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For Clare Molineaux 鈥�25, a member of the Gaia Fund, attending the Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium (SMIFC) conference in Chicago was more than just a chance to learn about finance; it was a milestone in her journey toward a career in financial crime investigations.

鈥淚 gained so much perspective from the presenters and other funds in attendance,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was amazing to see what everyone else is doing and the research going on in this field that I鈥檓 passionate about.鈥�

The Gaia Fund, a student-managed portfolio in the University of New Haven鈥檚 Pompea College of Business, is uniquely geared toward environmental-focused investments, and its managers work to generate scholarships for the University.

Co-director Jared Sheffield, an adjunct professor in the Department of Finance and Finance Analytics, emphasized how their focus sets Gaia apart from similar funds, noting that at the conference, the team was 鈥渁ble to share ideas and strategies that aligned with our mission, while also learning how to market Gaia as a fund with a purpose.鈥�

For Adam Glassman 鈥�26, who manages the equity portion of the Gaia Fund, this real-world 黑料社 prepared him to engage in meaningful conversations with fellow students.

鈥淢anaging a fund has given me hands-on 黑料社 with portfolio management and making informed investment decisions,鈥� Glassman shared. 鈥淭his 黑料社 allowed me to talk strategies, asset allocation, and market trends with students from other schools.鈥�

Thomas Portnoy 鈥�25, another Gaia Fund leader, felt similarly. 鈥淏eing part of a fairly new fund, I found the most impactful part of the conference was learning how other funds operate,鈥� he reflected. 鈥淲e got valuable insights into asset allocation, decision-making processes, and ways to market ourselves to donors as we grow.鈥�

For Molineaux, one of the most impactful aspects of SMIFC was the chance to build relationships with students from other universities. She noted, 鈥淎cademic pursuits thrive when researchers and learners communicate and collaborate, rather than acting in opposition to each other.鈥�

Traditionally, business as a field has leaned toward competition, but she believes conferences such as SMIFC are changing that dynamic. 鈥淓vents like these bridge the trust gap and help us build a better business world,鈥� she said.

Glassman also found immense value in the connections he made at the conference, recounting a conversation with students from a university in Texas. 鈥淲e all had a chance to discuss our funds, share our 黑料社s, and hear each other鈥檚 strategies,鈥� he said.

Prof. Sheffield, who attended alongside the students, observed how these connections set Gaia up for future success. 鈥淐ompared to other universities, Gaia is relatively new, and we鈥檙e just beginning to establish ourselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut through events such as SMIFC, we鈥檙e positioning ourselves as a unique fund that鈥檚 aligned with a purpose.鈥�

Ultimately, the collaboration fostered at SMIFC strengthened the students鈥� passion for their field. 鈥淣etworking with students and professors from across the country helped me understand how we can continue improving Gaia,鈥� said Glassman, who looks forward to implementing new ideas inspired by SMIFC.

For Portnoy, one of the highlights of the conference was attending sessions such as 鈥淧illars of Wealth Management鈥� and 鈥淧ersonal Branding in Wealth Management鈥� led by representatives of Charles Schwab. These sessions underscored the importance of personal relationships and client trust, a message that Portnoy found particularly meaningful. 鈥淭hey emphasized that AI will complement, not replace, human advisors,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淭he human element remains essential.鈥�

This focus on personal relationships resonated deeply with Portnoy, who believes the Gaia Fund can thrive by maintaining a commitment to client trust and purpose-driven investing. 鈥淚t was incredibly beneficial to see how other funds market themselves to prospective donors, and I鈥檓 excited to take these lessons back to Gaia,鈥� he said.

Brian T. Kench, Ph.D., Dean of the Pompea College of Business, celebrated the Gaia Fund鈥檚 achievements. 鈥淭he Gaia Fund is one of the crown jewels of the Pompea College,鈥� he shared, highlighting the opportunity it provides for students to build real-world investment skills. 鈥淭he SMIFC conference confirms what an extraordinary job University of New Haven students are doing.鈥�

Reflecting on the impact of the conference, Portnoy put it simply: 鈥淲e鈥檙e ready to position ourselves as a leading student fund.鈥�