Nearly 400 participants gathered October 9–10 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, for Indiana State University’s Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium (SMIFC) Conference. The SMIFC is a community of 215 universities with a shared vision for student success and leadership in investment management and business education. The 2025 event brought together more than 64 consortium members for experiential learning, industry engagement, and professional development.
The student-centered conference featured thought leaders, tours of key financial organizations, student competitions, and networking opportunities. Speakers included executives from Aflac Incorporated, the CFA Society of Chicago and New York, Constellation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Jones Lang Lasalle, Morgan Stanley, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, The Garrett Companies, and Wabash Capital, among others.
“This year’s conference offered an exceptional platform for students seeking to strengthen their understanding of financial investing while learning from expert professionals,” said Dr. Tarek Zaher, SMIFC Founder and Conference Chair. “We are proud to continue providing our university partners with a rewarding experience that is both educational and engaging.”
Fred Crawford, former President of Aflac, added, “It was a great honor to speak at this year's SMIFC Conference. As a proud alumnus of Indiana State and the Scott College of Business, this is a wonderful example of the quality of the college, its faculty, and the leadership role the university has in the finance and investment community. It's very important for students to apply educational research and theory to the practical application of investing real money against real benchmarks with a real understanding of the responsibility that comes with managing client assets. I look forward to the SMIFC Conference continuing to grow in future years."
A primary feature of the SMIFC Conference is the opportunity for students to test their knowledge and compete for cash prizes. This year’s SMIF Poster Competition showcased students’ research, analytical skills, and strategic thinking. Indiana State University earned second place, with students Weikan Meng, Md Masud Kowsar, Tatum Hill, and Yannick Joaquin representing the university. The team was advised by Dr. Tarek Zaher, who noted, “Every team competing performed exceptionally well, reflecting their dedication, preparation, and insight. Congratulations to all the winning schools.”
The Garrett Companies again served as the title sponsor of this year’s conference. Consistently recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in America, the full-service multifamily development, construction, and management firm is committed to attracting top talent through career development opportunities for students.
“I’m reminded each year how special this event is for all involved,” said Dr. Terry Daugherty, Dean of the Scott College of Business. “Our promise is to help students grow as professionals, and we couldn’t deliver on this without the dedicated SMIFC faculty advisors and the generous support of our corporate partners.”
To learn more about the SMIFC and its annual conference, visit www.smifc.org.