The Beginning of the SMIF

In 1999, Dr. Ronald Rogers, faculty advisor for the Financial Management Association International USC Chapter reached out to the USC-Business Partnership Foundation Board of Trustees to commit funds to be managed by the USC student chapter of the Financial Management Association. The USC BPF Board of Trustees allocated $500,000.

Unfortunately, for various reasons, the Fund decreased in value to a low of $276,102 in 2003. At that time, Dr. Tim Koch, Professor of Finance, became the Supervising Faculty Member for the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) and in 2004, a class was offered with a limited enrollment of fifteen students. Under Dr. Koch’s oversight, the fund steadily increased in value.

In subsequent years, Drs. Shingo Goto, Colin Jones, and Hugh H. Kim took the role of the Supervising Faculty Member of the Fund. Under the instruction and guidance of these professors, students conducted research to develop a unique investment model and a systematic and disciplined investment process. The SMIF has developed from a portfolio derived from individual stock selection to a more balanced mix of stocks and ETF’s.

The SMIF has grown to over $1.4 million as of 2021.