SELF on the Road Blog - Day 5: Portland

Our company visits were completed with an exciting visit to Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. We started with a brief introduction from KU alumnus Bruce Connelly, former VP of Sport Performance Footwear. Bruce along with several others, most of whom were engineers, talked about their path to Nike and how they utilized the skills they acquired in college to succeed in industry. The presentation also mentioned new prototypes, innovative recycling techniques, and the magnitude of new ideas they have coming across their desks every day. 

 

Next, we sat down with the employees to enjoy lunch and network. Upon finishing lunch we were split into two groups and taken on tours of Nike's massive campus. On the tour we learned each building was named for an athlete that Nike thought represented their drive and desire as a company. We finished up with a visit to the Nike employee store. The Fellows were thrilled with the discount prices and will certainly be taking home heavier bags than those they left with in Kansas City.