Whitworth University Endowment

The university's Board of Trustees provides ultimate fiduciary oversight. Day-to-day management of the endowment portfolio falls to the university's internal finance team. Donors Kenneth M. Roberts and David Robblee, both trustees, have been closely involved in investment governance, particularly through the student investment fund they established. A dedicated investment committee of the board likely sets asset allocation policy, though its membership is not publicly listed.

The Robblee-Roberts Student Investment Fund is a carve-out of the university's endowment that undergraduate students manage directly. It operates as a real-money portfolio under faculty and trustee supervision. Students conduct equity research, pitch investments, and report performance. The fund is housed in the Bennett Family Student Investment Center, a dedicated on-campus trading room funded separately by donor Jim Bennett.

Whitworth does not publicly disclose a precise endowment figure. Based on comparable private liberal arts colleges with roughly 2,500 students and its known giving infrastructure, Altss estimates the endowment in the $50 million to $250 million range. The university's most recent comprehensive campaign includes endowment growth goals, suggesting active fundraising for the pool.

The endowment's exact alternative-investment exposure is not publicly disclosed. As a small-to-mid-sized endowment, it likely maintains some allocation to private markets through fund commitments, though the student-managed portion focuses on public equities. The endowment participates in the CFA Institute Research Challenge, which centers on publicly traded companies.

The Whitworth Foundation operates as a separate entity handling designated gifts. The university also benefits from individual donors including Kenneth M. Roberts, David Robblee, and Jim Bennett, who have funded specific initiatives like professorships, the student investment fund, and the Bennett Family Student Investment Center. The endowment proper pools unrestricted and restricted quasi-endowment funds.