In April, students from McMurry’s Student Managed Investment Fund class traveled to Orlando, Florida, to participate in a competition with other student groups from across the U.S.
“The SMIF class is one of the many highlights here at the Johnson School of Business,” Dr. Ghimire said. “We continue to get motivated students every year. You don’t have to be a business major; you only need the drive and motivation to learn about investing in and researching stocks.”
Students in this year’s finance class worked together as a group, managing McMurry’s investments by selecting stocks and bonds designed to grow the size of the school’s overall portfolio. Though the students did not see the money in the portfolio directly, they felt great pride knowing they helped contribute to the portfolio’s growth while improving their financial knowledge.
In April, SMIF classes from colleges and universities nationwide and a few international universities congregated in Orlando for the Student Managed Investment Fund – South 2025 Conference. McMurry students in the SMIF class flew down to Orlando, the first time McMurry took part in the conference.
The conference’s mission is to unite these schools and allow students to interact with other students, professors, and industry professionals.
McMurry was among a conglomeration of different schools from across America, all of whom were there to discuss their varying portfolios and investment strategies.
Jackie Ramirez, one of the students in this year’s class, said, “Preparation for the conference was fun. It was six weeks of everyone working on their different sections and then having to communicate and bring it all together.”
Tyler Mills, another student in the class, looked back on his extensive prep work before heading to Orlando: “Going into the conference, I did hours of research, with reading Morningstar, Vanguard, Journal of Finance, looking at tons of different reports and trying to gather all the data and knowledge I could.”
The SMIF students were part of two competitions: a poster board presentation, in which the SMIF class presented their portfolio, what they manage, their strategies, and the class’s philosophy regarding investment. The other competition was a mock portfolio presentation, with no poster board, and it was about how they would strategize their portfolio if they had a capped amount of money.
The student’s hard work and preparation paid off. During the conference, the McMurry SMIF class placed third in the portfolio presentation, bringing home a $400 prize. Dr. Ghimire and the students were thrilled that McMurry secured an award at their first conference. The students knew they could not have made it as far as they did without the teamwork and collaboration fostered between them.
The conference in Orlando was only the beginning for the SMIF class. As more financially motivated students enroll in the class, the SMIF students plan to return to the next SMIF conference in Chicago in the fall. A few members of the SMIF class also founded a SMIF club for students who want to take the extra step in stock market research and investment strategies. Through it all, these students’ inspiration, vigor, and drive can be linked back to the Orlando conference in April 2025.