’03 NIKE Workplace Design and Connectivity

STS introduced me to the fascinating intersection of people, technology, and science and the incredible outcomes that can be achieved when that triumvirate is critically studied to develop creative and digitally-driven solutions. My job is to motivate employees to innovate, drive and perform for the NIKE brand through technology as a project manager in the company’s Workplace Design and Connectivity area. Without question, the successful execution of my job requires applying the skills and knowledge I acquired from my Vassar STS degree. When an employee walks (or runs! or bikes!) into their respective NIKE office to start the workday, there’s a desire to view bold digital images of a new product, and a concurrent need to feel the long-standing heritage of the brand represented on the wall space. When a new NIKE workspace is created, it’s critical that employees are able to connect at hyper-speed through the latest technological tools, but there is also a critical element of human relationship fostering that must be prioritized in the design. Absolutely essential to my understanding of this balance is the knowledge I acquired through my Vassar STS degree.

I’ve worked in a corporate business environment since graduating from Vassar—for investment banks, insurance companies, management consulting firms, and now NIKE—and in all of those varied settings, my STS background has helped me to appreciate the driving force behind a profitable business economy, which is the balance of people, science, and technology. I am hugely appreciative of the STS professors and the coursework of the program, which have provided some unique, incredible career opportunities since graduating.