5X students will soon have a unique opportunity to gain professional money management experience. Starting in the fall, the 5X Foundation will effectively start “hiring” the students to manage current investable assets.
The Student Managed Investment Fund will be the first of its kind at Kent State. The purpose is to give students real-world experience and advance career opportunities.
The program is designed to prepare students to work in the asset management business with an in-depth understanding of how the business works and how companies organize to provide superior products and services to individual and institutional investors.
“Kent State’s College of Business Administration believes in a ‘Students First’ focus and in delivering experiential learning,” says Steven Dennis, Ph.D., Firestone Chair of Corporate Finance and chair in Kent State’s Department of Finance. “The Student Managed Investment Fund accomplishes both initiatives. Professional money management is an experience game – the more you’re acquainted with the markets, the better you will perform.”
As many as 30 finance students will make up the Student Managed Investment Fund team. They will apply for positions and be vetted by faculty advisors and the Investment Advisory Board. The positions will include senior officers to oversee operations of portfolios, lead analysts for each of the 10 sectors of the stock market and additional students to oversee the performance of the economy.
Students will work in small groups, conducting research and analysis and presenting formal investment recommendations. Students will make all decisions for the funds. However, bylaws allow for a veto by faculty and the Investment Advisory Board.
The Student Managed Investment Fund team will document performance of the funds at each weekly meeting and provide quarterly performance reports to Kent State and the foundation. In addition, an annual written performance report and oral presentation will be given in mid-February to mid-March of each year. Students also will compete in the Global Asset Management Education Conference in New York City.
“The Student Managed Investment Fund creates future employment opportunities that would not otherwise be available,” Dennis says. “It helps students develop critical thinking, teamwork, leadership and analytical skills, and ultimately provides students with a competitive edge over peers in the job market.”
Learn more about Kent State’s College of Business Administration