WCBA Student Investment Fund wins first place in national Portfolio Building Competition

The Student Investment Fund at Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business Administration earned first place in the highly competitive Portfolio Building Competition at the Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium (SMIFC), held in Chicago.

The annual competition challenges student teams from across the country to design a long-term investment strategy and construct a mock portfolio of $100,000 in equities using rigorous fundamental analysis. Over the course of three weeks, WCBA students prepared a comprehensive investment plan, demonstrating their ability to analyze economic, industrial, political, global and financial conditions. These students also had to apply valuation techniques and risk management principles into the comprehensive plan.

“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.”

The Student Investment Fund, which manages a $3.8 million real-dollar portfolio, provides WCBA students with hands-on experience that goes beyond the classroom. By making actual investment decisions and managing a live portfolio, students gain practical insights into market dynamics, risk management and long-term strategy.

For many students, the competition was an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.

“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 SMIFC competition attracts top student investment teams from business schools across the nation, underscoring the significance of WCBA’s victory. The first-place finish is a testament to the program’s mission to prepare students for real-world investment challenges and careers in finance.