BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB students will be getting real-world investment portfolio management experience and generating funds for student scholarships at the same time with a new opportunity available to them, the Green and Gold Fund. The School of Business has launched the fund, managed by a team composed of undergraduate finance majors and graduate MBA students from the UAB School of Business.

The team of managers, Blazer Asset Management, kicked off the fund with assets under management totaling over $300,000. Course prerequisites and faculty recommendations are required for participation.

Each portfolio manager is responsible for day-to-day operations and decisions within assigned areas of responsibility, including debt and equity securities. They will research candidate companies, perform appropriate investment screens and recommend either the purchase or liquidation of securities. They also will document the basis for a trade and construct status reports. The student portfolio management team will function as the fund’s Investment Strategy Committee (ISC) responsible for setting the asset allocation policy and investment strategy within each asset class.

The students say managing the fund strengthens what they learn in the classroom and helps them hone their own career goals. The faculty adviser is Rusty Yerkes. Participating students are Tiffany Griffin, a senior in finance from Springville; Alex Golden, a senior in finance and marketing from Prattville; Stephanie Bailey, a senior in finance from Scottsboro; Brennen Willingham, an M.B.A. student in finance from Nauvoo; Joey Attaway, an M.B.A. student in finance from Ashville; Josh Beam, an M.B.A. student in finance from Vestavia Hills; and David La Russa, a senior finance major from Birmingham.