News — The University of West Florida’s student-managed Argo Bond Fund placed second, Argo Small Fund placed second, and Argo Growth Fund placed third in each respective category of the competition at the 2025 Quinnipiac University Global Asset Management Education’s Global Portfolio Competition on April 3 and 4 in New York City. The UWF student-managed Argo Funds’ annual real-money performances were compared against other university funds’ performances over the same year. More than 130 universities and more than 1,000 students participated in the competition.
“UWF made records — UWF is the first school to place in three different categories during the same year in the 30-year history of the student-managed funds global portfolio performance competition,” said Dr. K.C. Ma, Mary Ball Washington/Switzer Brothers endowed professor of finance in UWF’s Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business.
UWF has placed in the top three in different categories for each of the three years since it started participating in the global portfolio performance competition, beginning in 2023. The judging is based on the ranking of the previous year’s audited brokerage portfolio performance numbers.
“It was an incredible honor to win three awards at the QGAME, and it was genuinely icing on the cake for me as a UWF student,” said Mike Smith, a senior finance major. “I have been recognized several times at the University level for my academic success, but representing UWF’s three finance classes for winning and being recognized globally at the QGAME was truly thrilling, unique and astonishing. Representing UWF to receive these achievements with the three other members in my group, Mike Evans, Lorenzo Weber and Rhema Volny, made this experience even more remarkable.
The Argo Funds program, established in 2019, gives students real-world experience in funds management. In 2020, the UWF Foundation Board approved the use of real money for the program’s students to manage its funds.
The QGAME conference, held annually each spring, gathers financial experts together to share their knowledge, expertise and outlook for the future with graduate and undergraduate students and faculty from universities around the globe. Weber, a senior finance major, said the event was incredibly insightful.
“Hearing from top financial professionals from leading firms is something I will not forget,” Weber said. “What interested me the most was listening to some of the most influential figures in finance share their views on the near future of the U.S. economy, especially considering the current global and domestic challenges. Gaining that level of perspective from individuals who are actively shaping the industry was truly eye-opening. Being placed in the top three across three different categories was a meaningful achievement, and many people were genuinely impressed. I am truly thankful to Dr. Ma for his support throughout the QGAME experience. I feel honored to be a UWF student.”
For more information about UWF’s Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business, visit .
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