The Art Institute of Portland


The Art Institute of Portland offers programs in Advertising, Design Management, Design Studies, Design Visualization, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Apparel Accessory Design, Apparel Design, Fashion Marketing, Digital Film & Video, Game Art & Design, Media Arts & Animation, Visual Effects & Motion Graphics, Visual & Game Programming, Web Design & Interactive Media, Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry, and Culinary Management.
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Alumni Success Story: Rebecca Dallas


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One of the true misnomers of being a student (and person, really) is the idea that the "successful people" never doubt themselves. This is simply false. Every student at this school experiences doubt. Once the doubt creeps in, it's a matter of how you respond to it. For this very reason, one of my favorite success stories from this school is Rebecca Dallas. Read her story of overcoming doubt below, then check out her national success story.


Nike receives thousands of resumes daily. With that kind of demand to work there, you can imagine how big a compliment it is to receive a phone call from them specifically to recruit you.

Of course, if you’re Rebecca Dallas (B.S. Design Management, 2008), you don’t have to imagine that. With Rebecca it actually happened.


So why did Nike call? Did she win a contest? Did they mistakenly call Rebecca Dallas instead of Rebecca Dulles?

In truth Nike called her for two reasons: because of her talent and because they already knew her. While at The Art Institute, Rebecca did contract work for Nike. She did contract work because she kept in touch with a Nike employee she had met for coffee. She met a Nike employee for coffee because she asked her instructors if they knew anyone at Nike. She asked her instructors if they knew anyone at Nike because…well, that’s just the kind of thing Rebecca Dallas does.


Rebecca isn’t super talented in everything. Heck, she almost failed out of the ID program her first year at AI. She is, however, insanely driven to succeed and be involved. She was always the student who asked enough questions in class to be sure she understood everything. She was a school ambassador, a peer mentor and a member of Brash Creative. As soon as she discovered Design Management, everything clicked. The idea of being the liaison between the creative side and the business side fit her perfectly.


“I like to make work as personable as possible,” Rebecca says and indeed being personable is crucial to her position as Production Specialist at Nike. Rebecca's day is spent managing and producing product imagery assets with internal and external Nike teams.

Once the imagery has been produced, she then distributes it across Nike and Nike Affiliated websites (such as the Nike store, Air Jordan, Livestrong, and UMBRO). She orders samples, approves images and talks to people all over the world. Whether she is on a conference call to Belgium or emailing someone in her own building, Rebecca ensures the best of what Nike can offer is available to consumers in the digital market.


Rebecca sees her college major as one that will be of utmost importance in the future. “I see a need for Design Managers developing. The creative world needs people in power that can act strategically but think creatively. We are a new breed and will be a useful tool for the creative world to embrace and the rigid world to challenge.”


And as for advice she’d give to the thousands of people who apply to Nike every day? It has a lot to do with your talent and drive, and not much to do with being a specific type of person.

“I’m not Miss Sporty Spice. I don’t know athletes. I’m a rocker chick with tattoos. You don’t have to be an athlete to work at Nike. You just have to be true to yourself and confident in your abilities.”

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