ELSAH, IL. —At many colleges and universities, students learn to invest through simulations. At Principia College, they manage real money. Through a student-run investment fund valued at more than $111,500, Principia College students research companies, pitch investment ideas, debate risk, and help manage a live investment portfolio under the guidance of the College's Investment Office.
Supported by a donor gift and developed in collaboration with Principia’s Investment Office, the fund provides undergraduate students with hands-on experience. Despite enrolling only about 300 students, Principia offers an opportunity found at relatively few colleges nationwide: students collaborate with the professionals who manage the College's $1.1 billion endowment. Student-managed investment funds are offered at fewer than 400 colleges and universities across the country.
“Employers want to know what you’ve actually done,” said Nick Dolci, a senior and president of the Investment Club. “Being able to say you’ve researched a company, defended your investment thesis, and helped decide where real money is invested is an experience that gives you an edge.”
The program began in 2023 when recent Principia College graduate Leander Linsler recognized a gap in opportunities for students interested in finance and investing. Linsler launched the Student-Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) as part of his senior finance capstone in collaboration with faculty, the Investment Office, and a generous donor. Today, Linsler works as an investment analyst in Principia’s Investment Office, where he continues to support the program he helped create.
“The goal was to give students an authentic investment experience,” said Linsler. “Students not only learn how to analyze stocks, but they also learn how to build and manage an entire portfolio. Those are skills that carry directly into careers in finance.”
Students follow a formal investment policy modeled after professional portfolio management practices. Before any investment is approved, they conduct sector and company research, develop a written investment thesis, analyze valuation and risk, present their recommendations to peers, and defend their conclusions through a formal vote before the Investment Office executes approved trades. The portfolio is benchmarked against the Russell 3000 Index, allowing students to measure their performance against the broader U.S. stock market while learning how professional investment managers evaluate long-term results.
The program is open to students from all majors, not just those studying business or finance but is an opportunity offered and recommended to students who are a part of the College’s Center for Business and Computer Science. Through the Investment Club and Investment class, students with interests ranging from economics and mathematics to history and political science can learn investment analysis, contribute research, and participate in managing the portfolio. The fund alternates between the two each semester: one semester, the Investment Club takes the lead in managing the fund, followed by the Investment class the next semester. This structure gives students multiple opportunities to apply what they’ve learned and gain hands-on experience managing a real investment portfolio. Their diverse academic backgrounds also strengthen the fund by bringing specialized knowledge to the investment process. For example, a computer science student recently pitched a technology company using insights from the field that helped identify an investment opportunity the group may not have otherwise considered.
As of July 2026, the fund holds 23 individual stocks and one exchange-traded fund. Students also help maintain the fund's investment policy, reviewing it every two years to ensure it remains aligned with the College’s educational mission and long-term investment strategy.
Because Principia is a small college, students collaborate with investment professionals throughout the process.
“Our size gives students opportunities they might not have elsewhere,” said Hans Fredrikson, Chief Investment Officer. “You aren’t one of hundreds of students competing for experience. You can be directly involved in discussions with the Investment Office and can see how professional investment decisions are made.”
In just two years, the program has helped launch students into competitive careers. Eight Principia students have completed internships within the College’s Investment Office after launching its internship program in 2021, gaining firsthand experience alongside the professionals who manage the institution’s endowment. Students involved in the Investment Club and working with the fund have secured internships and entered competitive finance careers with practical experience managing a real investment portfolio. Alumni have gone on to positions in wealth management, investment analysis, and corporate finance.
The investment fund reflects Principia College’s emphasis on experiential learning, where students apply classroom knowledge to meaningful, real-world challenges.
“Rather than relying solely on case studies or simulations, students make decisions with lasting impact while learning to collaborate, communicate, and think critically under real market conditions,” said Neil Kearney, professor of the Investment course at Principia College.
As the fund enters its third year, student leaders continue refining and evolving the program, expanding participation, and building a sustainable model that will benefit future generations of Principia students.
About Principia College
Principia College is a top-ranked liberal arts college in Elsah, Illinois, set on a scenic 2,600-acre campus along the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Students attend the College from around the globe and a variety of faith backgrounds. Founded on Christian Science principles, Principia College creates a collaborative and inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and sees each other as infinitely capable. Principia College’s globally focused curriculum honors diverse perspectives and develops creative changemakers. In-depth study meets real-world experience through study abroad programs, internships, capstone projects, and a robust slate of student activities, including a world-renowned mediation team, top-ranked solar car team, national champion rugby club, and the nation’s oldest student-run public affairs conference. Principia College, founded over a century ago, is part of The Principia, an organization that also encompasses an award-winning Early Childhood through Grade 12 school in St. Louis, Missouri, and a global network of alumni and friends.
Follow Principia College on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Learn more and take a tour in person or virtually: https://www.principiacollege.edu/admissions/visit.
Media Contact: Allex Jesper
Communications and Media Manager
Principia College
1 Maybeck Place Elsah, IL 62028
314.514.3020
[email protected]
