A Message from Kenneth Woods

The KWPMP program has now completed its seventh year. This year’s graduating class of nine Calvin Potter Fellows completed the two-year program in a remarkable fashion, surpassing their target benchmark! Along the way, the students benefited from the teachings of Professor Brodt and his JMSB colleagues, as well as from the close relationships that formed through the mentorship program and the invaluable guidance of the Client Committee.

It seems as though just a short while ago, Professor Brodt and I were researching and planning how the program should evolve and what achievements we could anticipate. At that time, I remember identifying the following goals:

The program would be one of excellence, accepting only six to nine students per year.
To make the program credible, students would manage a fund of real money, under the same investment policies and procedures as an actual foundation - a balanced fund with guidelines, objectives, and restrictions.
The combination of academic input from the university and close association with mentors in the industry would permit a fast-track learning curve. The Client Committee would be the equivalent of a pension fund committee, overseeing all investment activity, while permitting the “managers” to develop and hone their skills.
The two summer internships would be critical to the learning experience.
The legacy of the program would evolve as the graduate Calvin Potter Fellows fulfilled their career ambitions, hopefully building on their experience in the KWPMP.

Clearly, the program has met all of those objectives and exceeded our expectations in many ways. Over the years, following their own experiences with the program, several companies and individuals have established KWPMP student scholarships, which have further increased the attractiveness of the program. We also have an alumni-produced "Ticker Tape" newsletter and a new course that is being taught by some of our former graduates.

Most importantly, our graduates tell us that they credit our program with having helped them discover the world of investing and learn about risk taking, team-work, and how to present their ideas in public, all while establishing invaluable contacts in the business world.

-Mr. Kenneth Woods