Managed by students at SUNY Oswego’s Investment Club, funds benefit university scholarships.
By Stefan Yablonski
SUNY Oswego’s Investment Club provides students with hands-on opportunities for learning while also managing a large endowment fund that benefits university scholarships.
The student-managed fund passed $1 million in late 2025, showing the success of the program and how it provides the tools for today’s students to become the business leaders of tomorrow, according to Steven Jordan. Jordan holds the Marcia Belmar Willock Professorship of Practice in Finance. He is an endowed chairman at SUNY-Oswego, where he teaches courses in the undergraduate and online MBA programs.
The investment fund at SUNY Oswego is a student-run fund, he explained.
“The students investigate various stocks and then make pitches to buy or sell a stock. Students who are members of the club then vote to approve or reject the pitch,” he said.
The fund started with $100,000 decades ago. Jordan took the fund over two years ago at approximately $600,000.
“In two years, we surpassed the $1 million mark. So, the fund grows only if the students invest successfully,” he said.
A small percent of the fund can be used for the investment club.
“We always buy food for our meetings and we sometimes host guest speakers. On occasion, we like to visit local firms that have financial departments,” he said.
The club provides real-world finance experience while generating scholarship money and supporting university initiatives.
The club mirrors professional firms with roles like portfolio managers, using strategies like Warren Buffett’s criteria and Bloomberg terminals to manage real money, giving students a significant edge for careers in finance, according to Jordan.
Beyond the club, SUNY Oswego also benefits from a larger university endowment, managed by the Oswego University Foundation, which provides long-term financial stability for scholarships, programs, and faculty through donor gifts.
Key Aspects of the Student Investment Fund
• Student-Led: Modeled after professional firms, with roles in research, portfolio management and leadership.
• Real-World Experience: Students invest real money, facing market realities, costs and taxes.
• Milestone Achievement: The fund grew significantly, reaching over $1 million, showing strong growth.
• Benefits: Funds directly support university scholarships and build future business leaders.
Broader University Investment
• Oswego University Foundation: Manages the overall university endowment for long-term stability.
• Annual Giving: The Fund for Oswego supplements endowment earnings through smaller, unrestricted gifts from alumni and friends.
