Want to Manage Real Money?

The UConn Student Managed Fund (SMF)

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The UConn SMF Program was established in2000 to manage a $2.0M endowment from the UConn Foundation. Two teams ofmanagersarechosenfromtheUndergraduate(UG) andMBAprogramstomanagetheFundindependentlyfora periodof twosemestersstartingeveryfall. As of fall 2014, the Fund has grown over $3.0M, with each team overseeing approximately $1.8M.

Wearenowacceptingapplicationsfrom the UG and MBAstudents for the selectionof managers to oversee the Fund during the following academic year. Approximately 10-12 UG and 10 MBA students willbe selectedforeachteam,and theywillbe inchargeof managingthe Fund’sassetsduringthe fall and spring of the following academic year.

For theUGteam,weareparticularlyinterestedinrising seniors (current juniors) sinceitisexpectedthatthenewmanagers willmanagetheFundforthe entire academicyear.MBA studentsinthe secondsemesterareeligible.

Requirementsandexpectationsof themanagersare verybroad.FromtheUConnFoundation’sperspective,the responsibilitiesof SMFmanagersarethesameasothermoneymanagers.Studentmanagersmustpreparefull comprehensiveanalystreportsforall oftheirinvestmentdecisions.Theyusuallymeeteveryweektodiscusstrading strategies,andattendanceatthesemeetingsisrequiredfromallmanagers.Student managersarerequiredtoattendaboutthree meetings(infallandspring)topresenttheirportfoliostotheFoundationInvestmentCommitteeandthe InvestmentAdvisoryBoard (IAB). Inessence,studentmanagersmustbecommittedandwillingtodevotesignificant amountsof timeovertwosemesterstoattend and contribute to weekly meetings, perform analysisand research on businesses,andprepareperiodicreports and presentations.

The UG managersmustregisterfortwo, specifically designed SMF valuation courses, FNCE4301 and FNCE4303 (3 credits each) during the fall and spring semesters of the year they manage the Fund. ThesecoursesareofferedbytheFinanceDepartmentandtaughtbyapracticingmoneymanager professional, Chris Wilkos. Additionally, UG student managers are highly recommended to take FNCE3101 and FNCE3302, while FNCE4301 (fall only), FNCE4302, FNCE4303 (spring only), FNCE4304, and FNCE4305 are required.Some of the courses can be taken concurrently while participating in the SMF program.

MBAmanagersmust registerforatwopartvaluationcourseduringthe fallandspringsemesters.Thiscourseisoffered byProfessorChinmoy GhoshasaFinanceelectiveintheHartfordcampusanddesignedasasequel tothe traditionalinvestmentscourse(FNCE5202).AllSMFMBAmanagersmustregisterforbothcourses.

Asthecurrentmanagerswilltellyou,the SMFisbothagreatopportunityanda greatresponsibility.Onlya handfulof businessschoolsin thecountryofferthistype of opportunity tostudents.

Selection Criteria:

1)GPA and performance in School of Business courses (grades are important because that is one way to judge motivation and interest)

2)Three letters of recommendation. Preferably two from School of Business faculty and one of your choice (employer, mentor, another faculty member, etc.)

3)Personal Interview

4)Background

Please submit the SMF application package to Laurel Grisamer in the Finance Dept. (4th floor) by the application deadline. The application package includes: The SMF Application forms, three letters of recommendations, resume, and statement of purpose.
UG SMF Application deadline is: Thursday, March 24, 2016; MBA SMF Application Deadline: Friday, April 8, 2016.
If you are interested in applying to the SMF, please contact Laurel Grisamer for additional information: .

The SMF Application

Name: ______

(Last) (First) (Middle Initial)

Peoplesoft #: ______

Address: ______

Phone: ______Email: ______

Program: Undergraduate MBA

Semester: ______

Expected Date of Graduation: ______(MM/YYYY)

Cumulative GPA: ______School GPA: ______

Finance Background and Experience

Academic: Please list all finance courses taken with the instructor’s name and final grade. If you are currently taking a finance course, then list that as well with your last grade received.

Course Name / Course # / Instructor / Grade

Statement of Purpose: On a separate page, please write a statement about how your background and aspirations fit the role of a SMF manager (maximum of 1 page, 1.5 spacing).

Conditions of Acceptance

(Please explain if you answer “no” to any of these questions)

AreyouavailableforatleasttwomeetingsduringtheweekfortheFund?Eachmeeting isabout2hourslong.Meetingtimesaredecidedbythestudents?

YES NO

Inadditiontothemeetings,doesyourschedulepermitcommitmentoftimetotheFundfor research,analysis,andwritingofreports?Eachreporttakesseveralhoursof research andanalysis?

YES NO

WillyoubeabletoattendSMFevents(seminars,specialsessions,meetingswith theIAB andFoundation)ifyouaregiven2-3weeksadvancenotice?Manyoftheseeventsare heldinlateafternoonsorintheevenings?

YES NO

AreyouagreeabletoattendSMFevents(seminars,specialsessions,meetingswithIAB and Foundation)duringschoolclosings(normally,theseeventsare alwaysheldduring regularacademicsessions,but rarelysomeeventsmayhappenduringschoolclosings likeSpringBreak)?Please notethatnon-attendanceatanyoftheIABandFoundation presentationswithoutpriorapprovalisgroundsforimmediatedismissal.

YES NO

Areyouwillingtomakeacommitmenttoparticipatein theSMFforthefullsemestersof nextfallandspring?

YES NO

The SMF isasignificantcommitmentwhichentailsthefullfiduciaryresponsibilityofmoney management.ItisunderstoodthatafteryouacceptanappointmentasaSMFmanager, youcommittoserveforthefullsemestersofnextfallandspring,andwillnotseekor acceptanyotheropportunitywithanotherAccelerator program duringthisperiod.Are youwillingtoaccepttheSMFontheseterms?

YES NO

AllmanagersarerequiredtocontributetoSMFactivitieslikenewsletters,reportsto theIAB andFoundation,and a one and five yearreport.Areyouwillingtoacceptthese additionalresponsibilities?

YES NO

Signature: ______Date: ______

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

Pleasereadthisandsignthispagetoindicateyouracceptanceofthefollowingtermsand conditions.

IfIamacceptedasaSMFmanagerfortheacademicyear2016 - 2017,Iagreetothe followingterms:

  1. I amcommittedtoserveasanSMFmanagerforboth thefallandspringsemesters.
  1. I willattendallSMFclasses,meetings,presentationstothe IABandtheUConn Foundation.IunderstandthatthesemaybeheldduringSpringBreakandSpringweekendandotherregularbreaksduringtheacademicyear.
  1. Iunderstand that the SMF automatically disqualifies me from considering or applyingtootherexperientiallearningaccelerators(financial accelerator,innovationaccelerator,SCOPE,etc.)fortheentireacademicyear.
  1. I willsubmitacopyofmytranscripttoProf.Ghoshattheendofthissemester.
  1. I havebeengivenandreadacopyoftheUGFinancemajorandMBAFinance concentrationrequirement. I understandtherequirementsandagreetoabideby thenewruleseffectedinspring2009.

Signature: ______Date: ______

Full name: ______