Alumnus Patrick Teixeira Establishes Educational Investment Fund with $10,000 Endowment

Students trade with real dollars in newly launched Student Managed Investment Fund
August 16, 2019

Rohnert Park, CA – The School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University today announced a $10,000 gift from alumnus Patrick Teixeira, class of 2009, to fund and launch Student Managed Investment Fund. The educational and hands-on learning program is led by alumnus Nick Mendelson ’16, financial advisor at Morgan Stanley, with Dr. Douglas Jordan, chair of the School’s Business Administration Department, as faculty advisor. The investment portfolio went live this summer. Through the program students will have the opportunity to track its performance and make live trades beginning this fall.

The Student Managed Investment Fund teaches students critical skills sought after by employers in the financial services and banking industry,” said Dr. Jordan. “Patrick Teixeira and Nick Mendelson have been optimistic champions of this program. The SMIF program was made possible by Patrick’s vision and generosity and Nick’s leadership and expertise.

Starting a student managed investment fund has been my dream for the last 10 years since I learned about them at a finance conference I attended in my senior year of undergrad,” said Teixeira. “I wanted to support a program that would have the greatest impact and provide students with a transformative experience.”

Since fall 2018, Mendelson has worked closely with 14 students, guiding them through the research, analysis and identification of a diversified investment portfolio.

I wanted to find a way to give back to the school as well as bring real-world experiences to students on campus,” said Mendelson. “Reflecting on the pivotal choices and experiences that got me to the position I am in today, I knew nothing could replace hands-on experience, real world application, responsibility and accountability. I met with Dr. Jordan and Patrick Teixeira about starting a SMIF and the three of us committed to making this shared vision a reality.

When senior Jarod Rohrbach, class of 2019, learned that the SMIF program allowed students to develop and manage a real, live portfolio, he was sold on being involved.  “I was seeking an experience that offered everything I wanted to learn about finance and investment and would pave the way for me to sell myself to future employers,” said Rohrbach. “I learned that there are nuances involved in developing a portfolio. You don’t just go in and pick stocks because they are popular blue chip stocks. I learned to peel back the ‘layers of the onion’ and dissect how a portfolio is really constructed – what must be done in accordance to the fluctuation of the market, what the rebalancing parameters are when our portfolio allocations shift, and what our risk tolerance is.

To learn more about or to donate to the Student Managed Investment Fund program, please contact Dr. Douglas Jordan at douglas.jordan@sonoma.edu. For more information about the School of Business and Economics degrees and certificate programs, please visit http://sbe.sonoma.edu, or contact the School at (707) 664-2377 or sbe.undergrad@sonoma.edu.