Centenary College of Louisiana Endowment

Centenary College of Louisiana Endowment

Centenary College, established in 1825 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church, operates its endowment as a perpetual vehicle for the institution's academic and operational priorities. The endowment is structured to receive gifts that are invested for long-term growth, with annual payouts directed to scholarships, faculty positions, and designated programs. Christopher L. Holoman serves as president of the college, and the board of trustees includes professionals with backgrounds in investment banking, tax law, and wealth management such as Alan Lewis, co-founder of Aeon, Inc. The endowment's portfolio is anchored in a buyout strategy, deployed primarily through an internal Endowment Investment Pool. While specific fund commitments and direct holdings are not publicly disclosed, the endowment's investment approach supports a liberal arts mission that extends into significant cultural assets. The Meadows Museum of Art, founded through gifts from alumnus and oilman Algur H. Meadows, houses named permanent collections including the Indochina Collection of Jean Despujols and the Stein Collection of Inuit Art. The college also maintains a strategic real estate portfolio on its Shreveport campus, including the mixed-use Bicentennial Village and the Dr. Ed Leuck Academic Arboretum. The college's governance and investment functions are embedded within a network of higher-education associations, including NACUBO and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Board leadership includes Chairman Emeritus Archer Frierson, a long-time benefactor, and trustee Alan Barrett, who brings professional expertise in taxation and law. The institution's relationship with donors like the Poljak family — through the Davor Poljak and Denis Poljak established endowments — reflects a pattern of alumni-led capital formation that feeds the endowment. The Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium membership further indicates a commitment to integrating investment education with endowment activities. The structural differentiator for the Centenary endowment lies in its integration with the college's physical and cultural footprint. Unlike endowments whose assets are predominantly intangible financial instruments, this pool is interwoven with a campus that functions as a museum, arboretum, and real estate operator. The endowment's returns directly underwrite the preservation and accessibility of distinct collections — from Haitian art to rare Renaissance prints — making its performance inextricably tied to the institution's identity as a custodian of cultural heritage rather than a purely financial entity.