Four students, Alexander Winger, Matteo Pecchia, Tobias Bernhoft-Osa, and Eric Kelly, from the UAF College of Business and Security Management recently took a bite out of the Big Apple– and came home with a national award to show for it. Photo by Quinnipiac University.
Representing the CBSM Student Investment Fund (SIF), the team traveled to New York City for the prestigious Quinnipiac University Global Asset Management Education (GAME) Forum, where they earned 2nd place in the Undergraduate Growth Portfolio category of the Global Portfolio Competition. The student’s portfolio outperformed the S&P 500 with a return of 27% in 2024. The award recognizes both their outstanding returns and their ability to manage risk.
Tobias Bernhoft-Osa accepts their award on stage with fellow portfolio managers. Photo by Quinnipiac University.
The UAF team presents their award with assistant professor Dr. Kim McGinnis. Photo courtesy Kim McGinnis.
SIF students competed against more than 85 teams from different schools worldwide. The GAME Forum, a premier finance conference for college students, brings together future finance professionals, academic leaders, and top industry executives. Through a blend of keynote presentations, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, SIF students got first-hand experience in the world of finance.
Eric Kelly, a graduate of the Class of 2025 with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Photo courtesy Eric Kelly.
“At the GAME Forum, I learned about the many different jobs within the world of finance and asset management, the power of networking, as well as about how some of the top financial minds interpret current events.” - Eric Kelly
Aside from the conference, students got to witness Wall Street react to major changes in policy, and gain real-world insights from professionals.
“It was amazing timing to be in New York for a finance conference the day after Trump announced the tariffs. We heard from the most influential people in the industry on how they think policy changes like that will affect the future.” -Tobias Bernhoft-Osa, junior in Accounting, UAF Rifle Team
SIF is a rigorous, tight-knit class at UAF CBSM that gives students the opportunity to manage a portfolio of stocks. Each semester, students work in pairs to pitch new companies to the class. The diverse portfolio includes companies like Nvidia, Eli Lilly, and Costco, that are frequently evaluated. The fund is overseen by assistant professor Dr. Kim McGinnis, and the SIF young alumni board consisting of former SIF students Bryan Sauer, Peter Freymueller, and Zach Norum. Active since 1991, the class and team has turned $100,000 into a $3 million fund.
“I pitched Raymond James Financial and Corepay, and would like to thank Kim McGinnis for the opportunity that SIF has given me. She has been an extremely good teacher as well as a supporter of my career goals.” - Eric Kelly
Tobias presents the SIF portfolio with classmate Matteo Pecchia at the GAME Global Portfolio Competition. Photo courtesy Tobias Bernhoft-Osa.
“If you are new to the SIF, expect it to be hard and expect to work a lot, but know that you will also learn more than in any other class." -Tobias Bernhoft-Osa
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By Morrow Duszynski