St. John’s University students deliver investment pitches for stock and blockchain endowment funds
Students at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University presented their investment recommendations for student-managed endowment funds on December 10. The event, held at the university’s Manhattan campus, featured teams who spent the semester researching and preparing proposals for both undergraduate and graduate Student-Managed Investment Funds (SMIFs), as well as the Student-Managed Blockchain Fund (SMBF). These funds form part of the university’s endowment, supporting scholarships and financial aid.
Presentations were evaluated by a committee composed of faculty, administrators, and alumni, who reviewed student-created reports on stocks or cryptocurrencies before voting on whether to advance the proposed transactions.
St. John’s University ranks 15th nationally among student-managed investment funds with assets totaling over $13 million, according to The Center for Investment Research.
“This is the most valuable class I have taken at Tobin,” said Ava Weege, a senior finance major whose team recommended an increased position in Nexstar Media Group, Inc. “It is just such a hands-on experience. I have learned so much doing the work, and to be able to do something to help our fellow students—that is what St. John’s is about.”
The presentations concluded coursework for students enrolled in Crypto Trading and Trading Strategies and Managing Investment Funds—courses within the Bachelor of Science in Finance program—as well as Quantitative Asset Management in graduate finance programs.
The undergraduate SMIF was started in 2001 and had a value of $8.2 million as of November 30; the graduate fund began a year later with a current value of $4.9 million. Both have generated annualized returns between 9.1 percent and 10.1 percent since inception, which aligns with historical performance trends seen in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index.
Launched in May 2022 with an initial investment of $100,000, the SMBF allows students to research cryptocurrencies and present their findings for approval; its market value has more than doubled since inception to $220,381.
In addition to these funds, St. John’s offers other experiential learning opportunities such as business consulting through its Executive-in-Residence Program and global lending initiatives like GLOBE for entrepreneurs in developing countries. Students can also participate in events including the James and Eileen Christmas Business Plan Competition & Pitch Event hosted by the Venture & Innovation Center.
A total of 22 student teams delivered ten-minute presentations using industry-standard tools such as FactSet and Bloomberg Terminal available in Tobin’s Financial Information Lab. Teams assessed portfolio composition across sectors including health care, media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals, technology, and veterinary services; their recommendations were evenly split between buy and sell suggestions while one group advised holding onto Ethereum investments.
“We already have a large amount —28 percent—of the SMBF in Ethereum,” explained Jacob Najera, a senior majoring in finance. “It is valuable, but we felt that making more of an investment in it would cancel out investments in other coins that have the potential to grow more.”
Despite recent fluctuations affecting cryptocurrency values—Bitcoin saw record highs followed by steep declines—students remained optimistic about future growth prospects.
“I think the fact that the market is down makes it an excellent buying opportunity,” explained John Norton, a senior finance major whose team pitched for an increased stake in Ripple. “A correction off of October’s high was probably necessary, but it sets a foundation for long-term growth.”
