Linfield University’s Online and Continuing Education program is offering two new non-credit courses designed to inspire creativity and professional growth. An online Shoe Designs Basics course gives participants a hands-on learning experience with a former Nike shoe designer. Meanwhile, the Words and Wine Workshop immerses students in a weekend of writing and wine in the heart of Oregon’s wine country. Both opportunities are open to the public and now accepting registrations.
This hands-on course provides students with a solid foundation in shoe design, covering topics such as footwear history, vocabulary, biomechanics, brief creation, material selection, pattern-making techniques and construction systems. Participants will create a digital footwear collection suitable for a professional portfolio. The course is led by Mike Friton, designer at Friton Design, who previously spent 30 years at Nike. A basic understanding of design processes is recommended.
- Dates and Times: Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m., from May 6 to June 10, 2025
- Instructor: Mike Friton
- Cost: $995
- Location: Online
An optional “shoe in a box” kit is available for an additional $75, covering materials and shipping, allowing students to start making a simple shoe they can modify to fit their own design.
Enjoy a weekend of writing in the heart of Oregon wine country. Designed for writers of all experience levels, the course kicks off on Friday, June 6, with a wine tasting and talk by Maria Ponzi, Linfield’s director of wine studies. Throughout the weekend, participants will engage in writing workshops, readings and a panel on publishing. Attendees who register by the early bird deadline of May 1, 2025, will receive an exclusive copy of Joe Wilkins’ “The Entire Sky” and a bottle of Linfield University wine.
- Dates: June 6 to June 8, 2025
- Instructors:
- Megan Kruse, author of several short stories and nonfiction, as well as the novel “Call Me Home.”
- Ellen Waterson, Oregon’s poet laureate and author of four books, including “We Could Die Doing This.”
- Joe Wilkins, Linfield professor and author of several award-winning publications, including “Thieve,” “Fall Back Down When I Die,” and “When We Were Birds.”
- Cost: $350
- Location: Linfield University McMinnville Campus
For more information and to register for these courses, visit linfield.edu/oce.
