SIMM Logo
Photo courtesy of Jack Valenti
BY: JACK VALENTI, STAFF WRITER AND NOAH VALENTI, STAFF WRITER
Students in Money Management (SIMM) is a student-run investment club overseen by Dr. Jim Mahar and led by student leaders Jack Valenti and Aaron Lusak. The fund currently manages about $775,000 and gives students hands-on experience in equity research, portfolio management and real-world investing.
Founded in 2004 by St. Bonaventure alumnus Christopher Kinslow, SIMM was created to give students active engagement with a growing portfolio of real money. Over the past two decades, the program has achieved just that. Through the compound effort of current and past students, the fund has steadily grown and reputation. Many alumni credit SIMM as a pivotal part of their education and career development, with graduates now working at leading firms across Wall Street and beyond
The club meets every Monday and Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., along with a guest speaker every Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Swan 101. It is open to everyone from freshmen to seniors, including non-finance majors. As of now, there are approximately 40 students in SIMM, and there are three tiers within the club: Managers, Senior Analysts and Analysts. They also host an annual trip to New York City to visit firms and hear from Wall Street professionals.
Current Market Commentary by General Manager Jack Valenti:
Nearing the final months of 2025, markets have delivered another strong year. Back in April, when President Trump first announced tariffs, U.S. equities suffered the largest two-day loss in market history, wiping out more than $6.6 trillion. After a tremendous rebound, the Dow Jones is up nearly 10% year-to-date, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have gained 13% and 14%, respectively. Tech stocks, particularly those tied to AI, have continued their dominant run. Nvidia, the leading designer of graphics processing units (GPUs) that power artificial intelligence systems, became the first public company to reach a $4 trillion market value in July.
With the Fed cutting rates at the September meeting, borrowing conditions have eased, giving companies more room to grow. This sets the stage for a potentially strong finish to 2025 and momentum heading into 2026. That said, risks remain, including trade policy uncertainty, global growth concerns, and persistent inflation pressures.
Against this backdrop, SIMM’s strategy this semester will emphasize reevaluating our current holdings. While often one of the hardest disciplines for an investor, reassessing and adjusting positions is also one of the most important to long-term success.
