Bison Fund

The Bison Fund is a student-run investment fund. We wield complete control over investment decisions, generating original investment ideas, conducting equity and bond research, making buy and sell decisions, managing portfolios, and mitigating risks. As members of this organization, students gain direct exposure to financial markets and industry professionals. This experience is invaluable for any student aspiring to pursue a career in finance, whether it be in corporate finance, commercial banking, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, financial planning, insurance, public accounting, or investment management. In addition to this, we have had students of other unrelated backgrounds come in and push themselves to a level equivalent to any other graduate in the finance realm. Each year, our students actively participate in the CFA Research Challenge, a platform that hones exceptional skills in equity analysis. However, we perceive the Bison Fund as more than just this. A substantial part of our focus centers on teaching students how to analyze businesses and markets by employing mental models such as those advocated by Munger, thus fostering their development beyond average stock pickers. We believe building meaningful relationships within the industry is essential to student success. Members travel extensively, meeting industry professionals and attending conferences. Members attend the CFA Dinner in Minneapolis and Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. The Bison Fund has traveled to meet dozens of firms in Minneapolis, Chicago and New York. Moreover, students who competed in past competitions traveled to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Las Vegas.