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Did you know students from UAF’s Student Investment Fund beat the market and earned global honors for their performance?

May 13, 2025

Why it matters:
The Student Investment Fund (SIF), a student-run portfolio managed through UAF’s College of Business and Security Management, earned a 27% return in 2024. The result outperformed the S&P 500 and ranked second in the Undergraduate Growth Portfolio category at the Quinnipiac ��ɫtv Global Asset Management ��ɫtv (GAME) Forum, a leading global finance competition.

UAF Student Investment Fund portfolio managers, from left, Eric Kelly, Alex Winger, Tobias Bernhoft-Osa, and Matteo Pecchia stand with assistant professor Kim McGinnis after the GAME Forum Global Portfolio Competition in New York City. (Courtesy Kim McGinnis)

The experience:
Four students from UAF’s SIF course to New York City to compete against more than 85 teams from universities around the world. The forum included high-profile keynotes, breakout sessions, and real-time analysis of global market events.

“At the GAME Forum, I learned about the many different jobs within the world of finance and asset management, the power of networking, and how some of the top financial minds interpret current events,” said Eric Kelly, a finance major and member of the UAF Class of 2025.

“It was amazing timing to be in New York the day after Trump announced new tariffs,” said Tobias Bernhoft-Osa, a junior accounting student and member of the UAF Rifle Team. “We heard from the most influential people in the industry on how they think policy changes like that will affect the future.”

Tobias presents the SIF portfolio with classmate Matteo Pecchia at the GAME Global Portfolio Competition. (Courtesy Tobias Bernhoft-Osa)

Behind the numbers:
is more than a class. It’s an upper-division course where students research, pitch, and manage a live investment portfolio that now tops $3 million. The fund began in 1991 with $100,000 and has since funded scholarships and student travel, including to conferences in Honolulu, Chicago, and Anchorage.

The portfolio includes companies such as Nvidia, Costco, and Eli Lilly. It is overseen by assistant professor Kim McGinnis and a board of SIF alumni.

“If you are new to SIF, expect it to be hard and expect to work a lot,” said Bernhoft-Osa. “But know that you will also learn more than in any other class.”

“SIF has been an extremely good learning experience,” said Kelly. “Professor McGinnis has been a strong teacher and supporter of my career goals.”

��ɫtv participate in the Student Investment Fund course at UAF’s College of Business and Security Management. (UAF photo)

Looking ahead:
The fund continues to evolve. It now includes angel investing opportunities and connects students directly with ��ɫtv’s finance and startup sectors. For students interested in asset management, it is more than a résumé boost. It is a launchpad.

Go Deeper:
Read the original articles by Morrow Duszynski at here: