A group of Loyola graduate students charged with managing more than $500,000 of the College’s endowment fund outperformed the S&P 500, the index the group used as a benchmark, during the 2006-07 academic year. The group’s investments returned 16 percent from October 11 through June 6, versus the S&P 500’s 12.1 percent return.

The students managed the funds as part of their Sellinger Applied Portfolio class, a two-semester elective for graduate business students. Under the instruction of Walter Reinhart, professor of finance and academic director of the Master of Science in Finance program in Loyola’s Sellinger School of Business and Management, the class combines academic theory with pragmatic application and includes guest lectures from experts who lead discussions, comment on current market trends and review and critique the students’ investment decisions.

While class members’ come from very different professional and philosophical backgrounds, students must apply to enroll in the class, and the Department of Finance reviews their qualifications and makes final decisions on who will participate. The class’ mission was reviewed and approved by Loyola College’s Board of Trustees.

Professor Reinhart plans to offer the course each year, and welcomes former students as advisors and mentors. “This was a wonderful group of conscientious students,” he says. “They were extremely committed to the fund and its success, and took every decision seriously.” The class continues to manage the fund through the summer and will contribute to next year’s efforts. The application process for the 2007-08 Sellinger Applied Portfolio class is currently underway.