Student Managed Funds

The Rebsamen Trust

The Rebsamen Trust is a student-managed, million dollar investment fund at the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

The trust that created the fund was established in 1971 by the late Raymond Rebsamen of Little Rock, Ark., with an initial endowment of $100,000. The purpose of the fund, which is the third oldest of its kind in the nation, is to prepare students for careers in financial services. Students learn about investment practice by managing a real portfolio of equity and fixed-income securities. The current market value of the portfolio stands at more than $1 million dollars with an additional three funds that total $5 million.

Returns on the fund support the ongoing activities of the class as well as finance internships, and have been used to make contributions to Walton College scholarship fund and the Robert E. Kennedy Chair in Finance endowment in recognition of Dr. Kennedy's founding role in the creation of the fund. A highlight of the course is an annual trip to New York City, a tradition dating back to 1982, which includes meetings with major New York investment firms and former class alumni as well as a visit to the New York Stock Exchange, Little Rock and Dallas/Fort Worth.

The current instructor of the portfolio management class is Craig G. Rennie, Ph.D.

The Shollmier Fund

The Shollmier Fund is a student-managed investment fund established in 2000 with a $250,000 investment from Dudley and Ken Shollmier.

Students learn portfolio management strategies by meeting weekly, discussing current events, and making buy and sell recommendations. Students visit firms such as Stephens Inc., Crews & Associates and Stern Agee. The current instructor of the portfolio management class is Craig G. Rennie.

Investment Objectives: The investment expected return target is the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 5%, as determined by the trustees stated objectives. Students will position the Shollmier fund for long-term growth in stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, investment trusts, currencies and commodities.

The Arvest Bank Fund

Through the generous support from Arvest Bank, the fund is managed by undergraduate students who apply advanced financial investment strategies to strengthen the fund.

Under the faculty mentorship of Professor Daniel Pu Liu, undergraduate students manage a $5 million fixed-income fund held at Arvest Bank. Students make investment recommendations based on their economic outlook, interest-rate forecast, and comparisons of the relative value of treasury securities.

Participation in Dr. Liu's fixed income class is competitive, and only our best finance students are admitted.