Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) Team

Program Description

In 2020, Saint Peter’s University formed a partnership with the investment management company, Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC, to support the launch of the University’s first Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). Through this innovative program, students in the finance and economics majors have the opportunity to take stock market simulations to the next level by managing a live investment portfolio.

Teams of students are selected on an annual basis and take co-requisite courses in Investment Analysis and Financial Statement Analysis. The success of the investments are regularly measured against performance benchmarks. In addition to the initial funding for the portfolio, Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC, provides training, mentoring and career engagement opportunities for Saint Peter’s University students.

“Saint Peter’s University SMIF offers a unique experiential learning to students. It is the closest a student can get to the experience of working for a major Wall Street firm. Students develop their Investment Policy Statement, perform stock pitches and allocate stocks to a diversified portfolio. They perfect financial techniques in preparation for rewarding careers and gain an appreciation of industry-specific, real life decision-making.” Dr. Samar Issa

“The Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) facilitates the practical application of theory by giving students the opportunity to work with real-time financial data, acquire significant industry knowledge, and gain industry-specific, real life decision-making skills. We are excited to see the SMIF members’ hard work become reality.” Dr. Amanda Page-Hoongrajok

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  Ahmed Shehata ‘21, President

  Ahmed Shehata was born in New York City and raised in Jersey City. He attended University Academy Charter High School where he was on the track and cross country teams and graduated in the top 10 of his class. Ahmed is a double-major in Philosophy and Economics in the Honors Program. Ahmed has been named to the Dean’s list each semester and received a yearly academic gold medal recognizing his 4.0 GPA. As a freshman, he was elected class president and interned at Trinity Church Wall Street. Ahmed managed the Church’s feeding program and also worked on research projects and made recommendations to Trinity executives which resulted in structural changes to the organization. Ahmed was selected for the Goldman Sachs Local College Collaborative program as a sophomore. This program and his continued internship at Trinity Church revealed an interest in finance. In his junior year, Ahmed opted into finance electives to explore the subject including participation in the annual “Shark Tank” competition where he received the first-place social impact prize for his proposal. In his senior year, Ahmed was inducted into the Most Noble Order of the Peacock, an academic honor society that recognizes the top 11 seniors. His most recent achievement is serving as president of the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) sponsored by Lord Abbett. Ahmed enjoys working with people and focusing on team dynamics. His goal is to go to Yale Law School and enroll in their dual accelerated program with the School of Management. For fun, he enjoys, reading, playing the guitar and piano, and taking his dog, Claire, on hikes and runs.

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  Emmanuel Jn-Baptiste ’21, Vice President

  Emmanuel Jn-Baptiste was born and raised in Haiti for 13 years. In pursuit of a better education, his family migrated to the US in 2012. Emmanuel quickly learned English and was always among the top of his class in school. He is currently completing a BS in finance and is enrolled in the Master’s program for Quantitative Finance. Emmanuel is vice president of the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) and a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS). He works as a customer service associate at Uniqlo and completed an International Settlements internship at Pershing Advisors and Solutions. In addition to English, Emmanuel is also fluent in French, Spanish, and Creole. After graduation, he plans to enroll in law school and pursue a career as a corporate lawyer. Emmanuel strives to do his personal best in every task he undertakes and believes that excellence is not an act but a habit. He aims to make his family proud by making the most of his education and abilities.

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  Ana Pacheco ‘21, Archivist

  Ana Pacheco grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy. At Saint Peter’s University Ana is a double major in Economics and Finance with a minor in Business Law. She is currently the Secretary of the Business Law Association and the Treasurer and Secretary of the Women’s Empowerment Group. She is also the Archivist for the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) program sponsored by Lord Abbett. In 2020, she participated in the FED Challenge where she prepared and delivered a 15-minute presentation on the economy modeled after those of Federal Reserve policymakers. Ana also took part of and was the Captain for the CFA Research Challenge in 2019, where the team developed formal recommendations on the value of stock in a written report and virtual presentation in front of a panel of industry judges. As team captain for the CFA Challenge, she also guided her team on analyzing and issuing recommendations on stocks to CFA holders. Ana interned at Rosenblum Law as an Intake/Customer Service Specialist, and New City Kids where she assisted high school students in applying and getting into pre-college programs such as Girls Who Code. Ana plans to spend this upcoming summer working full-time at Merck in the Audit and Assurance division before pursuing an MS degree in Finance with a concentration in Quantitative Finance.

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  Ryan Marsh ‘21, Portfolio Manager

  Ryan Marsh was born and raised in Westfield, NJ. He committed to Drew University to play lacrosse, but quit playing after three knee surgeries. In 2014, he spent the summer in Lima Peru volunteering at a special needs school. Upon returning home Ryan went to work for Mid Atlantic Capital Management where he focused on new issued debt and equity markets and then interned on the sell side at Triad Securities. In 2019, Ryan took a break from school and work to care for his terminally ill father. After his father’s passing, Ryan was determined to continue his career on Wall Street and complete his college degree. He enrolled at Saint Peter’s and is expected to earn his BA in finance December 2021. Ryan is a portfolio manager for Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) and a member of campus ministry where he attends mass and volunteers at a food bank on a weekly basis. He spends his free time playing golf, traveling and volunteering. Ryan ran a youth literacy program In Newark for underprivileged youth and is a frequent volunteer for “Chess for Success”, an after school program offering mentoring for students of the Harriet Tubman Middle School in Newark, NJ. Ryan is excited to be graduating soon and will be pursuing a career in Investment Banking.

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  Anton Moore ’21, Portfolio Manager

  Anton Moore is an international student from Auckland, New Zealand. At Saint Peter’s University, Anton is a double major in finance and economics. He has maintained a 4.0 GPA while being a 4-year starter on a NCAA Division 1 Soccer Championship winning team. He has received numerous academic awards such as the Most Noble Order of the Peacock for attaining the highest GPA in his graduating class, three MAAC Conference All Academic Team nominations and 6 Dean’s list inclusions. He has been a part of numerous co-curricular projects such as the CFA Institute Research Challenge, College Federal Reserve Challenge, Honors program and volunteering at the Campus Ministry Kitchen. After graduation, Anton plans to either do a MS in finance or get a position in a top asset and wealth management firm. In his free time, Anton enjoys playing sports, spending time with family and friends, and exploring new places. He is currently working as a finance and economics Research Assistant where he collects, processes and analyzes data and econometric models.

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  Valeria Moreno ’22, Market Analyst

  Valeria Moreno graduated from Cardinal Spellman Girls’ School in Ecuador as an AP Scholar with Distinction in General Sciences and is currently pursuing a double major in Economics and Finance with a minor in Political Science. Since her freshman year, Valeria has maintained a 4.0 GPA, has achieved academic recognition by placement on the Dean’s List, and received a Michaelmas gold medal from Saint Peter’s University. She became an Economics and Finance Research Assistant with a focus on political economy and Latin American markets for the university’s Economics department in 2019. Valeria has achieved various leadership positions: she is the President of the Economics and Finance Association, Director of Marketing of the Model United Nations Team, and a lead student ambassador for the Pavo Society. She has participated in extracurricular activities such as the CFA Research Challenge and Goldman Sachs Local College Collaborative 4.0 Program, both for which she was team leader, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Challenge. Valeria worked for the City of Jersey City as an Aide to Councilperson Solomon, and currently, she interns at the Hudson County Latino Foundation as an Operations and Development intern. After graduation, Valeria plans to pursue a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Economic Theory and Policy to advance in her career as an Economist. In her free time, Valeria volunteers at Saint Aedan’s Parish as a community educator and enjoys literature, fine arts, and photography.

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  Maria Terranova ‘21, Market Analyst

  Maria Terranova comes from Newark, NJ and graduated from East Side High School, taking AP and honors courses. At Saint Peter’s University, Maria is a double-major in Economics and Finance. She was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) and is a Dean’s List recipient. Maria is currently in the Economics and Finance Association and earned certificates for completing the Envestnet Institute on Campus Program and Bloomberg Certification. She currently serves as a market analyst for the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) sponsored by Lord Abbett. She has also participated in the intramural soccer team at Saint Peter’s and is fluent in Spanish. She is part of the Accelerated Master’s in Finance Program with a concentration in Quantitative Finance. Maria enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family. During her free time, she invests via Robinhood and plans to land a full-time position in the financial services industry in the near future.

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  Garrett Kramer Angulo ’21, Investment Analyst

  Garrett Kramer Angulo graduated from Linden High School while participating in the International Business program. After graduation, he attended Union County College to pursue an associate in business administration. During his County College years, Garrett interned at IES Test Prep Center located in Metuchen, NJ. He was later promoted to administrator and learned key skills in running a mom-and-pop business. Garrett’s smooth transition into the Saint Peter’s University finance program is thanks to his ability to integrate himself with the community. He quickly became vice president of Rotaract Club, worked closely with the director of corporate and foundation relations, and participated in the competitive Goldman Sachs Local College Collaborative 4.0 program. Now as a Resident Assistant, Garrett continues to make his mark on Saint Peter’s by connecting undergraduate students to campus resources and services. After graduation, Garrett plans to pursue a career in wealth management near the D.C. area. During his free time, Garrett enjoys immersing himself in eastern culture and bonding with his poodle.

   

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  Anthony Crincoli ‘21, Investment Analyst

  Anthony Crincoli grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey and graduated from Saint Peter’s Preparatory High School. Anthony is an honors student double majoring in Accounting and Finance, with a minor in Business Law. He is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu and the Order of the Cross Keys, an honor association for outstanding undergraduate students. Anthony is also a member of the professional business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, where he held the position of Vice President for three years. He has participated in a number of extracurricular activities including the CFA Challenge, the IRS Adrian Project, and the WSPR Radio Station. Currently, he interns at Virtu Financial as an accounting intern and interned at KPMG as a financial services auditing intern in 2020. Anthony has also served as a law clerk in the Hudson County Courthouse and as a research assistant in the law and finance departments on campus. He also volunteers as a head coach of a youth baseball league in Bayonne. After graduation, Anthony intends to pursue his CPA before starting full-time as an audit associate with KPMG in 2021. Later in his career, he looks to open his own CPA firm. In his free time, Anthony runs a personal finance blog where he writes articles on various topics about financial markets.

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  Jocelyn Encalada ’21, Investment Analyst

  Jocelyn Encalada grew up in Ecuador and graduated from Union City High School in New Jersey. Jocelyn is currently a double major in Finance and International Business and Trade. One of four students selected from Saint Peter’s University to compete in the CFA Research Challenge of 2020 in which students analyzed quantitative data and qualitative factors of a publicly-traded company and presented at the CFA Society in NY. She has been a tutor at Saint Peter’s for the Center for English Language Acquisition and Culture (CELAC) since her sophomore year, where she helps international students with their conversational skills. Jocelyn volunteers as a tutor and translator for Families for Literacy, a non-profit organization in Jersey City that serves low-income families for whom English is a second language. After graduation, Jocelyn plans to travel through Europe before starting her professional career in the banking industry. In her free time, Jocelyn works at a dental office where she administers the office’s financial records. Jocelyn is interested in extreme sports and has done scuba diving, white water rafting, and bungee jumping. She also plans to go skydiving in the future.

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  Douglas Hall ‘21, Investment Analyst

  Douglas Hall was born in and currently resides in San Diego, California. He graduated cum laude from Saint Augustine High School and attended San Diego Mesa College where he achieved an Associate Degree in Chemistry and an Associate Degree in Business. Currently, Douglas is pursuing a bachelor’s in finance and is enrolled in the Accelerated Master’s Program in finance. He participated in the Federal Reserve Challenge and took part of the CFA Research Challenge of 2020, where the team of four students submitted a full research report and presented at the CFA Society in NY. He is currently on the e-board for the Economics and Finance Association and is a leader on the Saint Peter’s varsity baseball team. He has worked previously with C2 Group Engineering as a data analyst and is currently working as an assistant manager at National City Golf Course. After he completes his master’s degree in finance, Douglas plans to pursue a career in the finance industry. In his free time, he likes to surf, play golf, and spend time with his sister Brooklynne.

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  Tiffany M. Nguyen ’21, Investment Analyst

  Tiffany M. Nguyen grew up in Jersey City, NJ and graduated from County Prep High School. At Saint Peter’s University, Tiffany is pursuing both a bachelor and master’s degree in Finance. During the academic year 2019-2020, she made it on the Dean’s list and is currently one of the archivist on the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) sponsored by Lord Abbett. Tiffany is a license realtor for New Jersey, has completed classes for mortgages, and is currently working to obtain her mortgage license. After graduation, Tiffany plans to spend the summer traveling overseas and seeking new businesses opportunities. She has experience in quantitative/statistics analysis on budgeting accounting and forecasting. She is a FX Trader and an active investor in the stock market. In her free time, Tiffany is a lash technician and works for a local nail salon in Irvington, NJ. She believes the best investment you can make in yourself is acquiring knowledge. She embraces the joy of learning through reading books, listening to podcasts, taking classes to meet new people, and trying new things.