# Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University is an Endowment / Foundation based in Selinsgrove, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Selinsgrove, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 514 University Ave, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, United States
- **Founded:** 1858
- **Assets under management:** $200M - $300M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** susqu.edu
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/school/susquehannau/

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Founded in 1858 as a missionary institute, Susquehanna University became a four-year liberal arts college in 1895 and remains affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its financial underpinnings are tied to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, where major donors like Charles B. Degenstein — a former Weis Markets executive — and Lucille Arthur, who gave a record $10 million, have shaped the campus and its resources. The endowment allocates across hedge funds, private credit, private equity, and real estate, blending liquid and illiquid strategies. Directly held property includes the mixed-use campus at 514 University Avenue and the Susquehanna University Downtown Center on North Market Street. The Investment Committee, which includes Mary T. Coughlin of Barnegat Bay Capital Management and James A. Dunlop of Advent Partners, oversees asset allocation and manager selection, reflecting an outsourced-CIO model common among sub-billion-dollar endowments. Altss estimates the endowment at roughly $223 million. The university participates in the NACUBO-Commonfund Study, and its Sigmund Weis School of Business holds AACSB accreditation. A student-managed portfolio, the River Hawk Investment Fund, provides an educational overlay. The Board of Trustees, chaired by Signe S. Gates, also stewards named real assets including Apfelbaum Hall, the Charles B. Degenstein Campus Center, and a campus solar array. A distinctive structural feature is the endowment's integration with a professional network rooted in church affiliation and the AICUP, rather than a dedicated internal investment office. Governance sits with a board-led committee whose members are drawn from regional finance and law, creating a deliberate, relationship-driven oversight structure uncommon among institutions of its size.

## Sectors

- Education
- Real Estate

## People

- Jonathan D. Green — President and CEO
- Signe S. Gates — Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Mary T. Coughlin — Investment Committee Member
- James A. Dunlop — Vice Chair & Treasurer of the Board of Trustees

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Susquehanna University?

A board-appointed Investment Committee oversees the endowment. Mary T. Coughlin, founder of Barnegat Bay Capital Management, is a key committee member. Vice Chair and Treasurer James A. Dunlop of Advent Partners also sits on the committee, providing financial planning and asset management expertise.

### How does Susquehanna University's endowment invest its capital?

The endowment pursues a multi-asset strategy, making allocations to hedge funds, private credit, private equity, and direct real estate. These investments are blended to provide steady appreciation for university operations, rather than chasing venture-scale returns.

### Does Susquehanna University manage its endowment internally?

No, the university does not appear to operate a large internal investment office. It relies on an outsourced-CIO model managed through its Investment Committee, which selects external managers across asset classes. The Board of Trustees retains ultimate governance authority.

### What real assets does Susquehanna University own through its endowment?

The endowment holds direct stakes in several campus-adjacent properties, including the Charles B. Degenstein Campus Center, Apfelbaum Hall, the Downtown Center at 111 North Market Street, and a campus solar array. These function as both operational assets and long-term holdings.

## Related profiles

- [Binghamton University Endowment](https://altss.com/profile/binghamton-university-endowment)
- [Klaff Family Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/klaff-family-foundation)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/susquehanna-university

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology