The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) Investment Club is expanding opportunities for UAM students by continuing to grow its Student-Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), providing hands-on experience in investing in financial markets, conducting financial analyses and managing a live portfolio.
The UAM Investment Club launched in 2023 with a goal to improve the financial literacy of UAM students by helping them understand national and international markets and apply classroom knowledge in a practical context with real financial stakes. Since then, club members have won the top collegiate prize in The Stock Market Game in Arkansas two years in a row and traveled to Bentonville, Arkansas, and Washington, D.C., to speak with industry and investment professionals. The club also regularly invites guest speakers to campus, most recently hosting Dax Weindorf, financial consultant and managing partner at Lighthouse Financial in Rogers, Arkansas.
Building on that momentum, the club established the SMIF during the fall 2025 semester. Club members manage the fund, deciding which stocks to purchase and experiencing actual consequences, both positive and negative, for their recommendations. With students at the helm, the SMIF has earned a 15% return on investment in its first year.
“We have been able to provide UAM students with a unique and one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn outside of the classroom curriculum,” said Dr. Shanna Knowles, assistant professor of business and faculty co-advisor of the UAM Investment Club.
Last year, the SMIF was managed by members of the UAM Investment Club. Now in its second year, management has shifted to students enrolled in a new special topics course in SMIF, which is available to those with one year of prerequisite investment training. Students will also receive one hour of college credit for completing the course. In the course, students research companies, analyze market trends and execute investments using donations allocated to the fund. The course instructor, Greg Hatley, instructor of economics and finance at UAM, UAM Investment Club faculty advisors and UAM Investment Club volunteers review recommendations before investments are made. Any earnings generated are reinvested into the SMIF.
This fall, the club received a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, at the recommendation of Lukas Walton. Since 2023, the Walton Family Foundation has been a supporter of the UAM Investment Club, providing substantial opportunities for both the club’s educational initiatives and the growth of the SMIF.
Becky Philips, associate professor of accounting and faculty co-advisor of the UAM Investment Club, thanked the foundation for their donation.
“The skills students will learn from working with the Student-Managed Investment Fund will enable them to invest their money and maintain financial sustainability. This is a tremendous opportunity for our students to learn at an early age about the importance of investing. We appreciate the generosity of our donors,” Philips said.
Scott Saffold, executive vice president and senior loan officer at Union Bank & Trust Co. in Monticello, and UAM Investment Club volunteer, highlighted the significance of the SMIF receiving additional funding. “This additional funding enhances the new SMIF special topics course, giving UAM students valuable hands-on experience researching investments, making recommendations and managing a real portfolio.”
Donations to the club not only allow members to host guest speakers on campus and gain investment experience but also provide opportunities for students to participate in educational travel.
The UAM Investment Club meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 12:30 p.m. in Babin Business Center, Room 316, on UAM’s Monticello campus. Students from all majors across UAM, the UAM College of Technology-Crossett and the UAM College of Technology-McGehee are welcome to join.
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