Since its relaunch in fall 2015, California Baptist University’s Investment Group has experienced considerable growth in its membership, as individuals and with the quantity of received donations.
With a variety of students ranging from business administration majors to health profession majors, each member of the Investment Group has the opportunity to learn the basics of investing in areas of risk-return, mutual funds, finance terminology and stocks while getting a hands-on experience of investing already existing or new funds.
“It’s providing the opportunity for students to gain exposure to things they haven’t done very much before,” said Dr. Adele Harrison, professor of finance and faculty adviser for the Investment Group. “Watching the level of their professionalism and self-confidence grow is very exciting.”
Whether a member of the group is an analyst, senior analyst, executive, president and chief executive officer, secretary, chief operation officer or chief investment officer, each person receives a balance of fun and practical experiences that enhance their education and personal lifestyle.
“It definitely made me responsible for my future,” said Kevin Lefebvre, senior business administration major and president and CEO of the Investment Group. “It required me to become more disciplined for myself because I have expectations I have to meet for myself and other people.”
After receiving a donation this year, Harrison and Lefebvre hope to gain more funding after their presentation to the Financial Advisory Board this semester about the stocks in which they want to invest to improve the future of the club.
Although they currently train on a virtual platform, it is with high hopes and preparation they make a real investment this fall to get closer to their ultimate goal of student-managed funds.
While financing and investment sounds intimidating, Harrison expresses the importance of students joining so they can apply it to their personal lives.
“No one expects (you) to have a great background,” Harrison said. “You cannot even know what a stock is and still join us. Students can use it for their own personal life, gaining confidence and learning how to research certain things — those are things that are going to help them whether they have a financing career or not.”
