Impact investing is a natural fit with Oberlin’s mission of education and global engagement while generating necessary financial returns.” —Sean Gavin ’98, Investment Committee Chair
Formed in 2022 with the goal of providing an invaluable experiential learning opportunity to Oberlin students, the IIAG serves in an advisory capacity to the Investment Committee. In collaboration with the Investment Office, the IIAG designs and implements research related to impact investing, evaluates issues and trends, makes recommendations to the committee, and educates Oberlin students and the community more broadly on impact investing and the endowment overall.
The IIAG consists of four student members, known as IIAG Fellows. This summer, the Investment Committee appointed an IIAG Coordinator to guide the group’s efforts, recruit new members, develop the IIAG agenda and projects for the coming year, and serve as primary liaison to the committee. The inaugural coordinator, Iman Abdullah, is a 2024 Oberlin graduate who majored in Economics. She was an IIAG Fellow in 2023-24.
A previous advisory group, the Impact Investment Platform Subcommittee, consisted primarily of members of the Investment Committee and the Board of Trustees, as well as faculty and alumni. The IIAG, by comparison, involves a greater number of students and provides rigorous opportunities to apply classroom learning to real-world challenges—and to play a key role in the future of Oberlin.
“Impact investing is a natural fit with Oberlin’s mission of education and global engagement while generating necessary financial returns,” says Sean Gavin ’98, chair of the Investment Committee. “Engaging students in this process facilitates learning and gives agency to students in acting as a catalyst for good. The addition of a full time on-campus fellow facilitates this process and is a critical step in the realization of our vision.”
Current Oberlin students may submit applications for 2024-25 IIAG Fellowships through August 31. Applicants are required to have completed their first year of Oberlin studies, and all majors are welcome. This year’s fellows will be announced in mid-September.
