Advanced Investment courses turn classroom lessons into market success
With real money on the line, students in the College of Business are outperforming key indexes by 20%.
At a time when seasoned investors are struggling to navigate market turbulence, students in the Advanced Investment Management courses at Metropolitan State University of Denver have consistently outperformed major indexes — and they’ve done it with real money.
Each semester, the MSU Denver Foundation allocates $100,000 to the class, split evenly between two student-managed funds: the Coyote Fund and the Roadrunner Fund. Over the past five years — through a global health crisis, supply-chain breakdowns, tech volatility, inflationary spikes and monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve — students have outperformed top market indexes by about 20%.
“Since the class started, we have outperformed the S&P 500 by about 15 percentage points and the Dow Jones by over 19 percentage points, with a total return of 93.5 percentage points,” said Adam Schor, lecturer in MSU Denver’s Department of Finance who has led the course for the past five years.
The course is about preparing students to understand and engage with the forces that shape markets with a long-term goal of generating enough return to support scholarships for future students.
“The students are required to come up with their own investment firm,” Schor said.
Twice a week, the teams gather to simulate professional investment meetings. Students are expected to research, report and present their recommendations just as they would in a real-world finance role.
“Every other class, we decide if we want to buy stocks for our firm and we look for companies that could benefit our team,” said Iram Perez Hernandez, a senior in the course.
The students focus on fundamentally strong sectors with long-term growth potential, researching companies that provide essential services — particularly in the energy, health care and technology sectors. Using financial formulas and analytical models, they evaluate company performance, compare stock data and identify promising investment opportunities.
This spring, their portfolios have been aligned with broader market movements. While market volatility is always a factor, the students remain optimistic. “All of the stocks we’ve selected have performed really well, thanks to the evaluation models we use,” said Dayna Marshall, a senior in the class.
For Hernandez, this was a first experience with investing.
“It’s been super helpful,” he said. “Especially if I want to do this professionally — it gives me a great insight into how it works.”
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An industry advisory committee supports the students with professional guidance and feedback. The committee also strengthens connections between the University and the private sector, leading to more opportunities for internships and career development.
“Courses like this require you to show up every day and produce a detailed report — just like in a real work setting,” Schor said.
At the end of each semester, students present their results to the MSU Denver Foundation’s Finance Committee, offering not just an academic exercise but a chance to showcase their skills to real stakeholders.
“Learning by doing is a valuable skill in any profession,” Schor said. “In a market like this, it’s also a necessity.”
Learn more about Finance programs at MSU Denver.
