Last year the College of Business and Economics’ Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) reached a milestone: The fund surpassed $1.5 million in assets for the first time in its history and closed the fiscal year valued at more than $1.6 million.
The SMIF gives Boise State business students valuable hands-on experience: the chance to manage real money, under real pressure with real consequences. Students in the SMIF course are tasked with researching companies, defending their investment theses to peers and faculty and making buy-and-sell decisions to shape an actual portfolio. This year’s results demonstrate the discipline and judgment students bring to that work.
Fund’s success supports scholarships, food pantry
The fund’s success goes far beyond academic achievement. As the fund grows, it increases opportunities for other students. This year, the SMIF will distribute over $65,000 in student support. This includes more than $58,000 in scholarships (the equivalent of nearly six full-ride scholarships for Boise State business students), and more than $7,000 for the campus food pantry, helping to ensure Boise State students don’t have to choose between groceries and their education.
The SMIF was established in 1997 thanks to generous donors, and over time a total of $750,000 has been donated to the fund. The remaining growth comes entirely from the students’ investment success.
“This is the cycle the SMIF was built to create,” said Garrett McBrayer, professor of finance and SMIF course instructor. “Donor gifts fund the portfolio, students grow it through disciplined, hands-on investing and the returns flow right back into the Boise State community through scholarships that open doors and support that keeps students fed and focused.”
Help the SMIF cycle continue
Learn more about the SMIF in this article. For more information on how to contribute, contact Perrine Blakley, executive director of development for the College of Business and Economics, at (208) 426-5196 or perrineblakley@boisestate.edu.