A building accessible to every student regardless of major, background, or financial circumstance sits at the center of Colgate University’s West Campus plan. JP Conte’s $25 million gift names that building. Conte House, as the Social Center will be called, anchors a campus expansion that has drawn $105 million in alumni investment and is set to reshape how juniors and seniors live and interact at the university.
The plan concentrates residential and social life for upperclassmen along Broad Street. North House and South House, two large residential buildings, attach directly to the Social Center. Smaller study rooms sit nearby. A shared pathway called The Walk connects the buildings across the new campus. When construction finishes, every senior will have the option of a single room, and approximately half of each junior class will as well. Conte’s record as an experienced capital allocator in private equity informs the long-range thinking behind commitments of this kind.
Vice President and Dean of the College Paul McLoughlin described the underlying aim as helping students to “build community” and “build the skills to live independently and to be good citizens after they graduate.” JP Conte, a Colgate Class of 1985 graduate who attended as a first-generation student and is now the founder and Managing Partner of Lupine Crest Capital, framed the naming gift as a direct extension of what his own college experience provided.
Conte stated in the campaign announcement: “The new Conte House will be a vital gathering place for students of all backgrounds, and supporting future generations in this way is nothing short of an honor for me and my family.” The Social Center is designed to function as a place to gather, work, host visiting alumni, and build connections that extend past graduation. Conte’s work with the UCSF Foundation and his J-P Conte Family Foundation reflect the same commitment to institutions that shape future professionals.