Three Prominent Alumni Seed Student-Managed Investment Fund At Nichols College

DUDLEY, Mass. – Students at Nichols College have been given the opportunity to invest real money in the market, thanks to recent contributions from three alumni with notably successful careers in the world of finance.

The donors, Keith Anderson ’81, founder, chair and chief investment officer for Anderson Global Macro; Wayne Archambo ’81, CEO of Monarch Partners Asset Management; and Robert Stansky ’78, group leader and portfolio manager at Fidelity Management and Research Co., have committed a total of $150,000 to launch a student-management investment fund that will increase the competencies and marketability of Nichols’ students for highly competitive finance and investment jobs.

“With their generous support of a student-managed investment fund, Keith, Wayne and Robert have taken experiential learning to a new and exciting level at Nichols College,” said Nichols President Susan West Engelkemeyer, Ph.D. “The professional skills our students will gain from this experience will enable us to create career-ready graduates who are prepared to one day follow in the footsteps of these distinguished alumni.”

The student-managed investment fund is a course-related, two-semester experience that began in the fall Portfolio Analysis and Management class. Under the guidance of Christine Beaudin Durkin ’95 MBA ’00, associate professor and chair of finance at Nichols, students developed the investment policy that has formalized management of the fund, which was launched in January. Students monitor industry sectors, research companies detailing an investment thesis, and ultimately make buy/sell recommendations in accordance with the policy in a research report that is presented to a panel.

“The students have been very excited about taking part in this new venture,” said Beaudin Durkin. “This is an incredible opportunity for our students to manage a portfolio of assets and gain real-world experience. I am honored and thrilled by the generosity of these three alumni.”

Student-managed investment funds continue to grow in popularity across the country. In 2008, 298 U.S. colleges had student funds, managing a total of $360 million, according to the Association of Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium. A survey conducted between August and October 2018 found 571 U.S. colleges managing more than $719 million.

The experience pays academic dividends. A study published in the Journal of Financial Education in 2016, based on a survey of alumni of a student fund that had been operational for more than 20 years, found that student-managed funds help the long-term development of students and achieve learning goals such as discipline-specific knowledge, communication skills, leadership skills, presentation skills and interpersonal skills.

According to Beaudin Durkin, the student-managed fund at Nichols is equity only and students serve various roles: lead financial analyst, junior financial analyst, and research associate. Its investment philosophy focuses on macro trends, fundamental analysis, equity evaluation, corporate strategy and risk management.

The fund provides students access to industry-leading software in the Bloomberg Finance Lab, with 12 Bloomberg terminals. The lab and the fund are integral to the college’s new degree concentration in in corporate finance and investments.

“There is no substitution for this type of experience in a finance and investments education,” said Keith Anderson, whose initial donation laid the foundation for the fund. “The knowledge, skills, and level of responsibility students will gain will continue to set Nichols’ graduates apart.”

About Nichols College

Within a supportive community, Nichols College transforms today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders through a dynamic, career-focused business and professional education.

Media Contacts

Denise Kelley
Writer/Editor
denise.kelley@nichols.edu
508-213-2219