Key Takeaways
- • St. John's University students delivered investment recommendations on December 10, 2025, for three endowment funds: the undergraduate and graduate Student-Managed Investment Funds (SMIFs) and the three-year-old Student-Managed Blockchain Fund (SMBF), with presentations reviewed by faculty, administrators, and alumni.
- • Student teams recommended increased positions in Oracle (technology), Nexstar Media Group (telecommunications), and cryptocurrency holdings including Avalanche, Chainlink, Polkadot, and Polygon, with the crypto recommendations approved by the review committee.
- • St. John's manages combined student-managed fund assets exceeding $13 million, ranking 15th nationally among over 500 colleges and universities sponsoring similar programs, according to The Center for Investment Research.
- • The Student-Managed Blockchain Fund, established in May 2022 with an initial $100,000 investment, has grown to approximately $177,000 as of the December 2025 reporting period.
- • Student participants emphasized the dual value of the program: applying classroom equity valuation techniques to real capital allocation while contributing directly to endowment funds supporting scholarships and financial aid.
Summary
St. John's University's Peter J. Tobin College of Business hosted student investment presentations on December 10, 2025, where undergraduate and graduate teams pitched recommendations for the institution's three student-managed funds. The presentations, delivered at the Manhattan campus to a review committee of faculty, administrators, and alumni, culminated a semester of research and fundamental analysis across both traditional equity and digital asset portfolios.
The student teams advanced recommendations spanning equities and cryptocurrencies. Andrew Gibowski, a senior finance major, led a team recommending Oracle, a technology sector position, while Ava Weege's team advocated for an increased stake in Nexstar Media Group, a telecommunications company. On the blockchain side, student teams recommended accumulating positions in Avalanche, Chainlink, Polkadot, and Polygon, with all cryptocurrency recommendations ultimately approved by the review committee.
St. John's University operates three interconnected endowment funds managed by students: the undergraduate SMIF, the graduate SMIF, and the Student-Managed Blockchain Fund (SMBF), launched in May 2022. The SMBF's performance demonstrates the program's capital appreciation trajectory—the fund began with a $100,000 initial investment in May 2022 and has grown to approximately $177,000, reflecting both cryptocurrency market conditions and fund management decisions. Combined assets across all three funds exceed $13 million, positioning St. John's as the 15th most substantial student-managed fund operation nationally among more than 500 colleges and universities sponsoring comparable programs.
Both participating students emphasized the pedagogical and philanthropic dimensions of the program. Gibowski highlighted the integration of classroom equity valuation methodologies with direct capital allocation responsibility, while Weege characterized the hands-on experience as the most valuable coursework in her finance major. The funds directly support the university's endowment priorities, including student scholarships and financial aid, creating a direct feedback loop between student investment decisions and institutional funding objectives.
The student teams advanced recommendations spanning equities and cryptocurrencies. Andrew Gibowski, a senior finance major, led a team recommending Oracle, a technology sector position, while Ava Weege's team advocated for an increased stake in Nexstar Media Group, a telecommunications company. On the blockchain side, student teams recommended accumulating positions in Avalanche, Chainlink, Polkadot, and Polygon, with all cryptocurrency recommendations ultimately approved by the review committee.
St. John's University operates three interconnected endowment funds managed by students: the undergraduate SMIF, the graduate SMIF, and the Student-Managed Blockchain Fund (SMBF), launched in May 2022. The SMBF's performance demonstrates the program's capital appreciation trajectory—the fund began with a $100,000 initial investment in May 2022 and has grown to approximately $177,000, reflecting both cryptocurrency market conditions and fund management decisions. Combined assets across all three funds exceed $13 million, positioning St. John's as the 15th most substantial student-managed fund operation nationally among more than 500 colleges and universities sponsoring comparable programs.
Both participating students emphasized the pedagogical and philanthropic dimensions of the program. Gibowski highlighted the integration of classroom equity valuation methodologies with direct capital allocation responsibility, while Weege characterized the hands-on experience as the most valuable coursework in her finance major. The funds directly support the university's endowment priorities, including student scholarships and financial aid, creating a direct feedback loop between student investment decisions and institutional funding objectives.
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