2016
The Fund is established
YUSIF is established with $60,000 in seed capital, with support from former Dean Dezső Horváth and the advisory board.
The Fund
Our Story
Established in 2016 with $60,000 in seed capital, YUSIF has been managed by ten cohorts of York students.
2016
Established
$60K
Seed capital
~$371K
Assets under management
34
Students
Who we are
A student-managed investment fund at the Schulich School of Business.
The York University Student Investment Fund was established in 2016 with $60,000 in seed capital. Today, the Fund is managed by 34 undergraduate students at the Schulich School of Business.
YUSIF is led by three portfolio managers and includes 31 analysts organized across six sector teams. Members participate in weekly investment meetings, two formal pitch events each year, and the three-credit Portfolio Management Guided Study. The Fund seeks to earn competitive long-term returns while preserving capital for future cohorts and providing practical experience in equity research and portfolio management.
- Established
- 2016, with $60,000 in seed capital
- Assets under management
- Approximately $371,000
- Academic year
- September to April
- Structure
- 3 portfolio managers and 31 analysts across six sector teams
- Academic program
- Three-credit Portfolio Management Guided Study
While the Fund seeks to generate returns above its benchmark, the primary focus is to preserve the capital for future students to invest.
By the numbers
Ten years in figures
100+
Alumni
250+
Pitches presented
450+
Hours of instruction
20+
Guest speakers
Since 2016
Key milestones
Selected milestones from the Fund's first decade.
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2017First investment
YUSIF makes its first investment in Bank of Nova Scotia. Contributions from alumni and sponsors increase managed capital to approximately $260,000.
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2018Formal pitch events begin
YUSIF introduces twice-yearly pitch events, where students present selected investment ideas to sponsors, mentors, and alumni in Toronto.
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2019Course credit is introduced
The Fund exits its position in Planet Fitness at a 70% gain, and Schulich begins awarding course credit for participation in YUSIF.
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2022Portfolio Management Guided Study
John Di Re becomes YUSIF's primary advisor, and the three-credit Portfolio Management Guided Study becomes a formal part of the analyst program.
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2025Capital deployment and process development
The Fund deploys more than $100,000, reducing cash from approximately 40% to 12%. YUSIF also revises its valuation framework and reorganizes the Real Assets team as Generalist.
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2025Fund performance
The Fund returns 24.0% excluding cash, approximately 4.0 percentage points above its blended benchmark.
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2026Ten years
YUSIF marks its tenth anniversary with 34 students across six sector teams and approximately $371,000 in assets under management.
Our people
The team, year by year
Each academic year, a new cohort assumes responsibility for the portfolio. From the 2016 launch to today's team, the Fund has been managed by ten cohorts of York students; the 2020-2022 teams ran the portfolio remotely through the pandemic.
2016 
2017 
2018 
2019 
2023 
2024 
2025 
2026 Fund advisor
Fund advisor
John Di Re, MBA
Managing Director, Fundamental Equities, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO)
2022
Advisor since
20+
Years in investment management
John Di Re has served as YUSIF's primary advisor since fall 2022. He teaches the three-credit Portfolio Management Guided Study for analysts in their third and fourth years and has helped develop the Fund's formal education program.
His career spans more than 20 years in investment management, including experience at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and IMCO. He holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and serves as a Schulich Executive in Residence.
At YUSIF, he has advised the redesign of the Fund's valuation framework, improving consistency across sector teams.
Leadership
Portfolio managers by academic year
The students who have led the Fund since its founding.
2025-2026 · Current
2024-2025
2023-2024
2022-2023
2021-2022
2020-2021
2019-2020
2018-2019
2017-2018
2016-2017
2015-2016 · Founding Portfolio Managers
Events
Investment meetings and pitch events
YUSIF's program includes weekly investment meetings, technical workshops, guest speakers, and sector presentations. Each semester includes a formal pitch event in Toronto, where analysts present selected investment ideas to alumni, advisory board members, mentors, and invited investment professionals.
Endorsements
Perspectives on YUSIF
Schulich is proud to play a role in developing this tremendous opportunity for undergraduate students to learn about the risks and rewards of asset management. We thank our generous alumni, friends, and the committed students making possible this real-time introduction to the exciting world of capital markets.
Dezső J. Horváth
Former Dean, Schulich School of Business
YUSIF allows students the important opportunity to manage real-life risks with real capital, an experience you simply cannot replicate with a simulated portfolio. Through our investment process, we provide students with the analytical, communication, and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in the competitive field of finance.
Matt Kleffman
BA '16, Founding Portfolio Manager · Senior Associate, Active Equities, CPP Investments
As a Schulich alumnus, I am proud to help support this initiative to mentor and train the best and brightest of tomorrow's analysts, preparing them to pursue jobs within the investment industry. I have been impressed by the caliber and enthusiasm of students I have worked with during the development of YUSIF.
George Engman
MBA '80, Former Senior Vice-President, Alberta Investment Management Corporation
Acknowledgements
Partners and supporters
YUSIF acknowledges the institutions and individuals whose financial support, advice, and time have contributed to the Fund since its establishment.
Institutional partners
Founding portfolio managers
- Matt Kleffman
- David Marrello
Founding contributors
- Anthony Faiella
- Arijit Banik
Founding donors
- Patrick Lavelle
- George Engman
- Knowledge First Foundation
- CIBC Mellon
- S&P Global Market Intelligence
Mentors and advisors
The Fund's education and investment process is supported by faculty, alumni, and industry professionals.
Faculty advisor
John Di Re
Managing Director, Fundamental Equities, IMCO
Dean
Detlev Zwick
Schulich School of Business, York University
Fund mentors
- Dave Chan CIBC Asset Management
- Izet Elmazi Bristol Gate Capital Partners
- Robert Cavallo RBC Global Asset Management
- Chung Kim Arrow Capital Management
- Vivian Lo Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
- Marina Pomerantz HOOPP
- Goshen Benzaquen BMO Global Asset Management
- Marcello Montanari RBC Global Asset Management
- Fabian Renauer Canoe Financial
- Glen Campbell SolarShare
- Dennis Snopkowski Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Advisory board and past mentors
- Karen Chiykowski Schulich School of Business
- Keith Graham Rondeau Capital
- Bruce Harrop Addenda Capital
- Heather Hunter Formerly Invesco Trimark
- Asya Levin Hines
- Sara Ly Women's College Hospital Foundation
- Esper Nemi Brookfield Asset Management
- Percil Parikh Vista Equity Partners
- Yash Patel Sirenia Capital Management
- Corrado Russo Hazelview Investments
- Anthony Scilipoti Veritas Investment Research
- Lambros Tetoros Cypress Point Investment Management
- Bogdan Tudose Wall Street Prep
