DAYTON — The University of Dayton is trusting more of its endowment funds to student investors.

The investment committee for UD’s board of trustees on Friday, Oct. 16, approved the addition of $2 million over the next four months to the Flyer Equity Fund, bringing the fund total to $10.5 million.

The student-managed investment fund has beat the S&P 500 index at the one-, three-, five- and 10-year benchmarks, according to Thomas Burkhardt, the university’s vice president for finance and administrative services.

“It’s not only an unparalleled learning experience for our finance students, it’s a prudent business decision for the university,” Burkhardt said.

While a number of professional investment firms manage the university’s $363 million endowment, the student-managed portfolio continues to perform exceptionally well, Burkhardt said.

The Flyer Equity Fund is one of the nation’s 15 largest investment funds managed by undergraduate students, according to university officials.

Each semester about 15 students manage the portfolio in the university’s Davis Center for Portfolio Management, which simulates Wall Street with the same analytical software and database subscription services used by global financial institutions.

Through their hands-on work at the Davis Center, students become adept with professional finance tools, sharpen teamwork skills and develop advanced analytic abilities, said Matthew Shank, dean of the School of Business Administration.

“The undergraduates who come through this program have a definite competitive advantage in job hunting,” Shank said.

In spring 2009, all 10 Davis Center graduates landed finance jobs before graduation day, according to university officials.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.