering will be established within the university’s Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. The initiative will focus on preparing students for careers in engineering and other technology-driven fields while strengthening research in areas such as bioengineering, data science and advanced technology.

The announcement marks another major investment by the Knights in the university, where Phil Knight graduated in 1959.

A Major Investment in Engineering Education

The $1 billion commitment will support the creation and development of the new engineering college, including faculty recruitment, research infrastructure, student programs and scholarships.

The college is expected to build on the University of Oregon’s existing engineering and scientific programs while bringing together disciplines that have traditionally operated separately. 

Engineering students will have opportunities to work across areas including medicine, data science, biotechnology and other scientific fields.

The university also plans to incorporate subjects such as entrepreneurship, communication and ethics into engineering education. The broader approach is intended to prepare students not only for technical careers but also for roles involving innovation, business and research.

The new college comes as demand for engineering and technology professionals continues to grow. Oregon has a significant number of annual engineering job openings, with employers across industries such as semiconductors, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and technology seeking specialized talent.

University officials expect the expanded engineering programs to strengthen the state’s talent pipeline while creating additional opportunities for students interested in technical and scientific careers.

The latest contribution builds on earlier investments by the Phil Knight. Their $500 million commitment in 2016 helped establish the Knight Campus, while another $500 million commitment in 2021 supported its continued expansion. Those investments helped fund laboratories, research programs and engineering education at the university.

Learn More: 50 Interesting Facts About Nike You Probably Didn’t Know

Connecting Research With Industry

The new engineering college is also expected to strengthen the university’s links with businesses and the technology sector.

The Knight Campus has already developed partnerships with companies and supported research commercialization and startup initiatives. The expanded college is expected to build on those efforts by giving researchers and students more opportunities to work on practical challenges and develop technologies with potential commercial applications.

The university’s approach is expected to emphasize interdisciplinary research, allowing engineers to collaborate with researchers and students from other academic fields. Such collaborations could support work in areas ranging from healthcare and biotechnology to artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

The investment also comes during a period of financial pressure for higher education institutions across the United States. Universities are dealing with changing enrollment patterns, rising operating costs and uncertainty around research funding.

For the University of Oregon, expanding engineering could provide another avenue for attracting students, faculty, research funding and industry partnerships while broadening the university’s academic profile.

Part of a Wider Philanthropic Legacy

The $1 billion engineering commitment is the latest in a series of major philanthropic investments made by Phil and Penny Knight in Oregon.

Their contributions to the University of Oregon have now exceeded $2 billion, with previous gifts helping establish the Knight Campus and expand the university’s research and engineering capabilities.

The couple has also made substantial investments in healthcare. Earlier in September, they announced a $1.1 billion commitment involving Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and Providence Heart Institute. The funding is expected to support women’s health services as well as cardiovascular research and care.

In 2025, the Knights committed $2 billion to the Knight Cancer Research Institute at Oregon Health & Science University to support cancer research and the development of new treatments.

The latest University of Oregon gift further expands the Knights’ focus on large-scale investments in education, research and healthcare.

The university will now undertake the necessary planning and approval processes for the new engineering college. Once established, the college is expected to become a major component of the University of Oregon’s long-term efforts to expand engineering education, scientific research and innovation.