Real-world experience. Real money. And a history of out-performing benchmarks.

Our student managers aren’t playing with Monopoly money! Creighton entrusts $14.5 million of its endowment to Portfolio Practicum students.

Established in 1992, Portfolio Practicum is a two-semester course in which the Heider College of Business’ top seniors apply what they have learned in the classroom to invest $9.5 million of Creighton University endowment funds. These student managers are responsible for overseeing the Creighton University Student Portfolio (CUSP) Fund and are held to the same level of accountability as outside portfolio managers by the University Investment Committee. Adhering to the principles of value investing, CUSP Fund managers have a long history of managing the portfolio against their benchmark, the Russel 1000, and progressing to successful financial careers upon graduation. Today, the CUSP Fund remains one of the largest equity portfolios managed entirely by university students.

Heider Investment and Securities Analysis Center

Because Every Fund Manager Needs State-of-the-Art Investment Tools

As CUSP Fund managers, your “lab” is the Heider Securities Investment and Analysis Center, modeled after the New York Stock Exchange. Conduct analyses at one of the 10 Bloomberg terminals, keep track of the latest market numbers on the center’s 42-foot LED ticker display, and finalize presentations on the three 110-inch, fully interactive video walls. If you are investing real money, you need real tools of the trade. 

To apply for the FIN 435 Portfolio Practicum course, please submit the following by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, via this online form:

  1. A one-page personal resume that includes your grade point average, work experience, investment experience and whatever other experiences you feel qualify you for this class. You may break your grade point down into areas, such as cumulative, in Finance, in the Heider College of Business or the last year. Feel free to add any insights about your grade point average.
  2. A one-page paper detailing the reasons you want to take the course.
  3. Print out and complete this cover letter, providing your name, phone number, email address and the semester you took FIN 325. You will need to have the cover letter signed by a Heider College of Business faculty member from whom you have taken a class.

Application Evaluations

  • A finance professor and several members of the current portfolio class will interview you prior to your acceptance into the course.
  • You will need to select an interview time. Applicants will be notified how to do this.
  • You will be notified via email with details regarding the interview.

Prior to the start of registration for the Fall semester, you will be notified by e-mail regarding your application for the class. If accepted, you will be granted an override that will allow you to register for the class. 

Additional Information
The Portfolio Practicum is a two-class sequence open to seniors who will have completed FIN 325 by the start of class. When you apply for FIN 435 you are committing to taking FIN 436 during the Spring semester as well. The course requires considerable outside work so only students who have adequate time to commit to the course should consider applying. If you have any questions about the application process or the Portfolio Practicum course, please feel free to contact Melissa Woodley in Harper 3016D or by email at melissawoodley@creighton.edu.

  • Two-semester course open to all seniors within the Heider College of Business, not just finance and accounting students, who demonstrate an interest in and ability to manage a stock portfolio
  • Students must apply and interview for portfolio manager positions 
  • Student managers adhere to the principles of value investing 
  • The class is supervised by instructors who provide educational and structural guidance
  • Student portfolio managers write research reports, make investment presentations and actively manage the CUSP Fund, which, in part, funds student scholarships for Creighton students
  • Student managers report to the University Investment Committee and are monitored and evaluated in manner similar to other portfolio managers
  • CUSP managers organize and oversee the Value Investing Panel

Portfolio Practicum Class Rosters
 

2023-2024 Roster

Danny Akkad
Jessica Barich
Michael Buckley
Rachel Bullerjahn
Zacchary (Zac) Collins
Peter Daood
Ethan Doan
Brendan Downey
Jared Eastman
Molly Goldsmith
Greg Gonzalez
Jacey Greco
Mary Kate Kelly
Drew Krouse
Bengt Morvice
Banyan Neece
Joshua Nguyen
Charlie Okolita
Sean Peck
Charley Pugsley
Noah Ralofsky


2022-2023 Roster

Katie Allen
Emma Cox
Spencer Dunckley
Juan Carlos Fernandez Wohler
Riley Gill
Cole Goeltl
Maggie Harens
Tristan Houk
Evan Hughes
Joseph Joas
Henry Lewis
Colin McCabe
Daniel Ralls
Cole Sheridan
James Steichen
Jackson Strombeck
Evan Weerts
 



2021-2022 Roster

Daniel Bohnemann
Eric Cote
Jack Eckels
Haley Gilbertson
Ethan Hill
Brennan Horak
David (Minh) Huynh
Gabrielle Keaton
Colin Lakeman
Alex Littleton
Josephine Otto
Dave Roberts
Jake Ronneberg
Noah Schalley
Kristian Shad
Jackson Stamper
Annie Trettel
Izzy Watts
Jack Wolfgram
 



2020-2021 Roster

Joe Baker
Nick Behrendt
Jack Carmody
Aria Fukumae
Brian Gill
Margaret Hickey
Brennan James
Kyle Kidder
Sophie Kouri
Stephen Lacke
Lucas Lampe
Tyler Piper
Jeremy Plummer
Sydney Rand
Ryan Schmidt
Lauren Schmitz
Jacob Straub
Karli Sugar
Teddy Tornow
Soren Van Houten
Katie Whittelsey
Paul Wise
 



2019-2020 Roster

Nate Bailey
Michael Carr
Jonathan Chinn
Christian Diaz
Adam Eich
Michael Green
Jacob Grill
Adam Hanna
Brady Happe
Caleb Labude
Anna Lillis
Lucas Love
Jared Marr
Tyler Messenger
Zack Miske
Zack Munger
Cale Pleak
Connor Sheridan
Matt Sherlock
Jacob Smuda
Elias Weber

 


 

2018-2019 Roster

Blake Anderson
Josiah Choy
Joe Cribbin
Anh Do (Kim)
Jacob Halstrom
Joey Krebs
Caroline Lake
Emmett LeFevour
Morgan Malo
Nik McGannon
Andrew Murphy
Keegan Phelan
Connor Ramlo
Dayton Rand
Tanner Saporito
Oscar Skjerven
Ryan Southworth
Mackenzie Tommins
Tarun Velanjeri
Bobbi Whisler
 



2017-2018 Roster

Mitchell Albrecht
Eric Austin
Scott Borcher
Daniel Broderick
Charlie Bolton
Cody Cullen
Thomas Digenan
Andrew Grill
Nick Guarino
James Huiskamp
Mary Laughlin
Katherine Lynch
Charles Manion
Renato Morais
Grant Munson
Steven Niday
Trevor Peterson
Quin Rowen
Thomas Schroeder
Nikolas Shad
Robert Schultz
Jennifer Taniguchi

Meet the 2024-25 CUSP Fund student managers.

Blake Eason

Kylie Eker

Tate Engleson

Kristina Frewerd

Caleb J. Hauser

William Kaatz

Ian Middendorf 

Thomas Moser

Alden Moss

Eleanor Nentl

Richard (Riley) Oldani

Tommy Pugsley

Sebastian Ruccolo

Eddie Salinas

Blake Stawarz

Caroline Steill

Brooks Stein

Colton Stock

Jack Sutton

Timothy Tarantino

Jacob Warmka

Stephen Wheadon

Grant Willis

Meet the 2023-24 CUSP Fund student managers, and read their investment articles that illustrate their analyses and the resulting buy and sell decisions.

Danny Akkad

Major(s): Accounting and Finance
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Internship(s): Piper Sandler, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Five Elms Capital, Kansas City, Missouri; Deloitte & Touche, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: 2023 CUSP Sector Attribution

Rachel Bullerjahn

Major(s): Business Intelligence and Analytics and Finance
Hometown: Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Internship(s): Cornerstone Wealth Advisors, Edina, Minnesota; Gallup, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: CUSP 2023 Returns Analysis

Zacchary Collins

Major(s): FinTech and Business Intelligence and Analytics (BIA)
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
Internship(s): Koley Jessen, Omaha Nebraska; Ludacka Wealth Management, Omaha, Nebraska; Milli Bank, Omaha, Nebraska; Werner Enterprises, Omaha, Nebraska; TD Ameritrade, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: 2023 CUSP Sector Attribution

Peter Daood

Major(s): Finance and Master of Investment Management and Financial Analysis (MIMFA) candidate
Hometown: Wichita, Kansas
Internship(s): Dundee Venture Capital, Omaha, Nebraska; Gallup, Omaha, Nebraska; Bank of America Securities (Tech ECM), Palo Alto, California; Goss and Associates, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: Capturing Value Through Core and Satellite Holdings

Ethan Doan

Major(s): Computer Science and Fintech
Hometown: Irvine, California
Internship(s): Union Pacific, Omaha, Nebraska; Valmont Industries Inc., Omaha, Nebraska; Mutual of Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska; Gallup, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: CUSP 2023 Returns Analysis

Jared Eastman

Program: Business Intelligence and Analytics and Finance
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Internship(s): Prodigy Asset Management, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: Investment Style CUSP 2023-24

Molly Goldsmith

Major(s): Finance
Hometown: Castle Rock, Colorado
Internship(s): FTI Consulting, Chicago, Illinois
Analysis Article: CUSP 2024 Sector Allocation

Greg Gonzalez

Major(s): Finance and Economics
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Internship(s): U.S. House of Representatives, Omaha, Nebraska; Union Pacific, Omaha, Nebraska; Bridgepoint Investment Banking, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: Investment Style CUSP 2023-24

Drew Krouse

Majors: Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Health Sciences (pre-dental) track
Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Internship(s): The First National Bank, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Analysis Article: CUSP 2024 Sector Allocation

Bengt Morvice

Major(s): Accounting and Finance
Hometown: Geneva, Illinois
Internship(s): Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Insurance Company, Omaha, Nebraska; Lockton Companies, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: 2024: A Year in Review

Banyan Neece

Major: Economics and Finance
Hometown: Lahaina, Hawaii
Internship(s): CC Capital Advisors, Kansas City, Missouri; Five Elms Capital, Kansas City, Missouri; Sower Investment Partners, Omaha, Nebraska; Wolfe Research, New York City, New York; Union Pacific Railroad Company, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: 2024: A Year in Review

Joshua Nguyen

Majors: Finance (Financial Planning track)
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
Internships: Charles Schwab, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: 2024 CUSP Market Cap Analysis

Sean Peck

Major(s): Business Intelligence and Analytics and FinTech
Hometown: Wheaton, Illinois
Internship(s): Milli Bank, Omaha, Nebraska; RSM, Chicago, Illinois
Analysis Article: Capturing Value Through Core and Satellite Holdings

Noah Ralofsky

Major(s): Finance
Hometown: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Internship(s): LRS Healthcare, Omaha, Nebraska
Analysis Article: 2024 CUSP Market Cap Analysis

Meet the 2022-23 CUSP Fund student managers, and read their investment articles that illustrate their analyses and the resulting buy and sell decisions.

Katie Allen

Major(s): Master of Finance (MFIN)
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Internship(s): Kiewit Corporation, Omaha, Nebraska
Decision Article: CUSP managers vote to maintain status quo in the communications sector

Emma Cox

Major(s): Finance (Financial Services track)
Hometown: Roseville, Minnesota
Internship(s): Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, Nebraska; Conagra Brands, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: Construction Solutions Consultant, FTI Consulting, Seattle, Washington
Decision Article: CUSP managers add Crocs Inc. in March 2023
Analysis Article: Investment style

Spencer Dunckley

Major(s): Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Accounting
Hometown: Beaverton, Oregon
Internship(s): KPMG, Omaha, Nebraska; National Indemnity, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: FSO Audit Staff, EY, Chicago, Illinois
Decision Article: NXP Semiconductors replaces Micron Technology in the CUSP
Analysis Article: Capturing value through satellite holdings

Juan Carlos Fernandez Wohler

Major(s): Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Business Intelligence & Analytics (Information Technology track)
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Internship(s): TD Ameritrade, Omaha, Nebraska
Decision Article: MPW: purchased to further diversify the real estate sector
Analysis Article: CUSP returns analysis

Riley Gill

Major(s): Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Business Intelligence & Analytics (Information Technology track)
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Internship(s): Chartwell Financial Advisory, Chicago, Illinois; TD Ameritrade, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: Investment Banking Analyst, Chartwell Financial Advisory, Chicago, Illinois 
Decision Article: Materials sector moves out of commodities and into fertilizer
Analysis Article: CUSP 2023 sector allocation

Cole Goeltl

Major(s): Finance and Accounting
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Internship(s): Strategy&, Chicago, Illinois; Deloitte, Omaha, Nebraska; Five Elms Capital, Kansas City, Missouri; Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: Associate Consultant, Bain & Company, Denver, Colorado
Decision Article: CUSP sells Allstate to purchase Aon
Analysis Article: A Year in Review

Maggie Harens

Major(s): Finance and Economics
Hometown: Edina, Minnesota
Internship(s): Advance Triwest Equipment, St. Paul, Minnesota; Integrated Trade Finance, Omaha, Nebraska; National Indemnity, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: FSO Business Consultant, Ernst and Young, Kansas City, Missouri
CUSP managers vote to maintain status quo in the communications sector

Tristan Houk

Major(s): Finance
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida
Internship(s): National Indemnity Company, Omaha, Nebraska
Decision Article: CUSP managers buy Corning Inc. and rebalance technology
Analysis Article: CUSP returns analysis

Evan Hughes

Program: Master of Investment Management and Financial Analysis (MIMFA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Hometown: Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Internship(s): Prodigy Asset Management, Omaha, Nebraska; Principal Asset Management, Des Moines, Iowa
Decision Articles: CUSP managers add Crocs Inc. in March 2023
The season of staples: it is no longer Modelo time
Analysis Article: Investment style

Joseph Joas

Major(s): Finance and Accounting
Hometown: Edina, Minnesota
Internship(s): PwC Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory Services, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Decision Article: Financials: Evercore is replaced by Carlyle Group

Henry Lewis II

Major(s): Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Marketing
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Internships: Conagra Brands, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: Financial Analyst, Conagra Brands, Chicago, IL
Decision Articles: Exelixis’s TKI-based products spark a purchase for CUSP managers
McKesson’s operating consistency makes it a buy for CUSP managers
Analysis Article: 2022 CUSP return attribution

Colin McCabe

Major(s): Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Accounting
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Internship(s): Grant Thornton, Chicago, Illinois; IAMS Wealth Management, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: M&A Associate, Grant Thornton, Chicago, Illinois
Decision Articles: Exelixis’s TKI-based products spark a purchase for CUSP managers
McKesson’s operating consistency makes it a buy for CUSP managers
Analysis Article: 2022 CUSP return attribution

Daniel Ralls

Majors: Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Military Management
Hometown: San Mateo, California
Post-graduation Employment: Field Artillery Officer, U.S. Army, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
Decision Article: CUSP sells Allstate to purchase Aon
Analysis Article: A Year in Review

Cole Sheridan

Major(s): Finance and Economics
Hometown: Shawnee, Kansas
Internship(s): Arthur J. Gallagher, Omaha, Nebraska; First Westroads Bank, Omaha, Nebraska; Five Elms Capital, Kansas City, Missouri, McCarthy Capital, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: Investment Banking Analyst, Stephens, New York, New York
Decision Article: NXP Semiconductors replaces Micron Technology in the CUSP
Analysis Article: Capturing value through satellite holdings

James Steichen

Major: Finance (Financial Analysis track)
Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma 
Internship(s): Mariner Wealth Advisors, Omaha, Nebraska; Gavilon, Omaha, Nebraska 
Post-graduation Employment: Healthcare Analyst, CIBC, Chicago, Illinois
Analysis Articles: 2023 CUSP market cap analysis
United Rentals and Herc Rentals replace Triton International in the CUSP industrials holdings

Jackson Strombeck

Majors: Finance (Financial Analysis track) and Economics
Hometown: Hartland, Wisconsin
Internships: Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; BHHIC, Omaha, Nebraska; Northwestern Mutual, Omaha, Nebraska
Post Grad: Lender Services Consultant, FTI Consulting, Chicago, Illinois
Decision Article: Materials sector moves out of commodities and into fertilizer
Analysis Article: CUSP 2023 sector allocation

Evan Weerts

Major(s): Master of Investment Management and Financial Analysis
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana
Internship(s): Mutual of Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
Post-graduation Employment: Financial Analyst, Mutual of Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
Decision Article: The season of staples: it is no longer Modelo time
Analysis Article: 2023 CUSP market cap analysis
United Rentals and Herc Rentals replace Triton International in the CUSP industrials holdings

 

2022-2023 CUSP Decisions

CUSP managers add Crocs Inc. in March 2023 (Cox and Hughes)

Materials sector moves out of commodities and into fertilizer (Gill and Strombeck)

CUSP sells Allstate to purchase Aon (Goeltl and Ralls)

Exelixis’s TKI-based products spark a purchase for CUSP managers (Lewis and McCabe)

McKesson’s operating consistency makes it a buy for CUSP managers (Lewis and McCabe)

NXP Semiconductors replaces Micron Technology in the CUSP (Dunckley and Sheridan)

The season of staples: it is no longer Modelo time (Hughes and Weerts)

CUSP managers buy Corning Inc. and rebalance technology (Houk)

CUSP managers vote to maintain status quo in the communications sector (Allen and Harens)

MPW: purchased to further diversify the real estate sector (Fernandez Wohlers)

United Rentals and Herc Rentals replace Triton International in the CUSP industrials holdings (Steichen and Weerts)

Financials: Evercore is replaced by Carlyle Group (Joas)

 

2023 CUSP Analysis

CUSP returns analysis (Fernandez Wohlers and Houk)

2023 CUSP market cap analysis (Steichen and Weerts)

Capturing value through satellite holdings (Dunckley and Sheridan)

2022 CUSP return attribution (Lewis and McCabe)

A Year in Review (Goeltl and Ralls)

CUSP 2023 sector allocation (Gill and Strombeck)

Investment style (Cox and Hughes)

2022-2023 CUSP Fund Buy and Sell Decisions

 

May 2023 CUSP Academic Year End Holdings

HoldingSharesMarket ValueWeight
    Consumer Discretionary $1,029,711.1010.88%
Amazon1,680$174,720.001.85%
Booking Hldgs50$130,178.501.38%
Crox Inc1,100$120,835.001.28%
McDonalds850$250,886.002.65%
O Reilly Automotive180$168,051.601.78%
Ulta360$185,040.001.96%
    Consumer Staples $842,676.258.91%
Caseys925$220,066.752.33%
Kroger Co3,780$182,498.401.93%
Pepsico1,495$289,103.103.06%
Philip Morris Intl1,600$151,008.001.60%
    Energy $196,215.752.07%
Callon Pete Co775$24,373.750.26%
Chevron Corp1,100$171,842.001.82%
    Financials $1,113,321.0011.77%
AON PLC520$166,764.001.76%
Assurant Inc1,070$139,485.201.47%
Bank Of America5,700$153,843.001.63%
Carlyle Group6,100$156,892.001.66%
Evercore1,470$157,054.801.66%
Jpmorgan Chase 1,350$181,062.001.91%
Prudential Finl2,000$158,220.001.67%
    Health Care $1,400,901.2014.80%
Abbott1,500$166,290.001.76%
Exelixis Inc5,000$97,400.001.03%
McKesson Corp430$152,667.201.61%
Medtronic2,165$193,269.552.04%
Regeneron250$188,470.001.99%
Resmed725$168,265.251.78%
Unitedhealth Group465$226,585.202.39%
Vertex600$207,954.002.20%
    Industrials $1,000,203.7510.57%
3M Company690$70,269.600.74%
Acuity Brands1,090$168,895.501.78%
Boeing700$137,935.001.46%
Fedex520$117,712.401.24%
Herc Holdings725$68,389.250.72%
Snap On Inc710$183,662.801.94%
U Haul3,330$179,453.701.90%
United Rentals225$73,885.500.78%
    Information Technology $2,372,968.4025.08%
Adobe550$184,706.501.95%
Apple1,400$232,106.002.45%
Applied Matls1,800$202,410.002.14%
Corning4,500$141,165.001.49%
Fabrinet Shs1,350$123,160.501.30%
Lam Resh350$179,284.001.89%
Microsoft1,010$308,464.103.26%
Mks Instrument1,120$94,259.201.00%
NXP Semiconductors830$135,945.701.44%
Oracle2,500$237,425.002.51%
Qualcomm Inc1,200$127,896.001.35%
Teradyne1,480$133,170.401.41%
Visa Inc Com1,210$272,976.002.57%
    Materials $298,302.003.15%
Albemarle460$80,799.000.85%
Bery Global2,060$116,287.001.23%
Nutrien LTD1,600$101,216.001.07%
    Real Estate $376,546.203.98%
American Tower495$96,228.001.02%
Medical Properties Trust7,900$66,439.000.70%
Prologis Inc1,090$136,119.201.44%
VICI Properties Inc2,400$77,760.000.82%
    Communication Services $827,801.558.75%
Alphabet Inc Cap Stk2,400$252,504.002.67%
Disney Walt1,410$137,404.501.45%
Electronic Arts1,200$148,812.001.57%
Meta Platforms440$102,748.801.09%
Nexstar Media Group825$129,186.751.37%
Verizon Communications1,530$57,145.500.60%

Due to Covid 19, we did not produce Portfolio Practicum annual reports for the last two years. Previous years’ reports can be viewed here:

  • Value Investing Panel (VIP), organized and run by Portfolio Practicum students, is an investor educational event designed for individuals interested in value investing 
  • The panel is comprised of highly-regarded investment professionals from across the U.S. who come together to share their insights on how to be a successful investor
  • VIP is open to the public and held in conjunction with the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting
  • Panelists first respond to and discuss student questions then address audience questions

View Value Investing Program