On March 18, a group of Utica University students headed to New York City for a three-day expo — an experience made possible by the Investment Club. As one of more than 100 student organizations on campus, the club offers hands-on opportunities that some students may not realize are available beyond the classroom.
Utica University offers 111 clubs and organizations, ranging from Greek life to academic and hobby groups. While many students first encounter these opportunities at orientation events such as the Involvement Fair, members of the Investment Club say getting involved doesn’t have to be limited to the start of your college career.
Anthony Pasqualetti, a senior Finance major and president of the Investment Club, said his experiences with the group have played a major part in shaping his college experience.
“It’s just great exposure — great exposure to markets, great exposure to businesses,” Pasqualetti said. “The Investment Club sets up a lot of things that you wouldn’t get to do on your own.”
The Investment Club meets every Monday at 4:30 p.m. in 212 Bull Hall, and is open to new members all year, giving students the opportunity to get involved at any point. The club actively manages a portfolio of around $300,000, allowing members to learn through doing, rather than just studying.
From March 18-21, the club traveled to New York City to attend the Quinnipiac University Game Forum, joining over 1,000 students from around the world to learn from the titans of their industries. Among the prominent guest speakers at this event were executives from BlackRock, Fidelity and many other major financial firms.
Club members also competed in the Game Forum’s Global Portfolio Competition, where they placed third in the Undergraduate Small Fund category, displaying strong portfolio performance and professional presentation skills.
Owen Lewis, also a senior Finance major and member of the Investment Club, mirrored Pasqualetti’s sentiments about the hands-on experience and praised the club’s accessibility.
“Within two weeks I went from the guy sitting in the back to walking in saying ‘What’s up?’ to everyone and ‘What are we buying today?’” Lewis said. “People are always welcome to join and our work moves really fast, it’s like you don’t have to know everything we’ve been doing to jump into the next thing.”
Junior Accounting major Jerome Nembhard said this accessibility reaches far beyond just the Investment Club.
In his experiences with the International Student Union and Student Government, Nembhard said he has always been accepted, but fears that other students might think they aren’t welcome.
“Whether it’s at the start or middle of the semester, you should take a chance (on joining a club) to experience new things and new people,” Nembhard said. “It’s always important to put your foot in the door and see what you can do.”
For students like Lewis and Nembhard, the message is simple — getting involved doesn’t require long preparation or previous experience. With organizations like the Investment Club continuing to welcome new members, the first step is often just showing up.
