Ole Miss Student Investment Group Learns with Real Money

Thanks to a major gift to the Student Managed Investment Fund from the Hereford Family Foundation in Atlanta, the Rebel Student Investment Group launched this spring with 40 students making investment choices.

"Being a part of the Rebel Student Investment Group has provided me with an invaluable experience that I would not have found elsewhere," said McClain Schieltz, a junior from Overland Park, Kansas. "The program takes classroom knowledge and applies it within a professional setting that closely mirrors the environment of an investment banking firm.

"It has meaningfully strengthened my resume and positioned me well relative to students from other universities."

Students use the school's new analytics and trading lab plus skills gained from an investment analytics course while taking part in the program.

"This program gives students the kind of hands-on experience that directly advances their career goals and establishes a lasting legacy of practical finance education at Ole Miss," said Fred Dewald, instructional assistant professor of finance and director of the Ole Miss Analytics and Trading Lab.

The group is open to finance, business and accounting majors who undergo a competitive application and interview process. Students are chosen for their performance in the Advanced Investment Analytics course and the Tennessee Valley Authority Investment Challenge.

The investment group mirrors the structure of a professional investment firm, emphasizing collaboration, rigorous analysis and leadership development.

"The RSIG serves as a cornerstone of experiential learning at Ole Miss, empowering students to manage a real investment portfolio with the discipline and rigor of professional asset management," Dewald said. "Our streamlined structure, adaptive policies and focused investment universe deliver practical experience while pursuing competitive returns."

Sector coverage groups analyze potential investments, propose securities and present stock pitches at regular meetings. This work drives portfolio decisions under faculty oversight.

"Classroom investment scenarios rarely mirror the realities of the market," Dewald said. "RSIG allows students to experience those real‑world gaps directly – managing volatility, evaluating risk and making decisions under pressure – all in a structured learning environment.

"This hands‑on exposure strengthens their resumes, networks and confidence, making them better prepared and more competitive for top roles in finance throughout their careers."

The experience is already paying off for some students.

"The real-world skills I've developed frequently come up in interviews, serving as a strong differentiator and a compelling talking point with recruiters," Schieltz said. "Overall, I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity and would wholeheartedly recommend the RSIG to any student with an interest in finance, particularly those pursuing investment banking."

Andrew McDonough, who graduated in May with a degree in managerial finance, served as the president of both the RSIG and the Ole Miss Finance Club. The skills he gained through the investment group helped him land a two-year finance rotational program with the Boeing Co. in Seattle.

"The ability to use all the tangible resources in the trading lab has made a huge difference and has given me and others a competitive edge over peers in the job market," McDonough said.

Matt Hereford, a 1994 graduate of the School of Business Administration, serves as managing director and portfolio manager for Atlanta Capital Management's suite of equity products. He said he hopes the gift from his family foundation strengthens the Department of Finance.

"I have two goals: help students become better investors and grow assets for the university," he said.

All investment returns remain in the fund, allowing strong performance to compound over time. Students began investing the money in March and have achieved a return of more than 5% on the funds invested so far.

The long-term vision includes creating multiple funds and expanding opportunities so that more students can participate and progress through structured tiers.

"I feel getting real-world experiences will help the students become better investors," Hereford said. "It's one thing to invest in a paper portfolio, it's another to invest real money. Also, they will become more marketable to employers."

Hereford remains closely connected to the business school and serves on the UM Foundation board.

"Ole Miss has always had a special place in my heart," he said. "It's just an amazing place. I want future generations to experience what I did at Ole Miss."

The school is soliciting funds for phase two of the Analytics and Trading Lab, to be completed over the summer. To make a gift to the School of Business Administration Trading Room/Lab Fund, send a check, with the fund's name noted in the memo line, to the University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS; or give online here.

To make a gift to the Student Managed Investment Fund, send a check to the UM Foundation or give online here. To learn more about how to support the School of Business Administration, contact Angela Brown, executive director of development, at browna@olemiss.edu or 662-915-3181.

Top: Members of the Rebel Student Investment Group present stock pitches while meeting in the Ole Miss Analytics and Trading Lab in the School of Business Administration. A major gift from the Hereford Family Foundation in Atlanta was directed to the Student Managed Investment Fund, enabling the investment group to work with real money. Photo by Bill Dabney/UM Foundation