Trip to Nike and Jordan Brand Headquarters Expands Horizons for Englewood Students

Exposure Beyond the Classroom

This September, three members of the Excel Academy of Englewood community traveled from Chicago to Portland, Oregon. The four-day trip included visits to Nike and Jordan Brand headquarters organized by the Men of Purpose Mentoring Organization.

Current students Armani White and Demaryha Hudson joined 2026 graduate Jayden Sampson for the experience. Men of Purpose independently organized, funded, and supervised the trip. Chosen for their active participation, maturity, and leadership, the young men spent four days exploring two global brands. They learned about creativity, business strategy, technology and career pathways.

For the students, one of the biggest takeaways was exposure. Rather than seeing the brands only as consumers, they learned more about the people and processes behind the products. They also met professionals who looked like them and held influential positions within major global companies. The experience helped them envision careers they may not have previously considered.

“The Portland experience was about exposure, access, relationships and allowing our young men to see possibilities that many of them had never imagined for themselves,” said Ricardo Waddy, director of extracurricular programs at Excel Academy of Englewood and a trip chaperone.

Exploring Careers at Nike and Jordan Brand

Waddy emphasized that the experience allowed students to stand inside possibilities they normally encounter only online, on television, or through the clothing they wear.

“Many young Black males growing up in communities such as Englewood are extremely talented, creative, intelligent and ambitious, but they may not always have direct access to professional environments that show them how those talents translate into careers,” he said.

The visit showed students how interests in design, technology, marketing, business, and creativity can connect to real careers. Experiencing those environments firsthand helped make professional opportunities feel more tangible and attainable.

Joining Waddy as chaperones were Men of Purpose President Marcus Avery and board adviser Dr. Lolita Cleveland.

Mentorship Creates Opportunities for Growth

The trip builds on Excel Academy of Englewood’s efforts to provide students with experiences that complement what they learn in the classroom.

The partnership between Excel Englewood and Men of Purpose began at the start of the 2025-26 school year and connects mentorship with attendance, behavior, leadership, career readiness, and postsecondary planning. Through mentorship and experiences outside the classroom, students have opportunities to build relationships, explore new environments and consider different paths for their futures.

“When schools and community organizations work together, students receive a complete support system that proves their environments belong to them too,” Waddy said.

Building a Pipeline of Meaningful Experiences

More opportunities are planned through the partnership, with activities focused on mentorship, career exposure, leadership development, community service, college readiness, and travel. Later this year, a group of Men of Purpose young men will participate in another opportunity. They will meet with activist, author, entrepreneur, and former professional football quarterback Colin Kaepernick in Chicago.

“Our goal is to create a pipeline of experiences,” Waddy said, noting that the Portland journey was only one chapter in an ongoing mission. “Placing young men in meaningful spaces, connecting them with individuals who have achieved at high levels and creating opportunities for conversation, reflection, leadership development and expanded thinking. The Portland experience was one chapter in that journey.”