COMMENTARY BY RODNEY LAKE, DIRECTOR, GW INVESTMENT INSTITUTE (link to full GWII 12/2020 quarterly report)
For the quarter ending December 31, 2020, the GW Investment Institute Student Investment Funds (GWII SIFs) returned 11.2% vs. 12.1% for the S&P 500 Index and for the calendar year 2020 the GWII SIF returned 27.6% vs. 18.3% for the S&P 500 Index. The GWII SIFs have outperformed the S&P 500 Index for the time periods of 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, ending 12/31/2020 (see table). The performance of our funds reflect the hard work, diligence, and dedication of our students, faculty, and staff, thank you.
2020 was not what we expected in 2019. A good lesson in how assumptions about the future can be dramatically changed by a single event, in this case the global pandemic, i.e., covid-19. There are signs to be optimistic about 2021 and moving forward. The fact that in approximately 12 months we have moved from starting the lock-down process to having two approved vaccines, a record time for development, that are both highly effective against covid-19, and that we are vaccinating approximately 1.6 million people per day (and increasing) is astounding.
We sincerely appreciate all the work our students have put forth in this challenging and unusual time. It takes dedication, time, and attention to create the level of focus our students have summoned. Thank you to our students for their understanding as we moved our teaching and processes online. In many areas we transitioned seamlessly in large part due to our students adapting so readily and quickly. We are all looking forward to moving back into the classroom as soon as we can do so safely. Our students consistently inspire us and give us many reasons to be optimistic about the future. On February 9th, 2021 we celebrated GW’s bicentennial, happy birthday to GW. We look forward to many more centuries.
February 24, 2021