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Union College Endowment
Union College was founded in 1795. The endowment exists solely to support the college's educational mission through a Board of Trustees Investment Committee...
Union College Endowment
Union College was founded in 1795. The endowment exists solely to support the college's educational mission through a Board of Trustees Investment Committee that selects external managers. No single family or individual controls the assets. The portfolio holds public equities, private equity commitments, and income-producing real estate. Confirmed positions include limited partnership interests in Limerston Capital and Senshu Ikeda Capital. Geographic exposure spans the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Cayman Islands entities that have historically accounted for 30 to 54 percent of total assets. The Student Investment Fund, a subset of the endowment, maintains long positions in names such as Apple, Amazon, NVIDIA, and Prologis. The endowment employs 227 people in total at the college level. Commonfund was appointed investment advisor in 2024, succeeding Gerber Taylor. State Street Bank and Trust Company serves as custodian and KPMG LLP serves as auditor. Adjacent vehicles include the Richard & Mary Templeton Foundation, which has given more than $91 million to the college since 2004. Investment decisions rest exclusively with the Investment Committee rather than a dedicated CIO. This structure keeps allocation authority inside the college's governance framework and separates endowment management from both the college's operating budget and donor-advised vehicles.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1795
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Schenectady
Corporate office
807 Union Street, Schenectady, New York, United States
Principals
Elizabeth Kiss
President
Julie Greifer Swidler
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Union College Endowment?
The Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees selects managers and sets policy. Elizabeth Kiss serves as president effective July 2025.
Does Union College Endowment participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The endowment commits to external private equity funds including Limerston Capital and Senshu Ikeda Capital. It also holds direct real estate assets on and near the Schenectady campus.
What investment stages does Union College Endowment typically target?
The endowment pursues a diversified mix that includes early-stage venture, growth equity, buyout, and distressed debt strategies through fund commitments.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The endowment was funded by more than 1,300 individual gifts accumulated since the college's founding in 1795.
How is Union College Endowment related to the Richard & Mary Templeton Foundation?
The foundation is a separate alumni-supported vehicle that has donated over $91 million to Union College, including major gifts in 2020 and 2024 for the Templeton Institute.
What is Union College Endowment's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
No co-investment program is disclosed. Capital is allocated primarily through fund commitments and direct real estate ownership.
Which sectors does Union College Endowment explicitly avoid?
No explicit sector exclusions are stated in available records.
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