Mayer Fund
Hands-on immersion in asset management.
At the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, we have pioneered the hands-on study and understanding of professional asset management.
In 1993, a $250,000 contribution from our College of Business and Management Foundation established the Mayer Fund. The Fund, which has grown to over $5 million through appreciation and outside contributions, is managed by a team consisting of a select group of second-year MBA students at the Smith School.
Consisting of two portfolio managers, and eight to ten equity analysts, the student management team is charged with meeting the Fund's long-term performance goal of achieving capital appreciation that outpaces the appreciation of the S&P 500 on a risk-adjusted basis.
Equally important to achieving that primary goal is the underlying objective of helping each team member understand the processes involved in managing assets and making critical investment decisions in a global marketplace marked by volatility and continual change.
The Mayer Fund has yielded valuable returns: Members of the management team learn about stock selection, equity analysis and portfolio management. They meet with Wall Street and local financial professionals. They get jobs with world-class companies. And their work has provided a five percent annual dividend to the Smith School and enhanced its reputation.
At the Smith School, doing business is integral to business learning.
