Rugby is more than a sport—it’s a brotherhood. For Michael Palmer, that brotherhood began on a field in Sweden and continued at Oregon Tech, where the relationships he built through rugby became the foundation of his college experience.
A New Direction, Half a World Away
Michael came to Oregon Tech as a mechanical engineering major and a football player, focused on academics, athletics, and the familiar rhythm of campus life. But during the fall semester of his junior year, everything shifted. He traveled to Sweden for an engineering internship—an experience that opened his world in ways he never anticipated.
One afternoon, some of his new friends invited him to a rugby match. The team happened to be short of one player. They asked him to step in.
He said yes.
That single decision changed the course of his life. Michael fell in love with the sport immediately—the pace, the teamwork, the camaraderie. Rugby was global, gritty, and deeply communal. It connected him to people from different cultures and backgrounds, something he found energizing and meaningful.
When he returned to Oregon Tech, he brought that passion with him.
Building Something New at Oregon Tech
Back on campus, Michael approached his football teammates with an idea: Let’s start a rugby team.
Together with fellow student Jerry, he founded what would become the Oregon Tech Rugby Club—an organization that still thrives today. What began as a handful of students experimenting with a new sport has grown into a competitive collegiate program with a strong culture and a loyal alumni base.
Michael’s overseas experience didn’t just introduce him to rugby—it sparked a desire to work internationally, to meet people from different parts of the world, and to build connections across cultures. Rugby became the perfect vehicle for that.
A Lifelong Commitment to the Game
After graduating, Michael continued playing at a high level with the Chicago Lions, a nationally recognized Division I men’s team. The sport remained a constant in his life—shaping his leadership style, his values, and his understanding of teamwork.
Recently, Michael helped organize a Rugby Alumni Weekend retreat, bringing together 10 former players from across the country—Arizona, Florida, Illinois, California, and beyond. They stayed in a log cabin at Running Y, hosted a barbecue with current players and faculty, and gathered more than 75 people to celebrate the program’s legacy.
On Saturday, alumni took the field for a match against the current team. For Michael, it was more than a game—it was a reminder of how far the program has come.
He credits Coach Kevin, who is retiring this year, with elevating Oregon Tech Rugby into a serious collegiate contender. “He’s had a huge impact on the program,” Michael said. “He’s taken it to another level.”
Lessons That Last
Ask Michael what rugby taught him, and he doesn’t hesitate: “It’s a team sport. Everyone has a role. You learn to be good at your role, trust others to be good at theirs, and commit to the process together.”
That philosophy has shaped his career as much as his athletic life.
Michael began his professional journey at Coors Technology in Hillsboro. Eleven years after graduating, he founded Palmer Beverage Systems, a company that has continued to grow steadily under his leadership.
He credits Oregon Tech for giving him the technical foundation he still uses every day—hands‑on engineering skills, problem‑solving abilities, and the confidence to build something from the ground up. But he also points to the rugby club, student organizations, and the broader campus community for teaching him how to work with people.
“Other alumni were involved in the radio station, clubs, different groups—those experiences matter,” he said. “They teach you how to collaborate, how to lead, how to be part of something bigger than yourself.”
Today, he attributes much of his success to his team. “I wouldn’t be anything without my employees,” he said. “It’s just like rugby.”
Giving Back and Paying It Forward
Michael believes deeply in giving back—returning to campus, supporting student clubs, and staying connected to the place that shaped him.
He encourages alumni to do the same. “Go back to campus. Visit the groups you were part of. See how they’re doing now. Connect with the students who are in the same place you once were.”
As for current Oregon Tech students, his advice is simple and heartfelt: Follow your dreams. Take risks. Bet on yourself.
Because sometimes, the moment that changes your life is the one you never saw coming—like stepping onto a rugby field in Sweden, just because someone asked if you wanted to play.
