We've heard you! You want a direct line to the Lundquist College of Business, and we want to hear from you, some of our most engaged alumni and friends. We hope to achieve a regular exchange of thoughts and ideas here, with Inside Lundquist.
Watch the Video Introduction on YouTube
PDX Update
Our first topic in this new series of updates is a look into what is happening with the University of Oregon's new northeast Portland campus, how we as a business college fit into it, and our plan for relocating the college's Portland programs there.
How We Got Here
Building on the momentum of a record-breaking gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer, the UO's northeast Portland campus is currently undergoing some fantastic renovations to meet our needs.
The University of Oregon enjoys a long history with the Portland area, including the establishment of the law school there nearly 150 years ago. This fall, UO Portland academic programs like our Oregon Executive MBA and Sports Product Management programs will join groundbreaking new ones like the Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health on the new campus. This spectacular campus will also include student housing, community spaces, and dining and recreation options.
Location, Location, Location
Our new highly walkable campus (see map below) is on several bus lines and also just an 11-minute drive from Portland International Airport, making our programs an even more attractive option for students who fly in for our twice-monthly weekend classes. In fact, our Oregon Executive MBA program currently counts members who commute to us from San Jose, California; Bend, OR; Eugene, OR; and Bellevue, WA. Even with the price of airfare, it's still more cost-effective to attend our program than many similar programs in the region. We provide excellent value!
Along with the beauty and space, our programs will be achieving new efficiencies with the Portland campus. Our Sports Product Management (SPM) program will be co-locating in what is called the Innovation Building with the Sports Product Design (SPD) program (housed in the College of Design) and the School of Journalism and Communication.
The neighborhood setting, complete with athletic fields just outside our doors, will allow for immediate, onsite testing of SPM student products. Additionally, a new agreement with NTX, an international company that uses waterless dyeing and printing for textile production, will provide experiential learning opportunities for SPM and SPD students at a nearby off-campus location.
Meanwhile, our Oregon Executive MBA program will be housed in the Library and Learning Center, a beautiful building looking out on the main green space on campus and which will be a key event center for the new campus.
Northeast Portland Campus Map
Our executive MBA and SPM programs will be in the heart of UO's northeast Portland campus (see location on Google Maps).
A Model That Works
One feature we are bringing with us from our current location in downtown Portland to the northeast location is the tiered classroom. Based on the Harvard Business School case method classroom, the horseshoe-shaped layout allows for maximum interaction and communication among students and faculty, with the tiered swivel seats facilitating unobscured sightlines to the lectern and whiteboard. The new tiered classroom in the Library and Learning Center will also include state-of-the-art technology that will match or exceed what we use now, including voice-activated microphones and a video system to record classes and also provide them live to students who are traveling for business.
One of the most unique parts of the Sports Product Management program, the SPM Innovation Lab, is making its way to the northeast site as well. The product-making space provides students with hands-on experience in concept ideation and execution using specialized equipment.
Don't worry, we are also bringing our bronze Thinker Duck that you may remember from the Naito building space we currently occupy next to the White Stag building in downtown Portland!
Connecting with the Business Community
The new northeast Portland space is also perfect for growing our connections with the business community, particularly in the area of entrepreneurship. It is our aim to create and serve as a hub for partnering with and supporting entrepreneurs, increasing overall access to entrepreneurship and business resources for communities throughout the Portland metro area.
For these reasons and more, the students, faculty, and staff of the Lundquist College are excited and proud to be such an integral part of the University of Oregon's 20-year strategic plan. The new campus will not only enhance learning but better connect our students with those in other growing UO programs in Portland.
I invite your feedback on this and any other topics you would like to see covered here with Inside Lundquist.
Bruce Blonigen
Edward Maletis Dean, Lundquist College of Business
Philip H. Knight Professor of Social Science
University of Oregon