Madison Investment Fund: Beyond the portfolio

The Madison Investment Fund (MIF) is one of the most prestigious student-led organizations on campus. On behalf of the JMU Foundation, MIF manages $500,000, a portion of JMU's endowment, and invests in a large cap equity portfolio. In addition to this, MIF members focus on their academic studies and are dedicated to developing their professionalism and honing their skills.

“The main responsibility that we have is, of course, managing the money, but professional development, creating networking events, connecting students with alumni and making sure that we have great job placements are high priorities for us as well,” said Asa Gleeson, a Finance and Business Management major, who serves as an associate manager of MIF.

MIF hopefuls endure a rigorous recruitment period just to be accepted into the organization, and this year, membership sits at about 50, with 15 students having been recruited in the Fall 2024 semester. “Our recruitment varies year to year and that's one thing I love about MIF—there is no set number of recruits we take every year. It's completely based on merit and the effort these students put in,” said Dylan Feldman, one of MIF’s associate managers and a Finance, Accounting and Economics triple-major. “So if we get 30 great applicants, we would invite all 30 to join.”

Prince Amarante, a MIF associate manager and International Affairs major, explained, “There are eight sectors within MIF, and the structure of the fund is organized around them. For example, we have financial, healthcare and consumer sectors, which are based on the industry verticals of the companies we invest in." He further explained that each of these three sectors has an associate manager—either Gleeson, Feldman or himself—while every sector also has a general manager.

All other members of MIF are analysts. “Senior and junior analysts are under the manager, and each week they are generating holding commentary. They’re following the companies within their assigned sectors and making sure we’re keeping up with news, stock fluctuations and any other pertinent happenings,” said Amarante.

While managing the portfolio gives students extremely valuable hands-on experience, the second main focus of MIF is to support their members' professional development to set them up for early success in a wide range of careers. “Throughout the whole semester, the goal is ‘how can we help you get an internship?’. Within each individual sector we're doing a lot of training and supplemental educational activities to make sure we're preparing individuals to land an internship and to connect them with other alumni,” said Amarante. 

One of the greatest benefits MIF offers is the development of highly transferable skill sets. Feldman noted that, “One thing MIF does really well is teaching skill sets that can be adapted to just about any job opportunity—especially those in finance, but anywhere in business really.” Students gain experience in data analysis, teamwork and professional communication—skills that are valuable in fields ranging from marketing and consulting to entrepreneurship and management. While the fund focuses on business skills, students from all majors are welcomed and encouraged to join MIF.

“Regardless of whether you want to go into finance, I think MIF gives students a great foundation in business and overall professional development. For example, we have a lot of opportunities to do public speaking and network with alumni,” said Amarante. 

Recently, MIF presented at the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship’s FinTech Symposium, in response to an invitation from Jeff Harper (‘87). The event explored the fintech industry and brought to campus many industry experts and alumni. “We were the only students he reached out to,” said Gleeson. “It was such an honor just to be invited to present and it was an incredible opportunity to be able to speak alongside some really notable JMU alumni.”

In their joint presentation, Gleeson, Feldman and Amarante spoke on the history of fintech and its rise, as well as current trends in the industry. They concluded with what they expect the future to look like in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

“The best part about being invited and getting to present was how genuinely they wanted us there, especially as students,” Amarante said. “I think it’s something JMU really cares about. They want you to be involved in these formal events. They want you to be in front of alumni. They want you to present and have confidence that you're going to do well. I felt that confidence at the symposium and at no point did I ever feel like we were underqualified or that we didn't deserve to be there.”

Through a combination of real-world investment experience, professional development opportunities and a strong network of alumni support, the Madison Investment Fund continues to shape some of JMU’s most driven and capable student leaders. As members refine their skills and explore potential career paths, they also build confidence, sharpen their leadership abilities and gain a competitive edge in the job market.