Student-Managed Investment Fund

Three students, masked, work in the Greenleaf Trust Trading room.WMU students manage portfolio of real money

Beginning in 2009, the Western Michigan University Foundation selected the class as a large cap manager of $500,000 of WMU Foundation Funds. With hands-on training, the initial project has evolved into a great opportunity for students to gain real-world experience and manage approximately $2.3 million of WMU Foundation money.

To participate you must submit an application for this class. All applications are reviewed by a committee for consideration. 

Apply to the course

Students

  • Manage a portfolio of approximately $2.3 million of WMU Foundation money. Over the last five years, the fund has outperformed the S&P 500 Index by 1.7% annually.
  • Get hands-on experience in fundamental research and money management.
  • Past participants are enthusiastic about their experience and employers are impressed.

Class information

  • Available to undergraduate and graduate students for credit (three credit hours).
  • Prerequisites:
    • Undergraduate prerequisite is FIN 3510. You are encouraged to take FIN 4530.
    • Graduate prerequisite is FIN 6120 along with a finance concentration.
  • Enrollment is limited to between 10 and 15 students.
  • You are encouraged to take the class for two or more semesters.

Class registration

  • Admission to the course is by application only.
  • Performance in previous coursework and statement of professional goals are considered for admission.

Instructor

Daniel Haines

  • Focuses on developing and implementing fixed income portfolio strategies.
  • Responsible for establishing and implementing fixed income strategy for client portfolios.
  • Generate economic and capital markets research.
  • Trade investment grade fixed income securities including taxable and tax-exempt instruments utilizing Bloomberg, ECNs and negotiated trading.

Investment approach

  • You will conduct fundamental analysis and write research reports on various investments, making recommendations to buy, sell or hold.
  • Present your research to classmates and the instructor.
  • Decisions to buy, sell or hold are made by a vote of you and your classmates.
  • Report your investment results to the WMU Foundation Investment Committee.