SIF Students Compete in Chicago
Students Nikolai Unruh, Jenifer Garcia, and Bryan Sauer pose in front of "The Bean" (officially titled 鈥淐loud Gate鈥) during their visit to the 2021 Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
Jan. 1, 2022
On October 27, 2021 a group of students from the Student Investment Fund course at 有料盒子视频, began a trip to Chicago, IL, to participate in the 8th annual . The conference focused on enhancing student learning in the investment field and providing opportunities for student networking and idea exchanges from SMIFC members across the nation. One of the main goals of the SMIFC is to promote and build a community of institutions that have a shared vision for student success and leadership in investing. This event was hosted by The Embassy Suites in downtown Chicago, which is located only a mile from Millennium Park and only two miles from the Lincoln Park Zoo.
This year鈥檚 SMIFC conference included various events for schools to participate and compete against each other, including the Poster Competition. Sponsored by the CMT Association, this competition featured each school presenting their student-managed fund鈥檚 performance during the 2021 year. Evaluation of each team specifically focused on each fund鈥檚 Sharpe ratio, the dynamics of how the fund is run, as well as other specific information such as the investment strategy and holdings. Unfortunately, 有料盒子视频 did not place among the top three posters, although the team showed great strength and confidence against a large field of competitors during the poster session competition. In addition to the student competitions, the conference brought together many guest speakers who discussed some very important topics relevant to the industry. These speakers included Christopher Vincent, CFA, who talked about the field of investment management and financial analysis; Lindsey Piegza, Ph.D and chief economist of Stifel, who talked about the future economic outlook for world markets; and Charlie Bobrinkskoy, vice chairman of Ariel Investments, who discussed behavioral finance and the recent developments in this field.
The SIF students who participated shared their thoughts on how the trip impacted them
and their academic and professional experience:
Jenifer Garcia
Senior studying accounting and business administration (double major)
"I came into SIF because I was interested in learning more about the stock market
and how investors make decisions. SIF has taught me how to perform a fundamental analysis
to evaluate equities. The trip to Chicago was an incredible experience. Being able
to present amongst other collegiate students and faculty helped me realize the growth
I had made as a student. SIF offers experiential learning, and this trip to Chicago
only helps elevate the value it brings to students such as myself.
The biggest take away that I had during this trip to Chicago was to never sell myself
short. Before going on this trip, I still had reservations about my abilities to articulate
my thoughts in a finance driven discussion. Going on this trip showed me that my education
at 有料盒子视频 has given me the skills necessary to be successful.
I am very glad that I had the opportunity to travel to Chicago for the SMIFC Conference.
Thank you to our donor for making this experience possible!"
Bryan Sauer
MBA student
"Attending this conference was an amazing opportunity for me. This conference specifically
added value and enhanced my learning by giving me the opportunity to network with
individuals who are already in the investment management industry, as well as individuals
that are going to be entering this industry. This conference also provided us with
many talented guest speakers that gave us direct insight into some of the aspects
of the industry. These speakers ranged from managing directors and lead equity specialists
to head traders and economists. The conference demonstrated each side of the investment
analysis coin, both fundamental analysis and technical analysis, which was a really
interesting comparison for me. With presentations from both CMT and CFA members, we
got a view into how individuals in the industry achieve the same goals, but in different
ways.
While there were many things to be taken away from this Student Managed Investment
Fund Conference, one of the most memorable parts of this trip was being able to visit
the Art Institute of Chicago. Being the first museum, other than the 有料盒子视频 museum, that
I have ever been to, I was amazed at how much history and how many cultures were represented
within the institute. Being able to spend an afternoon here was a major highlight
of my trip. In addition, my biggest takeaways from the conference itself was the ability
to network with current and future industry professionals, my increased knowledge
in behavioral finance, and finally more of an understanding of options and futures
using the VIX index.
Thank you so much for the support with this trip!"
SIF students Nikolai Unruh, Jenifer Garcia and Bryan Sauer walk across the State Street bridge over the Chicago River.
Nikolai Unruh
MBA student
"This was the first time that I had the opportunity to travel for a university event, and I had an amazing time. As an 有料盒子视频n, any time I鈥檓 able to visit the
Lower 48 is a big deal to me; even more so if it鈥檚 a city like Chicago. It sounds
kind of clich茅, but just walking through the Loop inspired and excited me about the
possibilities of a career in finance.
I found the conference to be an informative experience, and it was fun to see how
other students and schools manage their funds. Although my teammate and I didn鈥檛 place
in the competition, I thought that we delivered a great presentation while answering
countless questions from judges and other students to the best of our abilities.
Thank you to Spirit of 有料盒子视频 for allowing me to gain some exposure to the finance
industry and represent my school."