KAMLOOPS—Students in Thompson Rivers University’s (TRU) School of Business and Economics will get to experience what a stock trading floor feels like due to a significant donor investment. Raymond James (Canada) Ltd. in partnership with FactSet—a financial data and software company—are equipping a new trading lab with a total contribution valued at more than $550,000.
The gift provides five state-of-the-art, dual-screen trading stations, a five-year commitment to equip the stations with sophisticated research and analysis software, and training for students. Now operational, the Raymond James Trading Lab will be utilized primarily by finance students and is the first of its kind on campus.
“The new trading floor will elevate the experiential learning by providing professional training and research experience for our students,” said TRU School of Business and Economics Dean Mike Henry. “Having access to specialized tools used in the finance industry and mentoring from a finance professional are incredibly valuable ways to better prepare them for their careers.”
The idea for the trading lab started with TRU business students Adam Burke and Jacob Lawrence, who created the TRU Student Investment Fund (TRUSIF) in 2019 with support from Raymond James, TRU and the Chartered Financial Analyst Society (CFA). Through the TRUSIF, students manage a portfolio of Canadian and U.S. equities, gaining valuable knowledge and skills in equity research, financial modeling, portfolio tracking, teamwork and public relations. Their business case for the trading floor identified the value that hands-on experience would add to their education.
“We’re really excited to have concrete support from an industry player,” Burke said. “The new trading floor will provide TRU students the advantageous opportunity to practice with professional resources.”
“We’re also thrilled about the community response and engagement, and proud of the diverse group of student fund managers and analysts that we have cultivated,” Lawrence said.
Paul Siluch of Raymond James (Canada) Ltd. has worked as a portfolio manager with TRU since 1993, when the institution was still Cariboo College. He has witnessed the enthusiasm expressed by students who have been assigned the task of investing a small part of the university’s investment portfolio.
“These incredibly motivated students took TRUSIF from an idea to an actual portfolio management class,” he said. “Thanks to their idea, these new high-performance systems will make TRU’s trading lab a state-of-the-art department overnight.”
In addition to this contribution, Raymond James recently established a new annual award, the Raymond James Indigenous Finance Award, to encourage Indigenous students to consider the wide variety of options available in a career in finance and business.
Contact:
Mike Henry, Dean, School of Business and Economics
Thompson Rivers University
250-320-7311 | trusif@tru.ca
About Raymond James:
Raymond James is a leading North American independent full-service investment dealer offering an extensive range of professional investment services and products, including private wealth management services, financial and estate planning services, portfolio management, insurance, trust services, equity research, investment banking and institutional sales and trading. Through its network of more than 8,400 financial/investment advisors and portfolio managers across Canada, the United States and key international centres, Raymond James manages more than US$1.17 trillion in client assets under administration. The firm has over 64 research analysts covering more than 1,100 companies in Canada, the US and internationally.
About FactSet:
FactSet (NYSE:FDS | NASDAQ:FDS) delivers superior content, analytics, and flexible technology to help more than 155,000 users see and seize opportunity sooner. We give investment professionals the edge to outperform with informed insights, workflow solutions across the portfolio lifecycle and industry-leading support from dedicated specialists. We’re proud to be recognized with multiple awards for our analytical and data-driven solutions and repeatedly scored 100 by the Human Rights Campaign® Corporate Equality Index for our LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices. Subscribe to our thought leadership blog for insights daily at insight.factset.com. Learn more at factset.com and follow on Twitter: twitter.com/factset.
About Thompson Rivers University:
Focused on the needs of students, the community and the world, TRU believes everyone who seeks an excellent education should have one. From trades to academics, from certificates to graduate degrees, TRU offers over 140 on-campus programs and 60 Open Learning programs. Opened in 1970, TRU now serves more than 25,000 students, from the region and around the world. They can study on campus in Kamloops or Williams Lake, BC or by distance or online courses with Open Learning. Students choose from flexible learning options, access individualized student services and hands-on learning opportunities and thrive in a diverse, inclusive environment. Learn more at tru.ca.
