Student Investment Fund surpasses $1 million

The Student Investment Fund at the University of Alaska Fairbanks recently surpassed a total of $1 million.

The fund was established at the School of Management in 1991 by $100,000 of unrestricted gifts from private donations provided for student investment purposes. The growth of the initial investment to over $1 million demonstrates the success of this program since its inception. Over the years, the fund has provided $65,500 in scholarships 46 students. In recent years, robust earnings provided more money for need-based scholarships, allowing four annual awards of $2,500 each.



Students enrolled in the Student Investment Fund course gain real-world experience implementing investment selection and stock valuation principles, gaining practical knowledge and experience that reach far beyond typical coursework. Ultimately, the student fund managers acquire a deeper and more complex understanding of the concepts taught throughout their undergraduate and graduate finance studies.

“The student managers are fully responsible for the day-to-day management of the portfolio, thus gaining hands-on money management experience,” said fund faculty advisor Phil Younker. “The process helps them develop their financial intuition and provides an arena for practical application of investment decisions.”

Several donors support the fund and the technology needed to stay ahead of the indexed markets. With gifts from McKinley Capital Management, Northrim Bank and Alaska General Contractors, the students are armed with tools such as two Bloomberg terminals and specialized financial databases. These resources give students a competitive edge over their peers at other universities and better prepare them for professional success.