SIF Students Compete in Chicago
On October 27, 2021 a group of students from the Student Investment Fund course at UAF, began a trip to Chicago, IL, to participate in the 8th annual Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium Conference. 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’s 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’s performance during the 2021 year. Evaluation of each team specifically focused on each fund’s Sharpe ratio, the dynamics of how the fund is run, as well as other specific information such as the investment strategy and holdings. Unfortunately, UAF 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 UAF 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 UAF 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!"
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 Alaskan, any time I’m able to visit the Lower 48 is a big deal to me; even more so if it’s a city like Chicago. It sounds kind of cliché, 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’t 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 Alaska for allowing me to gain some exposure to the finance industry and represent my school."
