SMF

Coveted Class: Financial Services

Posted on by Melissa Ferrigno
Paul Gilson, director and assistant professor of in residence of finance at the Graduate Business Learning Center in Hartford on Aug. 13, 2019. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Paul Gilson, director and assistant professor of in residence of finance at the Graduate Business Learning Center in Hartford on Aug. 13, 2019. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

The Instructor

Associate professor-in-residence in finance, Paul Gilson grew up in the Thames River town of Gravesend, 20 miles east of London, and earned a degree in mathematics from Bristol University. His plan was always to go on to a Ph.D. “But first,” he says, “I needed a job.” So he went to work in London for KPMG, the global accounting giant. His first day at the office, stock markets around the world collapsed in the Black Monday crash of 1987, still the greatest one-day loss by percentage in Dow history. During the long recovery that followed, KPMG was kept very busy, and Gilson gained extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, a specialty of his department. “The late 1980s in London,” he says. “It was an exciting time.” Continue Reading

Editorial: School of Business teaching students the art of investing

Posted on by Janine Coppola

Daily Campus – This past fall semester, the UConn Stamford Campus began offering lessons to business students in the art of investing. The Student Managed Fund program grants young investors the opportunity to gain experience within the realm of financial risk-taking by managing a $500,000 portfolio, of course, under the close supervision of investment advisors.

UConn Professors Share Success of Student Managed Fund

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn’s Student Managed Fund is one of the oldest, and most successful, experiential learning programs in the country, and will be featured in a special issue of Managerial Finance, dedicated to SMFs. Professors Chinmoy Ghosh, finance department head, Paul Gilson, and Michel Rakotomavo wrote an article highlighting the history, purpose, performance and the future of the UConn program, and the special features that have contributed to its success.

The UConn program was founded in 2000 and began operation during the 2002-2003 academic year. The total number of students active in the UConn SMF program this year now exceeds 40, and the size of the portfolio exceeds $4.5 million. Most years, the SMF teams outperformed the S&P 500 Index, and the projected long-term performance measured by the SMF benchmark is also superior.

The professors noted that a key objective of the program is to train students in asset selection and portfolio management with a methodical, disciplined approach to investment, with special focus on process, philosophy and style. Another important dimension of the program is to instill the virtues of financial prudence, diligence, team-spirit and professionalism.

Goldman Sachs Partner Leads New SMF in Stamford

Posted on by Claire Hall
Blake Mather retired after 22 years at Goldman Sachs. Now, he is an adjunct professor and advisor to the UConn Student Managed Fund in Stamford, giving students the opportunity to gain practical experience in investment strategies. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)
Blake Mather retired after 22 years at Goldman Sachs. Now, he is an adjunct professor and advisor to the UConn Student Managed Fund in Stamford, giving students the opportunity to gain practical experience in investment strategies. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

The UConn School of Business has established a Student Managed Fund (SMF) program in Stamford, allowing students to learn about investment strategies and then invest a $500,000 endowment under the watchful eye of investment advisers. The original program was established in Storrs in 2000, and has launched the careers of many investment professionals.Continue Reading

CEO: Among Worthwhile Charities, UConn Tops List

Posted on by Claire Hall
Eugene F. Martin III '87, '89 MBA, president and CEO of Gordon Brothers Finance Co., serves on the Dean's Advisory Cabinet, offering valuable advice and advocacy for the School of Business.
Eugene F. Martin III ’87, ’89 MBA, president and CEO of Gordon Brothers Finance Co., serves on the Dean’s Advisory Cabinet, offering valuable advice and advocacy for the School of Business.

“The UConn School of Business was the foundation for everything I did in my career. It set me on a great course,” said Eugene F. Martin III, ’87, ’89 MBA, president and CEO of Gordon Brothers Finance Co. “If a career is a pyramid, you need a strong foundation. That came from my education at UConn.” Continue Reading

An Exceptional Business Education

Posted on by Claire Hall

The School of Business is experiencing substantial and exciting growth. Our undergraduate majors are ‘red hot’ because they offer the ideal combination of intellectual challenge, career potential and financial reward. Our undergraduate enrollment is up 36 percent since 2012. Continue Reading

Graduate Student Investors’ Portfolio #1

Posted on by Claire Hall
Quinnipiac G.A.M.E. VII Forum | 1st Place - Growth Portfolio
The UConn team took first place in the Quinnipac G.A.M.E.—Global Asset Management Education—VII Forum. (Pei-ju Lee)

UConn Beat 100 Colleges in Quinnipiac G.A.M.E. Challenge

The UConn Student Managed Fund Graduate Team won first-place in a highly competitive Student-Managed Portfolio Competition, besting some 100 colleges from all over the world. Continue Reading