Finance students graduating today face uncertain markets, in more ways than one. The combination of volatility in the capital markets, as well as a challenging job market for new graduates, mean that talented students are often left with virtual portfolios and stock games as their only options to learn vital skills in asset management and financial analysis. In 2011, Simon Fraser University took a
n unprecedented step towards offering a solution to this situation, with the establishment of Beedie Endowment Asset Management (BEAM) – a $5 million endowment fund, made possible through the generous support of the Beedie family, to be managed entirely by undergraduate students. Building on Simon Fraser University’s previous success with the Student Investment Advisory Service (SIAS), a fund managed entirely by graduate finance students for ten years, BEAM will give approximately 20 students in the third and fourth years of their Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program the opportunity to manage the largest undergraduate student-run fund in Canada. BEAM is not an investing simulation or game – the current cohort of 22 students have been managing the fund since January 2012, after completing an intensive four month course on financial management, formulating an Investment Management Agreement and Investment Policy Statement, and deciding on an organizational structure. Since then, they have written over 50 equity research reports, developed a comprehensive research report book, and completed and reported on their first three quarters of investment. BEAM is also not just a student-run endowment fund – it is the future of undergraduate finance education: an extremely demanding, hands-on experience that will equip students with the abilities necessary to enter and excel in the finance industry. We invite you to learn more about BEAM from this site, and welcome any questions you may have about the fund, its operation, or its members. Finally, we extend a special welcome to current SFU students considering applying to BEAM – it has been an unforgettable experience for the current cohort and we look forward to successful future generations of BEAM members strengthening this venture’s role as Canada’s largest and most innovative undergraduate-run investment fund.
