Ithaca College

Ithaca College

Ithaca College was established in 1892 as a music conservatory and later expanded into a comprehensive liberal arts institution. Its endowment originated to provide stable funding for academic programs and financial aid. La Jerne Terry Cornish has led the college since 2017 while John Neeson chairs the Board of Trustees. The endowment allocates across public equities via commingled funds, private equity through Commonfund Capital International Partners VII, venture capital via Commonfund Capital Venture Partners VI and VII, hedge funds advised by Private Advisors, and real estate holdings including JER Investors Trust. Geographic exposure centers on North America with additional commitments to global private equity and venture strategies. Ticket sizes for external fund commitments typically range from $5 million to $15 million. The portfolio also holds direct real assets such as the main campus, student housing complexes, and the Athletics & Events Center. The college employs 1,708 staff and maintains membership in NACUBO and the Council of Independent Colleges. Prime Buchholz serves as investment advisor and Grant Thornton LLP as auditor. October 2025: The Board of Trustees discussed endowment performance and capital campaign feasibility during its fall meetings. A 2.9-MW solar array supplies renewable energy to campus facilities. Governance rests with the Board of Trustees investment committee, which oversees manager selection and policy adherence separate from day-to-day college operations. The endowment structure channels returns directly to institutional support rather than external limited partners.