Student Managed Investment Fund Takes First Place at International Competition

Laura Arneson

Document Type

News Article

Publication Date

5-4-2016

Campus Unit

College of Business & Public Administration

Abstract

As Student Managed Investment Fund President (S.M.I.F), Logan Stepan, walked into our office to tell us a little bit about the competition he and his team had just taken first place in two categories, the first thing he said was, “When we found out we won it was just kind of awkward. We were in a big conference room with a bunch of other students from schools all over the world, even some Ivy League schools, and when they announced that the University of North Dakota had won, there was just kind of a slow clap and you could tell everyone was wondering, ‘who are they?’” While that may have been the reaction for the first award the team won, it certainly wasn’t the reaction when they won were awarded first place in a second category.

This year’s international Global Asset Management Education (G.A.M.E.) competition was held in New York City (March 31 to April 2, 2016). The group ended up placing first in two categories: bond portfolio and alternative funds. While they have placed first in bond portfolio once before, it was their first time winning in the alternatives category.

SMIF is a group that invests real money into a variety of portfolios. This year, they were allotted $1.3 million for investments. It is one of the only fully student-run investment fund groups in the nation and is an opportunity only available to business students. Right now, Stepan says the group has somewhere between 30 and 35 members.

147 schools attended the GA.M.E. competition, from 47 different states and 39 countries. Winning not only enhances the reputation of UND, it also provides the group access to additional competitions in the future.

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