Fall Semester 2023 Message

Dear Friends and Supporters of the GW Investment Institute,

As we embark on another exciting semester at the GW Investment Institute (GWII), I wanted to take a moment to update you on our latest endeavors, achievements, and upcoming events. A Warm Welcome to Our New Students The fall semester of 2023 began with great enthusiasm as we welcomed a new cohort of students to GWII classes and the community. It has been a pleasure to meet these bright minds and learn more about their aspirations in the world of finance. Our Educational Offerings This semester, GWII is proud to offer three classes, engaging 45+ undergraduate students and over $2.7 million in Assets Under Management (AUM). These classes provide students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in investment management and develop critical skills for their future careers. Applied Financial Securities Analysis Undergraduate students in this class manage the GW Phillips Student Investment Fund, a diversified listed equity portfolio with over $2.6 million in AUM, as of 09/18/2023. We have two sections of this class — I teach one and another is taught by Professor Christine Song. Investing in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Undergraduate students in this class manage the GW Real Estate Student Investment Fund, a diversified portfolio of publicly listed REITs with over $145,000 in AUM, as of 09/18/2023. In this class, our students hone their skills in security analysis specific to REITs and real estate. I also teach this class. Quarterly Report Our students continue to outperform the benchmark (S&P 500 Index), please see the most recent quarterly report as of June 30, 2023 with market commentary by GW senior Leon Kamenev.  Cornell’s Women in Investing Conference We’re gearing up to send a team of four talented undergraduate women to Cornell’s Women in Investing Conference (WIN) in Boston on September 28th and 29th. Rhys Chambers, Elizabeth Ellis, Nicolle Ugarte, and Sandy Huang Yin are excited to represent GW among eleven other U.S. schools.

Please accept my sincere gratitude for your unwavering support. Your commitment and contributions play an instrumental role in providing our students with invaluable experiential learning opportunities. As we navigate through this semester, I am confident that the GW Investment Institute will continue to thrive, thanks to the dedication of our students and the support of our esteemed community.

I look forward to the exciting developments and achievements that lie ahead.

Best regards,

Rodney E. Lake
Director, GW Investment Institute