The University of Oregon wrapped up its inaugural UO Olympic Studies Week on May 16, marking a vibrant celebration of the university’s deep ties to the Olympic movement. The week-long event brought together students, faculty, alumni, and community members to explore the legacy, research, and future of sport and human performance.

Throughout the week, the campus buzzed with activity. The Olympic Studies Academic Session kicked off the week of activities, with faculty from across disciplines sharing research and stories about the Olympic Games. Highlights included insights into the university’s storied Olympic history, the philosophy and ethics of sport, and the science behind athletic excellence.

“This has been a long time coming, and we are starting our journey with a wonderful group of people,” said professor of marketing T. Bettina Cornwell, the academic director of the UO Olympics Studies Hub and chair of the Department of Marketing, during the academic session.

The UO Olympics Studies Hub was recently recognized by the International Olympic Committee Olympic Studies and Research Centre as part of a global network of almost 80 Olympic Studies and Research Centers (OSRCs) worldwide. The University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub, housed at the Warsaw Sports Business Center in the Lundquist College of Business, is the only OSRC currently located in the United States.

During UO Olympics Studies Week, guest lecturers in several courses also exposed students to the Olympic ecosystem. Guest lecturers included Jeff Oliver, senior director of media and Partnership at TrackTown USA and the deputy venue manager of the Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Matthew Ferener, project manager for sports diplomacy in the U.S. Department of State.

University of Oregon students also organized a Zoom meeting with four-time Olympian Kara Winger, who now works at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and director of alumni relations. 

Other activities during the week included an exclusive tour of the UO Libraries’ Olympic History Archives, which gave participants a rare look at artifacts and writings from legendary track coach Bill Bowerman. Other tours showcased the Oregon Performance Research Lab and Hayward Hall, the museum within legendary track-and-field venue Hayward Field.

An industry-oriented session organized by Craig Leon from the Warsaw Sports Business Center closed out the week. The session focused on the changing landscape of college sports and its impact on the Olympic movement and featured a panel with UO athletics director Rob Mullens, Adam Wood from the USOPC, and Brianne Theisen Eaton, a UO alum and Olympic bronze medalist. The session was moderated by Lauren Anderson, director of the Warsaw Center. Wood also spoke to Oregon MBA students specializing in sports business during their weekly seminar. course

Reflecting on the experience, UO student Isaac Parra, a business administration major with a focus in sports business, said, “UO Olympic Studies Week showed me how deeply the Olympic spirit lives at our university and in the city of Eugene. Meeting athletes, hearing from researchers, and exploring Olympic history up close helped me understand all the factors that shape the Games, such as ethics, technology, and marketing. It made me proud to be a Duck.”

The week also featured the WNBA exhibition game between the New York Liberty and the Toyota Antelopes at Matt Knight Arena, with Olympic athletes Sabrina Ionescu and Nyara Sabally thrilling fans on the court. And at the end of the week, Big Ten Track and Field Outdoor Championships took place at Hayward Field from May 16-18.

Yoav Dubinsky, director of the UO Olympic Studies Hub, expressed his gratitude to all who participated and made the inaugural UO Olympic Studies Week possible. 

“We are thankful to everyone who participated, presented, and attended,” he said, “This week showed the power of collaboration, the range of expertise, and the unique place the University of Oregon holds in the Olympic movement. We look forward to building on this momentum for years to come.” 

—Jim Engelhardt, Lundquist College Communications