GSIF gives back to scholarship program

The Gator Student Investment Fund (GSIF) made a $9,500 donation to the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program this spring.

Last year, the fund announced it would be making annual payments through an endowment-like structure that pays three percent of the portfolio value to the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program, which pursues the primary goal of graduating first-generation, low-income undergraduate students.

GSIF is a student-managed investment fund that gives members a realistic asset management experience. The fund currently has $500,000 assets under management.

As GSIF continues to grow, students James Goyer, Kristen Mousa, Johnny Ringo and Michael Stalder recently gave a mock pitch to multiple UF alumni at Goldman Sachs in New York City. The presentation was made in front of Rob Cousin, Marta Cotton, Larry Smith, Peter Gylfe, Mason Grower and Brian Levine. Students were able to receive feedback when it was over from many standout alumni in attendance.

“(MSF Program Director) Dr. Brown asked me and I had hosted UF students before, so we brought them on the trading floor and they did their pitch,” Levine said. “They have done a remarkable job (with GSIF).”

Similar presentations have also taken place in Atlanta and Orlando, as GSIF students are given opportunities to practice raising capital through their mock pitch. It’s a chance for students to have real-world experiences before graduation and be better prepared for their first job.

“The experience was an incredible opportunity,” Ringo said. “These presentations always veer into more fluid dialogue, and that is where the experience really becomes valuable. The opportunity to have a natural conversation with a professional who has domain expertise in what you’re talking about is an important learning experience – it’s also a lot of fun.”