Ep.16 Selin Amado - Penn Office of Investments

Please note that while Selin is a first-generation college graduate in the United States, her parents also attended college. 

University of Pennsylvania
A private Ivy-League university in Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Franklin. It’s known for combining academic rigor with practical experience, and it houses the world-renowned Wharton School of Business. Penn’s large endowment helps fund scholarships, research, and campus operations. Source: University of Pennsylvania – About

Harvard Business School
Part of Harvard University is one of the most prestigious graduate business schools in the world. It trains future business leaders through its MBA program, executive education, and doctoral programs. HBS is famous for its case study method, which teaches students to solve real business problems. Source: Harvard Business School – About

Endowment
Funds established by institutions, such as universities or nonprofit organizations, to support their ongoing operations. It is a pool of donated money invested to generate income that supports an institution’s goals, like scholarships, faculty salaries, or campus maintenance, forever. Most universities and nonprofits rely on endowments to provide long-term stability. Source: Investopedia – Endowment

Penn Office of Investments
Responsible for the strategic management and oversight of the University of Pennsylvania’s endowment. This office plays a critical role in ensuring the long-term financial health of the university by investing in a diversified portfolio of global assets, including public and private equities, real estate, hedge funds, and other alternative investments in perpetuity. The returns generated from the endowment help fund a wide range of university priorities, including academic programs, financial aid, research initiatives, faculty support, and campus operations. Source: Penn Office of Investments - About 

Pension Funds
Institutional investment funds established by employers to provide retirement income for employees. These funds often allocate a portion of their capital to real estate investments to diversify their portfolios and generate long-term returns to ensure they have enough money to support retirees in the future. Source: Pension Fund Definition & Examples - Quickonomics

Asset Class
An asset class is a category of investments, such as stocks, bonds, real estate, or cash. Each class has its own level of risk and potential return. Investors often mix asset classes to reduce risk and balance returns. Source: Corporate Finance Institute – Asset Class

Operators/Partners
In real estate and private equity, operators (or general partners) are the ones who do the hands-on work — managing the asset, improving it, and making sure it earns money. They often work with investors who provide the funding. Source: PitchBook – GP/LP Structure

Working Capital
Working capital is the money used for daily operations, like paying bills and employees. It’s calculated by subtracting current liabilities from current assets, and having healthy working capital means the organization or business is financially stable. Source: Investopedia – Working Capital

Fine Arts
Fine arts refer to creative works like painting, sculpture, and drawing that are valued for their beauty or emotional power. These artworks are often displayed in museums or collected by individuals and institutions. Source: Oxford Reference – Fine Art

Economics
The study of how people, businesses, and governments make choices about using resources. It helps us understand everything from prices and jobs to trade and taxes. Source: Britannica – Economics

Freeman’s Fine Art Auction House
Freeman’s is America’s oldest auction house, based in Philadelphia. It helps individuals and institutions buy and sell fine art, antiques, and jewelry. Buyers place bids in auctions, and the highest bidder wins the item. Source: Freeman’s Auctions – About

Fine Art Financing
This is a type of lending where someone uses a valuable piece of art, like a painting, as collateral for a loan. It’s often used by collectors who need cash but don’t want to sell their artwork. Source: My Art Broker - What is Art Financing?

Liberal Arts
Broad category of academic disciplines that emphasize general knowledge and intellectual skills rather than specialized professional or technical training. The goal of a liberal arts education is to cultivate critical thinking, communication, creativity, and a well-rounded understanding of human experience. Source: Princeton University Admissions – Liberal Arts

Consulting
Experts hired to give advice to organizations, often about how to solve problems or grow. Consultants work in many fields, like business, health care, and technology. Source: Harvard Business Review – Consulting

Investment Management
Professional management of someone else’s money, with the goal of growing it over time. Investment managers decide where to put the money — in stocks, bonds, real estate, etc. based on the client’s goals. They choose the right portfolio selection of investments. The aim is to achieve the return the client needs at a level of risk they’re comfortable with. Investment management firms take on all the effort of creating an investment portfolio for their clients and open new investment opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available. Source: Investopedia– Investment Management

Beneficiary
A beneficiary is someone who receives money or assets from a trust, will, or investment account. For example, a scholarship fund might list students as beneficiaries. Source: Cambridge – Beneficiary

Opportunistic
In real estate, “opportunistic” means high-risk, high-return real estate investment strategy that focuses on capitalizing on unique opportunities in the market, often involving distressed assets, development projects, or significant repositioning efforts. Opportunistic investors typically seek to achieve above-market returns by identifying undervalued or underutilized properties and implementing aggressive value-enhancement strategies. Source: Adventures in CRE - Opportunistic

Verdis Investment Management
Private investment firm based in Pennsylvania that works with institutions like endowments and family offices. They invest in alternative assets like real estate and private equity to help their clients grow wealth over time. Source: Verdis Investment Management - About

Analyst
Junior-level professional in finance, consulting, or investment firms. They do research, build financial models, and support more senior team members in making business or investment decisions. Source: Wall Street Oasis – Analyst Role

Top-Heavy 
A term used to describe an organizational structure where a company has a disproportionately large number of senior managers or executives compared to lower-level staff. This can lead to inefficiencies, slower decision-making, and fewer growth opportunities for junior employees. Source: Collins Dictionary - Top-Heavy

Director
A mid-to-senior level professional responsible for overseeing a department, team, or specific function within a company. Directors typically manage strategy execution and report to higher-level executives like Vice Presidents or Managing Directors. Source: Corporate Finance Institute – Director: Definition, Responsibilities, and Types

Managing Director (MD)
A senior executive who holds top-level management responsibilities, often overseeing a division, region, or the entire organization. In many firms, the MD ranks above Directors and is responsible for setting strategic direction and driving overall performance. Source: Corporate Finance Institute – Managing Director: Overview, Duties, and Qualifications

Real Assets
Physical things you can own, like real estate, infrastructure, or natural resources. These are different from stocks or bonds and are often used to protect against inflation. Source: Investopedia – What Are Real Assets vs. Other Asset Types?

Endowments and Foundations (ENF)
Organizations that manage pooled investment assets to support nonprofit missions. Endowments typically support institutions like universities, while foundations fund charitable causes. They invest for long-term growth and income to sustain their activities and grants. Source: Apex Legacy Consulting - What is the Difference Between Foundations and Endowments?

Limited Partners (LPs)
Investors who provide capital to a fund but do not take part in its day-to-day management. LPs share in the fund’s profits but have limited liability and decision-making power. Common in private equity, real estate, and venture capital funds. Source: Investopedia – Limited Partner (LP): Definition, Role, Example, vs. General Partner (GP)