Drexel Launches the Manuel Stamatakis Center for Alternative Investments in the LeBow College of Business

Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business today announced the establishment of the Manuel Stamatakis Center for Alternative Investments, a new academic hub designed to prepare students for leadership in the rapidly expanding global market for private and alternative assets.

Funded through the generosity of longtime Drexel supporter and former trustee Manuel “Manny” Stamatakis, the Center will unite students, faculty and industry leaders to explore the increasingly vital role of alternative investments in shaping the future of finance and the broader economy.

A Strategic Vision for a Changing Investment World

The Stamatakis Center is being launched at a pivotal moment in global finance. Over the last several decades, the investment world has shifted dramatically. In 1980, public equities and bonds accounted for nearly all investable capital. Today, nearly half of institutional portfolios include alternative assets, such as private equity, venture capital, private credit, hedge funds, infrastructure and real estate.

Global alternative investments now exceed $22 trillion and are projected to surpass $30 trillion by 2030, with the U.S. representing roughly half that total. This evolution demands a new educational model, according to Stamatakis.

“Alternative investments are reshaping the capital markets of the 21st century,” said Stamatakis. “I am happy that this Center ensures Drexel students are learning alongside the people who shape these markets — from faculty experts to seasoned professionals actively deploying capital.”

Connecting Academia and Industry

The Stamatakis Center for Alternative Investments will convene academic researchers, investment professionals and students to study the growth, structure and societal impact of private markets.

Vibhas Madan, PhD, LeBow’s dean and R. John Chapel Jr. dean’s chair, said the initiative exemplifies Drexel’s mission of connecting scholarship with real-world relevance.

“Having the Stamatakis Center at LeBow is an exciting development, and I look forward to the valuable opportunities it will bring to our students, faculty and the broader Drexel community as they learn from experts in this dynamic segment of the financial sector,” Madan said.

The Center will also foster collaboration with the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, further integrating professional certification and global best practices into Drexel’s curriculum. Plans are underway for the creation of a student-run alternative and venture investing club and annual symposia, forums and research conferences featuring leading academics and industry figures.

It builds on the College’s longstanding commitment to finance education, including its Howley Finance Academy — a selective program designed to prepare LeBow undergraduate students for careers in private equity, investment banking and private markets through custom coursework, programming and engagement with industry professionals and alumni.

Leadership and Early Initiatives

Serving as the Center’s inaugural Executive Director is George Tsetsekos, PhD, dean emeritus of LeBow College and George B. Francis Professor of Finance. Tsetsekos will oversee the Center’s research, academic programming and outreach initiatives, including the development of a simulation-based educational platform that mirrors the dynamics of alternative-investment markets.

“We started the Dragon Fund when I was dean, and it has provided students invaluable, hands-on experience in portfolio management for more than 20 years,” Tsetsekos said. “Now, the alternatives space offers similar opportunities in a different class of vehicles. Students seeking careers in investment management and private markets must understand this domain in depth.”

The simulation initiative will allow students to test investment decisions, capital structures and portfolio strategies across private-market scenarios; integrating quantitative modeling with the strategic, long-term thinking required in illiquid markets.

In addition to simulation-based learning, the Center will support faculty-industry research partnerships on valuation, governance, ESG and performance measurement; career panels and mentorship programs; and joint publications exploring how private capital can drive inclusive and sustainable growth.

A Legacy of Leadership and Philanthropy

Stamatakis has been a cornerstone of Drexel’s progress for more than two decades. He served as a Drexel University trustee for 21 years and was chair of the Board of the Drexel College of Medicine for 13 years, playing a pivotal role in its establishment and long-term success.

Beyond Drexel, Stamatakis is the executive chair of the Board of Mistras Group, Inc. (NYSE: MG), a Princeton-based, publicly traded provider of industrial asset-protection solutions. He has served on the Mistras board since 2002, including roles as CEO, lead director, and chair of the Governance Committee. He has also served on the Audit and Compensation Committees.

“The future of finance is private, data-driven and globally interconnected,” Stamatakis said. “Students who understand the alternative-investment economy will shape that future—not merely observe it. For universities committed to excellence and leadership, building rigorous programs in alternative investments is not a luxury; it is a strategic imperative.”

Stamatakis is a distinguished business executive with over three decades of leadership experience spanning private enterprise, public service, and civic engagement.

In 1988, Stamatakis founded Capital Management Enterprises, a financial services and employee benefits firm headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where he built a reputation as a preeminent specialist in Mid-Atlantic healthcare markets and employee benefit plans. The firm is now part of the Conner Strong Buckelew family of companies.

He has been instrumental in transformative regional economic initiatives. As a lead negotiator for Gov. Tom Ridge, he helped bring Kvaerner Inc. to Philadelphia to operate a world-class shipbuilding facility at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard — now the most successful commercial shipbuilding yard in the United States. He continues to serve as chair of the Philadelphia Shipyard Development Corporation. Additionally, as a Drexel University Trustee and Founding Chairman of Drexel University College of Medicine, he played a pivotal role in negotiating an agreement with Tenet Healthcare that rescued the bankrupt Allegheny Health System and preserved more than 10,000 jobs.

His public service includes chairing the Delaware River Port Authority and PATCO Transit Authority, the Pennsylvania IMPACCT Commission and the Team Pennsylvania Ambassador Program. He is chair emeritus of Visit Philadelphia and serves on the board of Thomas Jefferson University and University Hospitals.

Stamatakis holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and received a Doctor of Business Administration, honoris causa, from Drexel in 2005. He has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Heart of Philadelphia Award, the PenJerDel Council Citizen of the Year Award, and the Global Greece Award.