William Masselli ~ Editor-in-Chief
The University of Lynchburg Student-managed Investment Fund (SMIF) is currently seeking new members because several of its leaders are graduating.
Griffin Phillips, the president of SMIF, said, “I oversee almost everything the fund does in its operations and investments. I help with the hiring process, give advice and help teach new/current members about finance, as well as run fund-wide and executive board meetings. I also vote on possible investments for the fund to invest in.”
Phillips shared his favorite memories in this organization. He stated, “Some of the best memories have been in meetings or just hanging around in the Investment Fund room. It’s a really great group of people with a bunch of different backgrounds. We have a wide array of majors, play different sports, and come from different places. I’ve learned something from everyone I’ve worked within SMIF, and I’ve enjoyed getting to meet people I would not have met or known well otherwise.”
Then, Phillips talked about the time commitment that students should give once they join this organization, stating, “The time commitment depends on the student’s role as well as what they put into it. Different teams serve different functions, thus time commitments can vary. If someone is very interested in investing, and really wants to learn about it, then SMIF can support and teach them about it. However, the time they put outside of meetings will be where they learn new things to bring to the fund. At the end of the day, like many things, the amount someone will get out of it will be what they put into it.”
Niraly Patel, the vice president of SMIF, gave details on what types of candidates her organization is looking for. She said, “We are looking for students who are interested in expanding their knowledge of financial markets. They can come from any major/minor background, as SMIF has a variety of teams ranging from equity to human resources. Ideally, we would like our members to have some basic understanding of the markets, but the beauty of our organization is that it is a constant learning process, so you leave knowing so much more than when you joined [if you do your part to learn of course ]. All you need in terms of paperwork is a resume and our Human Resources (HR) team will get in touch with you to schedule an interview.”
Patel is currently responsible for doing portfolio values, voting during executive meetings, and sending out necessary team documents.
Patel talked about the benefits of SMIF, stating, “SMIF allows for so much personal growth and gives students the power to make well-reasoned decisions. If someone is committed and passionate about learning and doing well, then they will have the opportunity to grow tremendously and see their hard work pay off. SMIF offers students the opportunity to invest real money (emphasis on real because sometimes people don’t realize that it’s actual money) in the markets. We do our best to get things done and work hard. Also, you get to work with a bunch of different students and make lasting memories. The perfect combo!”
Phillips noted, “Our purpose is to help students learn about finance and get real experience in working with money for the school. Here at Lynchburg, we are fortunate enough to be able to invest real money from the University’s endowment, compared to other schools where it is hypothetical or professors take control. Dr. Schnur lets us make a lot of the major decisions, which also helps us learn valuable lessons not only in finance but in life as well.”
Phillips concluded, “New members should join if they are interested in learning the value of a team or are interested in practicing real business roles. There are a lot of different teams in the fund, and even if we don’t have a team someone is looking for, they can try and suggest why the fund might benefit from it.”
If you are interested in applying to the SMIF, please email your resume to Dr. Michael Schnur at schnur@lynchburg.edu.
