Muhlenberg College Investment Society Opens Doors to More Students
The student-run club manages nearly $1 million in investments and is open to all students, not just those studying finance.
Author: Sarah Wodick
Wednesday, January 4, 2023 15:43
Brett Confer ’24 (left) and Jack Machita ’24 are two new student leaders leading an investment association looking to expand membership.
Economics and finance lecturer Roger Slane couldn’t help but be extremely disappointed when he caught Brett Confer ’24 peeping at his stock portfolio in class.
“His friends always joke that Brett can’t go a day without looking at stocks. It’s not because he was assigned,” Slaine explained with a laugh. How pissed off as a finance teacher is that I’m going through all this financial stuff on my own?”
As president of the Muhlenberg Investment Association, Slaine helped Confer find new productive outlets for the investment obsession of underage finance and business administration majors.
Founded in 2008, this student-run organization has a unique mission to help manage its investment portfolio, with the organization acting like a fiduciary to manage the university’s endowments. .
“I believe the investment tools are available to everyone. This is knowledge that lasts a lifetime. It is relevant to everyone.”
– Jack Macita ’24
Club members spend the school year researching companies and stocks that may benefit the College financially, delving into the strengths and weaknesses of these pitches in research and strong internal debate. In April, a group of investment association representatives will present vetted recommendations to the Muhlenberg University Board of Trustees to report on portfolio performance and investment decisions.
“You have to know it, and you have to believe it too.
Confer takes over the investment association in a landscape of student clubs rocked by a pandemic and a particularly tumultuous year on Wall Street. But the newcomer and his vice-president, Finance Major, Business Administration Minor Jack Macita ’24, is yet another fresh face of his in the organization, with a new look to rebuild club membership and invest funds. Eager to find a place.
Unlike years past, the Investment Society is open to anyone interested, not just those who have taken specific financial courses. Bringing in a diverse group of students with different majors and passions can lead to more creative investment ideas and opportunities, Slane said.
“Everyone’s field of study is probably industry-related,” says Slane. “They can bring new focus to new areas that we never thought of.”
While the research is specifically intended to benefit college endowments, Macita said students should consider the strategies behind investments and how a better understanding of research can help them personally. said that
“I think anyone can use investment tools,” Macita said. “This is knowledge that lasts a lifetime. It applies to everyone.”
At a club meeting in December to call for support for the upcoming semester, Confer looked at the college’s investment spreadsheet with six students who gathered to review and learn more. He ordered them to bring their friends to the first meeting of the new semester.
“This can be a little daunting, but understanding everything is a big part of our club,” Confer said.
Slane points out that there is a significant amount of money in the account that is not actively invested, which presents an exciting opportunity for the club this spring.
“The university will be considering you to make these recommendations,” he told the group. “This is your club and the money you lead. Very rarely.”
Another highlight of this organization is the opportunity for students to network with financial alumni. Many are interested in visiting the campus and sharing their experiences with students, Slane said.
In his first year as an advisor to the Investment Society, Slaine is already a strong believer in the valuable hands-on experience the club can offer. The classroom, he said, simply cannot offer the same kind of opportunities that a real exploration of risk and reward can offer.
And now in his 29th year on the faculty (nine years as a full-time faculty member at Muhlenberg University), Slane says he’s more excited than ever about the passion and insight his students bring to finance. .
“Things that pass right by me, they shine,” said Slaine. “Great fun. They bring so many different ideas.”
