The Center for the Study of Financial Markets will combine several key entities within the Department of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law including the Trading Room with its 12 Bloomberg terminals, the Student Investment Group, the Student-Managed Investment Fund of almost $300,000, and the Risk Management Association. These existing elements, along with dedicated and accomplished faculty members, have made the UNT College of Business an important destination for students pursuing careers in investments and related industries. A $5 million gift will endow the CSFM and provide resources and staffing to support the activities of students and faculty researchers. Under the guidance and direction of a designated committee, the gift would create a program that would earn national prominence among our peer institutions.
Areas of Impact
ENDOWED CHAIR IN INVESTMENTS
An endowed chair in investments would attract an established scholar, whose continuing research would be a valuable resource to existing faculty, helping to catalyze their own research, and an important source of knowledge for students, faculty and professionals. The resulting stream of publications would be an important step toward national rankings.
Endowment: $2,500,000 Annual Support: $100,000
THE TRADING ROOM
The Trading Room is used by a variety of classes and student groups and allows students to research markets, create trial portfolios, and seek Bloomberg certification. An endowment would support software license costs and lab assistant wages.
Endowment: $5,000,000 Annual Support: $200,000
STUDENT COMPETITIONS AND SEMINAR TRAVEL SUPPORT
Students are invited to attend national investments conference as well as compete in prestigious competitions each year. UNT’s team has been a finalist in The TIPS competition (i.e., student-led portfolios in Texas and surrounding states) each of the last two years. UNT will also compete for the third year in the prestigious CFA Investment Research Challenge. An endowment will support student trips to such opportunities.
Endowment: $ 1,000,000 Annual Support: $40,000
ETHICS IN FINANCIAL MARKETS LECTURE SERIES
The CSFM annual lecture on Ethics in Financial Markets will bring a nationally prominent speaker to address the important topic of setting high ethical standards, and will demonstrate the commitment of the College of Business to educating ethical leaders in every field. The series will be an important source of public awareness for the CSFM as the lecture will be held in Dallas, an international financial center.
Endowment: $ 1,000,000 Annual Support: $40,000
STUDENT-MANAGED INVESTMENT FUND ENHANCEMENT
The investments curriculum at UNT is greatly enriched by the existing Guy M. Cloud Student-Managed Investment Fund. Working under faculty leadership, students manage a portfolio of nearly $300,000. Once the portfolio reaches $1,000,000 student scholarships of up to 4 percent of the fund’s value may be distributed each year as long as the floor of $1,000,000 is maintained. An enhancement gift will enable the portfolio to reach that floor much sooner.
Endowment: $500,000 Annual Support: $20,000
Bold Goal Alignment: Goals 1, 2, and 4
Campaign Theme Alignment: Themes 1 and 2
Invest in the Center for the Study of Financial Markets Now!
