As we wrap up the Fall 2025 semester and the calendar year, I am grateful for the continued dedication of the GW Investment Institute (GWII) community. This semester, over 35 undergraduates across two sections of Applied Financial Securities Analysis (FINA 4101) actively managed more than $3.8 million in assets under management, applying the GWII Investment Framework through weekly analysis and real-world decision-making. Students further enhanced their market knowledge through industry guest speakers, site visits, continued engagement with the BlackRock for Universities curriculum, and hands-on use of industry tools, including Bloomberg and FactSet.
I would like to thank our faculty, Bill Collier and Christine Song; our staff, Bojana Jankovic, Kathleen Hinman, Willow Newcomb, and Danielle Lucero; and our teaching assistant, Kaitlyn Johnson. I am also grateful to our chairman, Russ Ramsey, our board members, and our guest speakers for their ongoing support.
Finally, thank you for being an essential part of our community. We look forward to building on this momentum in the spring semester.
Recent Highlights
GW Investment Institute Q3 2025 Report
GWII Student Investment Funds continue to deliver strong performance, outperforming the S&P 500 Index over the last 3, 5, and 10 years. GWII Student Investment Funds have returned 16.1% year to date, outperforming the S&P Index by 130bps. For Q3, the funds outperformed the benchmark by 90bps. Please check out the market commentary from our Teaching Assistant, Kaitlyn Johnson. The quarterly report also provides updates on GWII’s top holdings and sector allocation. 🔗 Read more on the GWII Blog
GW Ramsey Summit Luncheon
The GW Investment Institute hosted the 2025 GW Ramsey Scholars Luncheon, bringing together past and current scholars to celebrate alumni achievements, strengthen the community, and highlight the impact of the GW Ramsey Scholars program. The event featured remarks from Dean Sevin Yeltekin and program updates from Director Rodney Lake, underscoring GWII’s commitment to experiential learning and lifelong engagement with its top finance students. 🔗 Read more on the GWII Blog
Industry Visit to RBC
Students from Professor Song’s Applied Financial Securities Analysis class visited RBC Wealth Management’s Washington, D.C. office for an inside look at careers in wealth management. Hosted by Matt Miller, GWSB MBA ’12, Senior Financial Associate and Associate Vice President at The Ross Group, the visit offered insights into the investment advisor career path, client relationship building, and long-term financial strategy, with practical advice for students pursuing financial services careers. 🔗 Read more on the GWII Blog
Industry Visit to Danaher
Students from Professor Rodney Lake’s Applied Financial Securities Analysis class visited Danaher Corporation, a GW Investment Institute endowment portfolio company, for an industry session hosted by John Bedford and Travis Taylor from Danaher’s Investor Relations team. The visit provided students with insight into Danaher’s business model and compound-investing approach, as well as the opportunity to engage in thoughtful discussion on valuation, growth strategy, and investor relations. 🔗 Read more on the GWII Blog
GW Stock Pitch Competition
The GW Investment Institute hosted the second GW Stock Pitch Competition at the GW School of Business, showcasing the exceptional analytical and presentation skills of GW students as they applied the GWII Investment Framework to real-world investment ideas. The event culminated in a competitive final round with ten finalists, industry judges, and top student pitches recognized for their depth of research, clarity, and professionalism. 🔗 Read more on the GWII Blog
GW Phillips Stock Pitch Days
Students from two sections of the Applied Financial Securities Analysis (FINA 4101) class delivered 36 final stock pitches for the GW Phillips Student Investment Fund, applying the GW Investment Institute Investment Framework through rigorous analysis. The Fall 2025 Stock Pitch Days resulted in 11 pitches approved for investment, reflecting a 30.6% acceptance rate and highlighting the program’s high standards and experiential learning approach. 🔗 Read more on the GWII Blog
Get Engaged
Market News with Rodney Lake
GWII’s Market News with Rodney Lake is the leading university-run finance podcast, combining rigorous academic analysis with real-world investing. The podcast features guests from rising students and faculty to experienced professionals, offering insight into macro trends, stock analysis, and portfolio strategy. Listeners hear how students and faculty apply academic frameworks to real investment decisions, offering educational and practical insights from the front lines of academic investing.
