University of Scranton Endowment

University of Scranton Endowment

Founded in 1888 and acquired by the Society of Jesus in 1942, the University of Scranton Endowment supports a private Catholic university in northeastern Pennsylvania. Stephen Hietsch, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, holds operational responsibility, while Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., leads the institution as president. The endowment's market value stood at over $319 million as of May 31, 2024, reflecting a portfolio that serves faculty support, scholarships, and campus infrastructure. The endowment pursues a diversified mandate spanning buyout, early-stage, expansion/late-stage, special situations, and fund-of-funds commitments. A portion of the capital is deployed through PRISM, a student-run investment club, giving undergraduate members direct portfolio management experience. This creates an unusual pipeline — capital allocation doubles as a pedagogical tool. The portfolio supports a physical campus footprint that includes commercial properties such as The Estate on Linden Street, the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus, and the Scranton Family Mansion, alongside specialized collections like the McHugh Family Special Collections of medieval manuscripts. The endowment functions under the governance of the Board of Trustees, chaired by Kevin O'Brien, Esq. While overall headcount is not published, the structure embeds alumni participation through vehicles like the President's Business Council — a network of business executives who mentor students and support strategic priorities. In May 2024, the endowment reported a market value of $319.7 million, reflecting its position as a mid-sized Jesuit fund with a hybrid governance model blending professional administration and active student involvement. The fund's structural differentiator is the operational integration of a student-run investment club within its formal allocation process. Rather than existing solely as an academic exercise, PRISM manages actual endowment assets, creating a dual-purpose vehicle where fiduciary responsibility and undergraduate education operate in tandem — a model rare among university endowments.