Endowed Impact FISCAL YEAR 2024
Letter from President Padilla
DEAR VALPO ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,
As we close another significant chapter at Valparaiso University, we want to take a moment to thank you for your unwavering support. Your generosity has been a vital element in our students’ successes and the vibrant community we foster at Valpo.
The hard work and commitment shown by our students throughout the past fall semester have been inspiring. With the dedication of our faculty and staff, alongside your philanthropic contributions, we are proud to provide an environment where students can thrive academically and personally.
Endowed funds are crucial to Valpo’s long-term sustainability, providing essential resources that enhance the educational experience for our students and support our dedicated faculty. Your investment in these funds helps ensure that we can continue to uphold the University’s mission and values for years to come.
Enclosed are the financial reports for the fiscal year 2024 regarding the endowed funds you have generously supported. Your ongoing commitment is key to our University’s growth and success.
As we welcome the holiday season and look ahead to the new year, we send our best wishes to you and your family.
With heartfelt gratitude,
José D. Padilla, J.D. President
Endowment at a Glance | JULY 1, 2023 -
JUNE 30, 2024
ENDOWMENT MANAGEMENT
The University is responsible for ensuring that gifts to the endowment support their intended purposes. Gifts are invested in the University’s diversified endowment portfolio. The Capital Planning and Investment Committee of the Board of Directors and senior financial management oversee investments with guidance from independent investment advisors. The Committee establishes investment policies aimed at achieving optimal returns with acceptable levels of risk.
ENDOWMENT POLICY
The endowment policy balances long-term asset growth and support for University programs. Key components include asset investment strategy and endowment spending, designed to achieve intergenerational equity—ensuring endowed assets benefit both current and future generations. The Board’s Committee regularly reviews the asset allocation and monitors investment performance. In fiscal year 2024, the endowment’s diversified investments, including private equity and venture capital, contributed to strong returns. The University cautions against assessing performance over short-term periods, as the goal is long-term sustainability. The endowment ranked in the upper decile in the NACUBO Study of Endowments, comparing 688 institutions for 3-, 5-, and 10-year returns.
ENDOWMENT PAYOUT & SPENDING POLICY
The spending rate is approved annually by the Board of Directors during the budget adoption process. This rate, adjusted by a smoothing provision, is based on a weighted average of prior spending, inflation, and current market value. The Board can also authorize additional spending when necessary. In fiscal year 2024, the Board approved $6 million in additional spending, with $2 million supporting enrollment marketing and $4 million for the Strategic Plan and campus operations.
INVESTMENT GOVERNANCE
The Capital Planning and Investment Committee oversees the endowment investments. The Committee, composed of members with extensive financial management experience, is responsible for developing investment policy, selecting and evaluating investment managers, and recommending asset allocation and spending policies.
as of June 30, 2024
as of June 30, 2024
$311,933,000
ENDOWMENT VALUE as of June 30, 2024
$1,699,000
ENDOWMENT SPENDING as of June 30, 2024 $24,157,000 NEW GIFTS MADE TO ENDOWMENT
808
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF ENDOWED FUNDS
Building Futures | THE IMPACT
OF ENDOWED GIVING
THE WEHRENBERG ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
The Wehrenberg Endowed Scholarship was established in the 1940s in honor of Henry Wehrenberg. Contributions continue from members of the family. The annual award from this fund is given to Christian men and women.
The Wehrenberg Endowed Scholarship is our oldest scholarship on record, and it is still being awarded today — over 80 years of scholarship support!
“It truly has been a blessing to attend this small but mighty school, and I am forever grateful for people like you who believe in students like me to make this world a better place. Without your help, I would not be where I am today, so thank you.”
—
Kolton Woods ’24
Meteorologist, ABC57, South Bend, Ind. 2023-2024 Wehrenberg Endowed Scholarship Recipient
THE DONALD V. FITES ENDOWED FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS IN ENGINEERING
The Donald V. Fites Endowed Faculty Fellowships were established to support faculty in the College of Engineering by advancing scholarly, pedagogical, or teaching projects. These fellowships provide resources for course release time or summer stipends, awarded competitively. Multi-semester or multi-year support is available for ambitious projects with measurable outcomes required.
“This fellowship was critical in the growth of my research program, as it provided time for me to write and submit a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Initiation proposal.”
— Lauren Sestito, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
Donald V. Fites Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Engineering Recipient
620
ENDOWED FUND SCHOLARSHIPS
$7,018,840
TOTAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED IN FY24
The Donald V. Fites Endowed Faculty Fellowship for 2023-2024 has been instrumental in advancing Professor Sestito’s groundbreaking research in nanomaterial design for drug delivery. This prestigious fellowship afforded her the crucial time necessary to craft and submit a proposal to the National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Initiation (NSF: ERI) program, resulting in a remarkable $200,000 award. This funding will support an innovative project focused on developing liposomal vehicles for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis. Additionally, the fellowship empowered Professor Sestito to mentor five undergraduate researchers, significantly enhancing their skills in experimental design and communication. Their collaboration culminated in impactful presentations at the Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE), fostering a vibrant academic community and inspiring future scientists.
JUDITH L. BEUMER ENDOWED WRITING PROGRAM FUND
Established in 2016, the Judith L. Beumer Endowed Writing Program Fund provides operational support for the Valparaiso University writing program. In the 2023-2024 academic year, the writing center conducted 1,038 consultations with 507 unique students, assisting with diverse writing projects, including academic research papers, lab reports, selfreflection essays, professional memos, creative narratives, personal resumes, and graduate school admission letters. Collaborating with 11 faculty members, we reached 220 students through workshops, promoting awareness of our services across disciplines and writing genres.
The endowment fund uniquely positions the Writing Center consultants to serve the Valparaiso University community. Because we have not had to seek additional funding, we can keep a substantial schedule that meets the needs of busy students. The Writing Center has held community events on topics like professor expectations and AI writing, along with numerous workshops to support writing instruction and peer reviews in class.
4,193
STUDENTS SERVED SINCE 2016
“The Writing Center did a phenomenal job of providing open and honest feedback and suggestions while still being polite, professional, and friendly.”
— Anonymous student survey response
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David A. Bochnowski, J.D., Munster, Ind.
Cristal M. Brisco ’02, J.D., Granger, Ind.
Emily Chase, Ph.D., Chicago
Jeffrey H. Dobbs ’77, Leawood, Kan.
Mark H. Duesenberg ’84, J.D., Rocky River, Ohio
Craig Dwight, La Porte, Ind.
Susan Jenny Ehr ’82, J.D., London, England
Carolyn Schlie Femovich ’71, M.S. , Hellertown, Pa.
Geoff Gilmore ’95, MBA, New Albany, Ohio
Louie Gonzalez, MBA, Munster, Ind.
Christopher Good, MPA, Larchmont, N.Y.
Robert D. Hansen, Jr. ’82, (Chair) Greensboro, Ga.
Mark P. Helge ’71, Rockford, Ill.
Danielle Carter ’06 Iddins, ’08 MALS, (VUAA President) Indianapolis
Colette J. Irwin-Knott ’81, Zionsville, Ind.
Bruce R. Laning ’81, M I M, St. Francis, Wis.
Marian J. Moon ’72, Arcadia, Okla.
Andrew N. Nunemaker ’91, MBA, Milwaukee
Noe M. Ortega, M.S., Ph.D., Hummelstown, Pa.
José D. Padilla, J.D., (University President) Valparaiso, Ind.
Christopher Petrini-Poli ’95, MBA, Lake Bluff, Ill.
Lindsay Roettger ’16, MSW, Chicago
Philip C. Spahn ’92, ’95 J.D., Chicago
Jon A. Steinbrecher ’83, M.S., Rocky River, Ohio
Paul A. Strasen ’78, J.D., Littleton, Colo.
Julie M. Winkler ’96, MBA, (Vice Chair) Naperville, Ill.
UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP PRESIDENT’S CABINET
José D. Padilla, J.D. President
Rebekah R. Arevalo, M.S.
Assistant Vice President for HSI Initiatives and Chief of Staff
Rev. Brian A. F. Beckstrom, D.Min. Assistant Vice President for Mission, Church, and Ministry
Darron C. Farha, J.D. Vice President and General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors
Marie Foster-Bruns, MBA Vice President of Advancement
Eric W. Johnson ’87, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Jill Sifuentes ’04 Schur, M.S Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing
Laurel Hosmer, M.S. Director of Athletics
Angela Vidal-Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Mark Volpatti, Ed.D., CPA
Senior Vice President for Finance, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Advancement
Heritage Hall 510 Freeman Street Valparaiso, In 46383
Email: donorrelations@valpo.edu
Phone: 219.464.5968
Website: give.valpo.edu