Jaguar Investment Fund Celebrates 10th Anniversary

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Posted on November 11, 2025 by Amanda Akey

Amanda Akey

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Founded in 2015, the Mitchell College of Business Jaguar Investment Fund (JIF) is celebrating its tenth year of providing Mitchell College students with hands-on experience in managing a live investment portfolio.

Each semester, thirteen students manage real dollars in the active stock market. Together they perform stock selection and analysis and all investment decisions are made following a team vote. Through participation, student analysts learn to make wise financial decisions amidst market volatility, refine skills in fund management and cost control and strengthen professional presentation skills through weekly roundtable discussions.

The student analysts also have the opportunity to attend national investment management and financial analysis conferences. These high-impact experiences are made possible by the program's unique funding structure, which provides the JIF with a management fee that directly supports student travel and participation.

History & Performance

The JIF was established in 2015 through the dedication of Dr. Kyre Lahtinen and Dr. Ken Hunsader, Chair of the the Department of Economics, Finance, and Real Estate and the support Dr. Bob Wood, former Dean of the Mitchell College. The program’s first fund, the Jaguar Investment Fund, was formed with an initial value of $250,000 that the Mitchell College of Business received from a bequest the late Clarence M. Frenkel, Jr., made on behalf of himself and his late wife, Eleanor Ruth Frenkel, as well as from additional monies from the Mitchell Endowment for the formation of a student-managed investment fund. In 2018, the portfolio received an additional value of $250,000 from the Mitchell Family endowment. In 2021, a second fund was established, the USA Fund, with an investment of $750,000  from the University of South Alabama’s endowment.

These two portfolios consistently demonstrate excellence, regularly performing at or above the S&P 500 return rate. The Jaguar Investment Fund and USA Fund are all-equity based funds, investing in domestic equities, ADRs (American Depositary Receipts), ETFs, and REITs. As of this September, the two funds have hit record highs totalling:

• Jaguar Investment Fund: $1,505,235
• USA Fund: $1,269,832

The University plans to contribute an additional value of $400,000 to the USA Fund portfolio over the next two years.

John B. Saint Financial Analysis Center

The Jaguar Investment Fund students meet weekly in the John B. Saint Financial Analysis Center. Remodeled in 2012, the center replicates a trading floor at a brokerage house. The center is home to thirteen Bloomberg Terminals, the gold standard tool in the financial industry for market analysis. This data service platform provides JIF student analysts with real-time market data, news and analytics equipping them with the necessary information in order to make wise investment decisions. The Mitchell College proudly hosts the highest number of Bloomberg Terminals of any college campus in the Gulf Coast Region.

As the Jaguar Investment Fund proudly celebrates its tenth anniversary, the program stands as a powerful testament to the value of experiential learning and dedicated leadership. The funds' consistent, market-beating performance is a clear measure of the student analysts’ talent, supported by Dr. Chris Lawrey, Director of the JIF, and Dr. Ken Hunsader, Chair of Economics, Finance and Real Estate.

This program has equipped a generation of Mitchell College graduates with the real-world expertise and the advanced analytical skills necessary to excel in the competitive financial industry. The Mitchell College is dedicated to building upon this decade of excellence, ensuring the Jaguar Investment Fund remains the premier training ground for financial leaders in the Gulf Coast region and beyond.

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