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Student Investment Fund

 

 

 

Announcement!

Interested in becoming part of SIF?  Please come to the info session on WEDNESDAY, January 21, from 11:00-12:20 in JKP 112.  Food and drinks will be provided.

See the "Joining SIF" page for more information on how to get involved.

 

USC Marshall is a business school that strongly believes in experiential learning.  The Seminar for Applied Portfolio Management Student Investment Fund (SIF) Program is a one-year commitment consisting of two three-unit courses.  In these classes students learn the theory and practice of investment management through a merging of financial analysis, portfolio management and the actual management of the Student Investment Fund.

Through the Student Investment Fund Program, students actually manage the original endowment from Provident Investment Counsel.  Instead of doing simulations, the students are responsible for managing millions of dollars and generating returns.

The Center for Investment Studies (CIS) is a forum for students to acquire experiential learning, faculty to conduct historical and real-time research and industry experts to share valuable insights.  With this exchange component, USC Marshall establishes a competitive, leading financial service for the industry.

As a result of a gift of $250,000 from Provident Investment Counsel in 1987, the Student Investment Fund (SIF) was established at the USC Marshall School of Business.  Sixteen second-year MBA students now manage these funds, along with $750,000 from a 1995 Babcock Scholarship Fund and approximately $700,000 in capital appreciation.

The purpose of this seminar is fourfold:

  • To provide up to sixteen second-year MBA students with hands-on experience managing a portion of the University's equity and fixed income endowment
  • To provide an academic context within which to understand the activity of security analysis and portfolio management
  • To supplement that academic training by interaction with individuals and institutions engaged in the money management industry
  • To produce and present an Annual Report which will provide a record of achievement in each of these areas.

 

Faculty

Dr. Christopher S. Jones is an Associate Professor of Finance and Business Economics at the USC Marshall School of Business. His teaching interests are in investment theory and asset pricing, both at the MBA and PhD levels.  His research lies mainly within empirical asset pricing, focusing on stock market volatility, the term structure, and optimal asset allocation.  Chris previously taught at the University of Rochester.  Prior to graduate school, he worked in a research section at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.

 

Resources

The Capital Markets Trading Room is located on the second floor of Bridge Hall (BRI 203) and has all the elements of a state-of-the-art trading room with information screens, monitors, extensive software packages and research capabilities in real-time.  Outside the entrance to the room is a digital ticker tape with real-time market data.  These teaching/research tools and resources aide students in managing their funds.  In addition to Barra (Portfolio Optimization and Performance Attribution) and FactSet analytics, we also have a Bloomberg terminal. With Scott Johnston's (MBA '69) assistance, we have received a generous gift from William O'Neil of its (WONDA) Database for the students.

 

Student Investment Fund (SIF)  |   Undergraduate Student Investment Fund (USIF)  |
Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis and Valuation  |   CFA Program |   Finance Learning Center