The LSBE Financial Markets Program provides students with access to state-of-the-art technologies designed to replicate a real-world investment setting where they make strategic investment decisions to actively manage a portfolio of stocks—The Bulldog Fund, LLC. The fund was officially launched in January 2003 through generous financial support from LSBE and NorthStar Foundation but has added additional investors since its launch. Today, there are three primary investors that constitute the fund’s $3 million value; UMN Endowment, LSBE, and the Legacy Challenge Fund.
“At the end of 2020, our fund delivered another impressive year despite the challenges of Covid-19 in the global community. Our portfolio was up a touch over 27% for the year, handily beating our benchmark, the S&P 500 Index by almost 11%,” said Joe Artim, director of LSBE’s Financial Markets Program. “2020 was a surprising year given the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, but it turned out to be the best relative performance year in our fund’s history! I am very proud of all the hard work, dedication, and commitment our program class had in making this a reality.
“Breaching the $3 million mark is a true testament to the hard work, commitment, and, dedication of all our past as well as current program students. Numerous supporters have played a key role in this achievement, and we commonly refer to them as ‘friends of the program.’ None of this would ever be possible without their support.”
The Bulldog Fund, LLC challenges students to make strategic investment decisions across eleven sectors of the S&P 500, where the decisions are directly applicable to the management of a portfolio. Hands-on portfolio management experience is gained through active research and analysis conducted in the Wells Fargo Financial Markets Lab.
The Financial Markets major prepares students for careers in the financial services industry. Students develop skills in investment research and learn to evaluate the appropriateness of investments in a broad array of portfolio applications. They also create strategies for managing investment opportunities and risks, while being mindful of the importance of making sound, ethical financial decisions.
Through the generous support of the local and regional financial communities, Wells Fargo, Parametric Advisors, RBC Capital Markets, Midwest Professional Planners, the Teberg Fund, Lake Street Capital, and others, LSBE students have been given the opportunity to apply learned ideas, theories, and tools directly.