Student managed investments

A student managed investment fund is a pool of money which business students invest as a learning experience. As of 2008, more than 200 universities have student-run funds, which vary in size from several hundred thousand dollars to millions of dollars.[1]

The funds to be managed come from various sources, such as gifts from private individuals and corporations, gifts from foundations, and from university endowment or foundation assets. Some student managed investment funds such as the University of Texas at Austin manage funds for private clients, who are accredited investors under U.S. securities laws. Another source is the loan that supplies the funds at Cameron University.[2]

Some student managed investment funds are organized by function (accounting, public relations, etc.), while others such as the Lemma Senbet Fund are organized by economic sectors (Consumer Products, Energy Industry, Information technology, etc.).

The business students managing the fund typically take a for-credit course in conjunction with their management duties. Many of these programs belong to the Association of Student Managed Investment Programs.

In addition to managing a portfolio, these classes provide related experiences relevant to being a professional fund manager. For example, the CFA Society of Orange County Foundation (CFAOCF) conducts an annual request for proposals competition which allows student teams from local universities to experience first-hand the process that fund managers must go through in order to be allowed to manage institutional funds.[3]