Dakota Live! Podcast: The Specialist Equities Model with Loyola University Chicago

Dakota Live! Podcast

In this episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, Robert Morier sits down with Sam Johnson, Director of Investments at Loyola University Chicago, to explore how the university approaches manager research and due diligence.
Rooted in Loyola University Chicago’s value of cura personalis—which emphasizes care for the whole person—Loyola’s investment philosophy reflects a commitment to thoughtful decision-making and long-term impact.
Sam shares insights into the strategic shift toward a specialist equities model, the development of their private markets program, and the importance of alignment between managers and endowment goals.
Learn how Loyola's concentrated portfolio strategy prioritizes partnering with top-tier managers across asset classes and how their thoughtful approach to relationship-building and collaboration drives long-term success.
What you’ll take away from this episode:

• 🔍 Loyola’s Approach to Manager Research: How the team identifies and partners with the top managers through rigorous due diligence and a collaborative process.
  
• 📊 The Shift to a Specialist Equities Model: Insights into why Loyola moved from a generalist approach to specialists and how this has impacted endowment performance.
  
• 🏛️ Strategic Portfolio Construction: How Loyola balances a concentrated portfolio with long-term investment goals to support its mission.
  
• 🚀 Emerging Opportunities: Explore trends in private equity, venture capital, and public markets that Loyola is focused on for future growth.
  

Whether you're an allocator, asset manager, or simply curious about how endowments make decisions, this episode is packed with actionable insights and behind-the-scenes perspectives.