A University of Wolverhampton graduate who went on to become a Vice President of Design at Nike has returned to the city to share his career advice with students.
David Odusanya graduated in 1991 with a BA in Visual Communications. He spent 25 years at Nike and is now Co-Founder and Creative Director of CO-Lab, based on the west coast of America.
While in Europe on business, including a conference in Milan before travelling on to London, David got in touch with the university himself to ask if he could visit. He then spoke to a packed class of Graphic Design students about his experiences and what he has learned along the way.
David is an alumnus, an honorary graduate and a member of the University’s Alumni Hall of Fame. He sees passing on his experience as both a duty and a chance to give something back to the place that helped shape him. He credits the foundations he built at Wolverhampton with underpinning the way he approaches creative thinking, collaboration and professional practice.
Marc Austin, Course Leader for Graphics, welcomed the visit. He said: “It is always a real privilege to welcome David back to the University and to see him give so generously of his time to our students.”
He added that David’s journey “demonstrates what is possible with the right foundations, curiosity and commitment”, and that his advice gives students valuable inspiration as they think about their own futures.
The university says visits like this show the role alumni can play for current students. Hearing from graduates who have worked through the challenges of a competitive industry offers a different kind of learning from lectures and workshops.
David also features in the university’s “Every Story Has a Start” alumni video series, where he reflects on his career and the role the university played in it. It can be watched at wlv.ac.uk/alumni/every-story-has-a-start/david-odusanya.
Alumni who would like to get involved can contact the university’s Alumni & Development Team at alumni@wlv.ac.uk.
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