Earlier this week I talked about how joining an investment club in college and how that can be a great way to learn about investing. However, some colleges take it to the next level, and offer their students a chance to run an actual hedge fund or investment fund. These funds are managed by the students, usually with a faculty member or board overseeing it. The funds for these portfolios are usually endowed by alumni with the goal of letting students actually invest the money.
These funds can be great experiences for college students looking to get into the investment industry. Here are some of the schools that offer investment funds for their students to run. This is not complete, and I will add to it as I learn of schools with investment funds. If you know I'm missing one, please leave a comment and let me know!
List of Schools with Student Run Funds
University of Houston - C. T. Bauer College of Business Cougar Fund
University of Missouri - Mizzou Investment Fund
University of Michigan - Ross School of Business Maize and Blue Fund, Wolverine Venture Fund
University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business Mayer Fund
University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management Funds Enterprise
Georgia Tech - Georgia Tech Student Foundations Investment Committee
Kennesaw State University - Coles College of Business Student Managed Investment Fund
Ohio State University - Fisher College of Business SIM Fund
Penn State - The Nittany Lion Fund
University of Ohio - Tippie School of Management Henry Fund
University of California, Los Angeles - Anderson School of Management Student Investment Fund
University of California, Berkeley - Berkeley Investment Group
UC San Diego Rady School of Management - Rady Venture Fund
University of Utah - Student Investment Fund
University of South Carolina - Student Managed Investment Fund
James Madison University - Madison Investment Fund
University of Alabama Birmingham - Green & Gold Fund
Other Options
Many schools, however, still don't offer student run funds for their students. Many of these funds were created by endowments by alumni, and were gifted with the intent of being used as a student-run investment fund.
However, if you want to start something similar, you can start an investment club within your school, and even create a fund by pooling your money. Just make sure you setup clear guidelines on how the fund will be managed, and who can place trades. Many brokerages, like M1 Finance, offer investment groups or investment clubs to own accounts.
Have you ever been a part of a student-run investment fund? What are your thoughts on them?
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Chris Muller
Robert Farrington is the founder of The College Investor and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading voices on student loan debt and saving for college. He holds an MBA from UC San Diego Rady School of Management and has spent over 15 years researching, writing, and advising on student loans, 529 plans, financial aid programs, and saving and investing for young professionals.
Robert has been featured in the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NBC News, and Forbes, where he has been a regular personal finance contributor for over a decade. His work combines both professional expertise and personal experience – he successfully navigated his own student loan repayment journey and has helped thousands of readers do the same.
He is committed to making the intersection of personal finance and education transparent and accessible. You can learn more about Robert on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.