The Nittany Lion Fund
A learning experience like no other
Photo by Hudson Ardizone-West
The Nittany Lion Fund (NLF) is a student-managed investment fund with ~$13.50 MM assets under management. One of the first of its kind, the portfolio's direction is under complete discretion of the student Fund Managers that are involved in the organization.
As a freshman, I was extremely humbled by the opportunity to join the NLF and gain invaluable foundational knowledge in the finance field.
What We Do
On a day-to-day basis, Fund Managers complete sector and holding analysis, earnings reports, valuation models, and more through preparing correspondence and pitch decks. The organization helps demonstrate the importance of attention to detail, accountability, and continuous learning and self improvement.
Currently, I serve as a Lead Portfolio Manager for the Consumer Staples Sector and the Director of Media for the NLF. (Photo Source: The Daily Collegian)
As a Lead Portfolio Manager, I was entrusted to guide the direction of the ~$1.00 MM my Associate and I manage and work together with my colleagues to produce pitch materials, valuation models, various reports, and more.
As the Director of Media, I helped enhance the external branding of the organization in partnership with organization leadership. Specifically, I helped develop a new website for the organization over the course of 2022 and 2023, which receives thousands of views annually.
The NLF is an incredible experience that has accelerated my personal and professional growth within college and finance while also further strengthening my interest in a full-time career in the field.
NLF Projects
Below are some examples of my work in the Nittany Lion Fund throughout my involvement in the organization.
The Estée Lauder Companies Bench Pitch
As a new associate on the Nittany Lion Fund, I was assigned to create a bench pitch for a company within our sector independently. Since I am in the Consumer Staples Sector, I decided to pitch The Estée Lauder Companies to be added to our portfolio to gain exposure to the Personal Products subsector. It was a fantastic experience and received good feedback from my fellow Fund Managers.
New Nittany Lion Fund Website
As the Director of Media for the Nittany Lion Fund, one of my primary responsibilities was to help redesign the organization's website that is viewed by thousands of people each year, ranging from prospective Penn State students, potential investors, recruiters, and the public at large. From August 2022 to December 2023, I worked with the Penn State Information Technology Department to help redesign the site with new sections to describe the Nittany Lion Fund and our mission, an interactive team page, and a dedicated page for potential recruitment opportunities.
Merger and Acquisition Model
One of the capstone deliverables as an Associate on the Nittany Lion Fund is creating a pitch for a potential merger between two companies. I chose Estée Lauder acquiring COTY, and created a merger model that included pro-forma financial statements, as well as a three statement model for both the target and acquiring firm. It was a great learning experience to scratch the surface on M&A deals.
Scotts Miracle-Gro Stock Pitch
This project was created as part of a competition for a finance organization at Penn State. The objective was to pitch a buy for any public company within certain parameters. I managed to place first individually in the competition out of 17 teams between 1-3 people. I used this competition as an opportunity to learn how to create a pitch deck, value a company, and present it in front of an audience.
Shake Shack Pitch
This project was created as part of the interview process for the Nittany Lion Fund (NLF). The Nittany Lion Fund is one of few student-run organizations in the world that manages a hedge fund portfolio, with over $14.00M in assets under management. The objective of this case study was to pitch a buy or sell for Shake Shack. After pitching this case and participating in the rest of the interview process, I was given the opportunity to join the Nittany Lion Fund as one of 12 new members of the Fall 2021 associate class.
