Phil and Penny Knight donate $1 billion to launch University of Oregon engineering college

Phil and Penny Knight have committed a $1 billion donation to the University of Oregon to establish the Knight College of Engineering on the university’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact in Eugene. The college will focus on bioengineering and other high-need disciplines, aiming to attract top faculty and researchers to the growing campus. University spokesperson Molly Blanchett noted this pledge follows two earlier $500 million gifts in 2016 and 2021 that created and expanded the Knight Campus.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden highlighted the extraordinary generosity and its potential to strengthen the state’s engineering workforce. The Knights’ recent philanthropy also includes a $1.1 billion pledge to Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and a $2 billion commitment to Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Research Institute, cementing their status as Oregon’s leading benefactors.