On Friday, May 9, the University of Lynchburg’s Student-managed Investment Fund thanked board member Gillian Smith Stoettner ’91, who was indispensable in its formation and maintenance.
In her honor, the fund was renamed the Gillian Stoettner Student-managed Investment Fund.
“It’s all about her supporting [the students] as a champion and encourager, as well as financially,” said Price Jett, vice president of finance and operation services at Lynchburg.
The Student-managed Investment Fund, or SMIF, allows students to use funds from the University’s endowment to invest in real-world financial markets, gaining invaluable experience and skills.
“This is a huge benefit to our students with an interest in finance and investments,” Jett said. “It is both a resume booster and a skill booster.”
At 1:30 p.m., the Flippin, Bruce, and Porter Trading Room in Schewel Hall, where the SMIF operates, was packed wall to wall with University administrators, faculty, and students who came out to show their appreciation for Stoettner.
Dr. Michael Schnur, assistant professor of economics and the investment fund’s faculty director, gave the opening remarks, saying the SMIF was not just a club but a real-world business fund.
“[The students] make the call,” he said, “They are the ones spending hundreds of thousands of dollars. …
“I know we were successful because our alums are in a phenomenal position, and our students can get jobs after.”
A procession of students expressed their gratitude to Stoettner, explaining how the project would not have been possible without her financial support.
Referring to Stoettner’s financial backing, Haleigh Casey ’25, the fund’s co-president, said, “Honestly, we were not expecting it. It was something that allowed us to do more than we could ever imagine. …
“[The investment fund] was something that, whenever I went into any interview, as soon as I started talking about it, the vibe immediately shifted. They realized I knew exactly what I was talking about. Their eyes lit up.”
Casey, who will graduate from Lynchburg on Thursday, went on to say that because of the investment fund, she has already secured a job in business development and account management for clinical enrollment in Charlottesville, Virginia.
SMIF Co-president Andrew Jamison ’25, a transfer student from Hampden-Sydney, has been trading on the stock market since 2018. He spoke of the SMIF’s benefits and the challenges posed by recent instability in the stock market.
“What an interesting time,” he said, “to be a freshman, getting in on the fund. … To see this volatility, that is really an amazing opportunity for these younger students, and something I know they really appreciated.”
Another student who spoke was Reid Rouse ’26, the investment fund’s incoming president.
“When I came into the program, I had just turned 18,” Rouse said. “I didn’t even know what a bond was. Now, the treasurer of Bedford County is coming to me with a $100,000,000 bond portfolio and I’m running simulations on it. That is so surreal to me.
Rouse went on to say that Lynchburg’s program gives students a unique advantage that students at even larger schools like Yale and Harvard do not enjoy.
“We are making the pitches,” he said. “We decide what to invest in. … That’s something you don’t get anywhere else, especially this close to the action.”
This summer, Rouse will have an internship at the University of Richmond’s Spider Management Company. In the fall of 2026, he will be working toward his master’s in finance at Georgetown University.
After the students’ testimonials, an emotional Stoettner addressed the assembly.
“I love this school,” she said. “I love all of you. I am lucky enough to be a part of a family that has the resources to give back.”
Stoettner said the school “caught up with” her nine years ago and brought her back to campus as a board of advisors member. She served on that committee for five years, three as chair, before joining the board of trustees.
Soon after, Stoettner was made investment committee chair.
“I thought that was a bit odd, considering I was an early childhood education major,” she said, “but it’s amazing what can happen when you have a background from the University of Lynchburg.”
As investment chair, Stoettner listened and responded to the needs of the University’s students, coordinated with endowment groups like Common Fund and Spider Management Company, and contributed her own funds to make sure Lynchburg’s SMIF had what it needed to succeed.
“I am so proud of all of you,” Stoettner told the students. “You have an amazing team here. You know what you are trying to work toward, and you are doing it!”
In conclusion, Stoettner encouraged the students to keep working and build even bigger.
“This is just the beginning,” she said. “Things are going to keep climbing from here, and you will be able to say, ‘I was a part of that.’”
