YOUNGSTOWN On Monday, the Student Investment Fund at Youngstown State University's Williamson College of Business and Administration (WCBA) earned first place in the Portfolio Building Competition in Chicago. 

The national competition took place at the Student Manager Investment Fund Consortium (SMIFC) and challenged student teams to design a long-term investment strategy and construct a mock portfolio of $100,000. 

"This achievement is a direct reflection of the depth of preparation our students receive at WCBA," said Peter (Huaiyu) Chen, associate professor in the Lariccia School of Accounting & Finance and faculty advisor for the Student Investment Fund. "Our finance curriculum builds a strong foundation in economic analysis, financial analysis, portfolio management and valuation — all of which are critical to competing at this level. The students devoted about three weeks to prepare for this competition, but their success is rooted in the knowledge and skills they develop throughout our program."

Over the course of the three weeks, WCBA students prepared an investment plan, demonstrating their ability to analyze economic, industrial, political, global and financial conditions. The students also had to apply valuation techniques and risk management principles to the comprehensive plan.

"We are very proud of the continued success of our Student Investment Fund, which acts as one of the investment managers for a portion of the YSU Foundation investment portfolio," said Scott Schulick, Chair of the YSU Foundation Investment Committee. "We commend them on their first-place award. These students are committed to sound research and professionalism. The SIF is a hands-on, real-world experience for our students."

The Student Investment Fund, which manages a $3.8 million real-dollar portfolio, provides WCBA students with real-world experience from inside the classroom. 

"My coursework in investment planning and involvement in the Student Investment Fund helped me learn foundational concepts in portfolio management, diversification, and applying a quantitative model to achieve a desired return with minimal risk," said James Kover, a senior finance major. "This project was a very rewarding application of my coursework and studies. I hope to continue evolving my investment approach with further education while helping clients achieve their financial and life goals."

The Student Investment Fund at Youngstown State was founded in 2008.