Key Takeaways
- • Kasia Karapuda appointed senior director and head of private investments at University of Kansas Endowment, effective August 14, 2025, transitioning from her role as Director of Investments at Oberlin College.
- • KU Endowment manages approximately $2.5 billion in assets with a diversified investment strategy that includes private equity, fixed income, and public equities; private investments currently represent 5% of the portfolio.
- • Karapuda brings institutional investment experience from Oberlin College, where she managed a $1.4 billion endowment with a highly diversified portfolio spanning fixed income, public equity, and alternative strategies.
- • The hire reflects continued institutional focus on alternative asset management, as universities and endowments navigate portfolio optimization across private markets, equities, and fixed income allocations.
Summary
Kasia Karapuda has been named senior director and head of private investments at the University of Kansas Endowment, the institution announced on August 14, 2025. Karapuda joins KU from Oberlin College, where she served as Director of Investments overseeing a $1.4 billion endowment portfolio. She holds the CFA designation and brings substantive experience in institutional investment management and alternative asset allocation.
The University of Kansas Endowment, which manages approximately $2.5 billion in assets, operates under a diversified investment framework spanning private equity, public equities, fixed income, and cash allocations. Karapuda's appointment comes as the endowment continues to build out its alternatives management capabilities. At KU, private investments currently represent 5% of the total portfolio, with bonds accounting for 1% and equities comprising the majority of the allocation.
At Oberlin College, Karapuda managed a highly diversified portfolio composed of roughly 1,350 individual funds across fixed income, public equity, and alternative strategies. Her transition to KU reflects the ongoing institutional emphasis on strengthening private markets expertise within university endowments, particularly as these institutions seek to optimize returns across alternative asset classes while managing risk through strategic diversification.
The University of Kansas Endowment, which manages approximately $2.5 billion in assets, operates under a diversified investment framework spanning private equity, public equities, fixed income, and cash allocations. Karapuda's appointment comes as the endowment continues to build out its alternatives management capabilities. At KU, private investments currently represent 5% of the total portfolio, with bonds accounting for 1% and equities comprising the majority of the allocation.
At Oberlin College, Karapuda managed a highly diversified portfolio composed of roughly 1,350 individual funds across fixed income, public equity, and alternative strategies. Her transition to KU reflects the ongoing institutional emphasis on strengthening private markets expertise within university endowments, particularly as these institutions seek to optimize returns across alternative asset classes while managing risk through strategic diversification.
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