Undergraduate
Student Investment Fund
Outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 15 years
The Student Investment Fund provides undergraduate students at the David Eccles Schools of Business at the University of Utah with hands-on investment experience. Students participating in the Fund manage a $1,000,000 portfolio of exchange-listed equities, ETFs, and money market investments. Students perform both individual and group research projects, learn about various analytical techniques and make presentations before leading finance practitioners.
Current Portfolio
Davidson Student Investment Fund
Milner Student Investment Fund
School Fund
Environmental, Social, and Governance Fund
Total Portfolio
About Us
In October 1998, David Eccles School of Business finance students joined the D.A. Davidson & Co. Student Investment Fund program, which allows students to invest $50,000 in a working stock portfolio. The purpose of this program is to bolster student learning outside the classroom in a real-world setting. The original $50,000 remains intact year to year, supported by D.A. Davidson. Any returns above five percent are split in half and shared by the firm and the Student Investment Fund. D.A. Davidson guarantees students against any losses below the original $50,000 mark, which will be replenished year to year if necessary. Since October 1998, D.A. Davidson has given almost $40,000 directly to the student portfolio and Bill Child, CEO of R.C. Willey Home Furnishings, has donated another $5,000 to the fund. In March 2004, U students received an additional $50,000 from Hal Milner in a program similar to D.A. Davidson’s. Mr. Milner has donated over $35,000 to the investment fund program.
Beginning in December 1998, students formed a Student Investment Fund Club and met regularly to develop an investment strategy, research and invest in specific stocks, listen to investment professionals, and to track their investments. The original club that first year was comprised of 12 students and their advisor, Professor of Finance Liz Tashjian.
In the fall of 1999, the Student Investment Fund developed from a club into a restricted-enrollment class. This class is limited to 18 students, and students wishing to take it must apply for acceptance. Tashjian teaches the year-round class. The class meets once a week to track the Fund and to research potential investments. Each year, students are required to publish an annual report listing the Fund’s activities. In 2003, the class was designated as an honors class. The Fund is subject to an annual audit by fellow students in the accounting society Beta Alpha Psi.
The Student Investment Fund’s performance has varied widely from year to year. In 1999, the fund gained over 60% on a portfolio strong in tech, only to lose 44% in 2001 as the tech bubble burst. In the fall of 2008 during the financial crisis, the fund held a relatively high proportion of cash and then invested in the spring of 2009, leading to a gain of over 45% in calendar year 2009. In 2015, SIF won the inaugural Fred Dickson Memorial Award from D.A. Davidson. The U was the only school participating in Davidson’s Student Investment Program to outperform the S&P at either the 3- or 5-year mark.
The fund received $25,000 to begin a socially responsible fund in the spring of 2011 and received another gift of $17,000 in the summer of 2013. This portfolio is devoted to investments that the fund analysts deem to be socially responsible based on a number of criteria. These investments also must meet the analysts’ standards in terms of financial and economic performance in order to be held in the portfolio.
Meet Our Team
Faculty
Dr. Jonathan Brogaard
Professor
Tyler Young
Teachers Assistant
Analysts
Dylan Mingo
Zach Burrows
Rich Schettler
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Previous Analysts
The Student Investment Fund is proud to have over 450+ alumni that participated in the fund’s initiative since 1998. Our alumni have gone on to work at some of top firms across banking, wealth management, accounting and finance as well as many fortune 500 companies.
Portfolio & Market Update
Macro News
Historical Performance
2004-2005 SIF Historical Performance
2004-2005 Portfolio Analysts
Bryce Akagi
Jennifer Allen
Tony Chiaramonte
Chris Egbert
Richard Ethington
Geroge Goates
Jennifer Hasty
Kirk Laser
Brian Ledbetter
Darren Lum
Brady Money
Jessica Rose
Sidni Taylor
Kimball Thomas
Mawell Wilson
2003-2004 SIF Historical Performance
2009-2010 SIF Historical Performance
2005-2010 Portfolio Analysts
Clay Andrus
Chris Barton
Kelly Barton
Jonathan Bowen
Paul Burningham
Shandra Corbitt
Ian Donaldson
Ben Fruin
Travis Giguere
Nick Harris
Jonny Murdock
Kimyen Nguyen
Trang Nguyen
Nathan Patterson
Kristina Rodriguez
Brad Shumpert
Matt Simonsen
Dan Smart
Crystal Williams
2008-2009 SIF Historical Performance
2014-2015 SIF Historical Performance
2004-2005 Portfolio Analysts
Connor Allen
Keefer Babbitt
Jon Buckwalter
Chad Burton
Douglas Cabral
John Carpenter
Jacob Clark
Angel Demirev
Chas Foote
Kevin Greer
Minh Le
Clark Measom
Kurt Moore
Thomas Osmond
Alex Schaaf
Sam Skanchy
Clayton Spencer
Andres Vergara
Competitions & Awards
Members of the Student Investment Fund, along with other finance students at the David Eccles School of Business, have participated in a number of international competitions.
Fred Dickson Memorial Award
The Fred Dickson Award recognizes the most outstanding university participating in D. A. Davidson’s Student Investment Program.
- 2015, inaugural award recipient
National Investment Banking Competition
The National Investment Banking Competition attracts several hundred teams of students from around the world in an investment banking case competition. Forty finalist teams are invited to Vancouver to compete.
- 2014, finalist
- 2013, finalist
Redefining Investment Strategy Education Conference
The RISE conference is the world’s largest student investment conference. The conference sponsors a portfolio competition.
- 2014, winner, alternative strategy
Chartered Financial Analyst Research Challenge
Students from over 800 universities globally participate in the CFA Research Challenge’s equity research competition. Competitions begin at the local level with winning teams progressing to international competitions.
- 2018, second place Utah
- 2016, first and second place Utah; participated in the Americas competition (Chicago)
- 2015, first and second place Utah; participated in the Americas competition (Atlanta, GA)
- 2014, first place Utah; advanced to semi-finals of the Americas competition (Denver, CO)
- 2013, first place Utah; participated in the Americas competition (Toronto, Canada)
- 2012, second place Utah
- 2011, second place Utah
- 2010, second place Utah
Community Bank Case Study Competition (Washington, DC)
The case competition is sponsored by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. Student teams collaborate with local community banks to perform case studies evaluating the bank’s strategy and its economic impact.
- 2015, first place
Students Invest In Their Future
Resources
Online News
Online Market & Stock Resources
Online Business Publications
Other Resources
Exchanges
