Todd and Lisa Halbrook Center for Investment and Wealth Management

Jessica Tam
"The Stock Market Competition is such a great opportunity for students to practice investing. My favorite part is that ranking in the SMC is not purely based on return on investment, but also includes an evaluation of a written paper and presentation. I joined the SMC and FLA to really test my investing skills and broaden my perspectives on personal finance. I know how important it is to start early when it comes to investing, so I thought this was the perfect chance for me to get more practical experience.

As an undergraduate at UCI, there is no better opportunity to practice investing while also hearing from experts on the subject. Learning how to efficiently and effectively summarize insights from company data to evaluate stocks, as well as more generalized personal finance strategies such as managing credit were extremely valuable lessons. FLA consistently brought out great speakers, and I was always very interested in the variety of topics covered. Personal finance is a subject that I believe everyone should learn, and the Stock Market Competition workshops allowed for myself and many others to absorb impactful lessons from finance professionals.

I am very grateful to have participated in the myriad of opportunities available through the Stock Market Competition and FLA. It was an amazing experience, and I'd highly recommend any fellow undergraduates at UCI to participate, it is not just a great resource to test your investing skills, but also a fun way to get hands on with investing in a risk-free environment."

Katy Ying Chen
"Participating in FLA's Stock Market Competition (SMC) was an invaluable experience that has significantly shaped my understanding of investing. With limited investing experience, FLA served as the cornerstone of my financial literacy by providing accessible and digestible resources that eased the learning curve. Through weekly workshops led by experts and guest speakers, I gained valuable insights into investing basics and why early investment is crucial for wealth-building. The simulation aspect allowed me to experiment with different strategies and visualize the impact of scaling contributions. FLA's emphasis on long-term investment over short-term gains resonated with me as I believe that money should work for you, not the other way around. My motivation to join the competition also stemmed from wanting to strengthen my understanding of finance, with the ultimate goal of promoting financial education. The opportunity to take part in the SMC has not only equipped me with practical knowledge but also empowered me to take control of my financial future."