Much like their counterparts working in the finance industry, our Student-Managed Investment Fund club members continue to navigate the stock market in the wake of a global pandemic.

Last year’s club members had to change tactics and evaluate their portfolio, which you can read about here, in order to stay on top of the market and increase their returns during an uncertain time. One such strategy that kept them in a good place was maintaining a diversified portfolio, which is being continued by club members this year.

“Our portfolio is diverse, meaning if one sector was to crash, we would have others keeping the portfolio afloat,” explains current club president Asher Hoodis ’23. Due to this tactic, the actual portfolio performed considerably well during the pandemic. “Over the last year, we have seen great returns and the value of the portfolio has gone up well over ten thousand dollars since I joined the club my freshman year.”

These remarkable results are made even more impressive when you consider that they come on the heels of a year when clubs were conducted almost exclusively over Zoom. The 2021-22 school year brought not only a return to in-person club meetings, but also an influx of new club members, with the number of active members now sitting at 40.

There have been many benefits of returning to in-person meetings, but having guest speakers in meetings ranks high among them. Recently, Ben Vig, Executive Director at RoundRock Capital Partners, and Conner Searcy, Managing Partner at Trive Capital, stopped by to discuss their jobs in the field and provide career advice to the students as they start to make decisions about their future. And despite the club's hands-on approach, you don’t need an extensive knowledge of the industry to join.

“I think the best part of the club is that you don't need to know anything about investing,” says Hoodis. “Coming into the club, all questions and skill types are welcome.”

While the topic of finance may seem intimidating to some, the Student-Managed Investment Fund club at ESD is the perfect place to learn.

In 2018, the Oglesby/Allison Student-Managed Investment Fund was endowed by Edward Oglesby '90, John Oglesby, and Peggy Allison to ensure it continues in perpetuity. We are thankful for this generous contribution that continues to educate students in the field of finance.