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VWU Hosts International Endowments Network Fall Forum
The forum focused on supporting endowments and foundations in advancing sustainable investing strategies
University News | October 26, 2023
View the IEN Fall Forum Photo Gallery
A VWU case study was a part of the agenda for the International Endowments Network (IEN) Fall Forum, hosted in Brock Commons on October 25. Panelists Ali Bayler, Brown Advisory; VWU President Scott D. Miller; VWU Alumnus and Trustee Gary Bonnewell; and VWU Batten Honors College student Rowan Stuart shared their perspectives and experiences on “Building Consensus & Establishing Investment Policy.”
President Miller shared Virginia Wesleyan’s Sustainability Timeline, including joining the IEN in 2018 with a commitment to environmentally-friendly investing and the establishment of the University’s Environmental Guiding Principles which are embedded in all policies and operational activities.
The goal of the Forum was to leverage the immense assets of educational institutions towards creating a sustainable economic landscape. The Fall Forum, in collaboration with the BlueMark team and its Advisory Committee, presented the Endowment Impact Benchmark—a pioneering endeavor in the realm of value-aligned investments. Institutions across the spectrum were called to participate in this fall's pilot program, playing a role in shaping this groundbreaking benchmarking initiative.
The agenda for the 2023 Fall Forum was both robust and relevant, encompassing building consensus in investment policies, promoting racial equity in portfolios, and upholding the sanctity of investment autonomy. The event also provided opportunities for networking, mutual learning, and collaborative strategizing.
IEN Executive Director Georges Dyer delivered opening remarks followed by a fireside chat on “Protecting Higher Education’s Freedom to Consider ESG Metrics When Investing,” by Shivaram Rajgopal, Kester and Byrnes Professor, Columbia Business School and Andrew Poreda, Senior Research Analyst, Sage Advisory.
There were opportunities for dialogue throughout the afternoon in small group discussion on focused topics.
In addition to the Virginia Wesleyan University case study panel, a panel discussion on “Racial Equality in the Investment Process- a Warren Wilson College Case Study” was also a part of the day’s agenda. The afternoon concluded with next level conversations, round table dialogues, a debriefing of the afternoon as well as action planning for the future.
IEN is leading the charge as the vanguard of mission-aligned investing for higher education and endowed institutions, IEN envisions a world rich in opportunity for all. This network, by emphasizing long-term value, is rewriting the narrative from fleeting returns to addressing overarching concerns such as racial disparities, climate change, and economic inequality.
Virginia Wesleyan University is one of 58 select colleges and universities nationwide, along with 102 other endowed institutions, that are members of the Intentional Endowments Network, the leading network for endowment fiduciaries investing for a thriving, sustainable economy. Scholars from the Batten Honors College at VWU took first place in the undergraduate division in the Intentional Endowments Network's Student Corporate Engagement Competition. In this student investment competition, participants pitch an investment in a publicly-traded company, and include in that recommendation a shareholder engagement strategy focused on addressing inequality and the climate crisis, as they are systemic risks that threaten a healthy society, and in turn, healthy portfolio returns.