Odette alumnus John Simpson.Odette alumnus John Simpson has established a fund to give finance students experience in investing.

Alumnus gift to support hands-on investment education for Odette students

Students in the Odette School of Business’s finance program will soon get to see the true fruits of their investing labour thanks to a $150,000 gift from Odette alumnus John Simpson (MBA 1980).

Simpson, who is managing director for Ridgeview Capital Asset Management, has provided this donation to establish the John Simpson Investment Fund, which will give a select group of students an opportunity to invest real money under the supervision of an Odette faculty member and a team of three professionals.

The students will choose portfolio goals and make investment decisions as part of their curriculum, with generated income used to support Odette scholarships for students interested in finance careers.

Simpson credits instructors like professor emeritus Edward Rosenbaum for challenging him to learn as much as possible about finance. He noted that Dr. Rosenbaum’s was one of the most difficult courses he took and he continues to appreciate the mentorship Rosenbaum provided on his major project in the MBA program.

Simpson and his wife previously established the John and Maria Simpson Graduate Scholarship fund, which provides two scholarships valued at $4,000—one each for a male and female student—in appreciation for the excellent education he received at Odette. The scholarship fund recognizes hardworking and community-minded graduate students, especially ones coming to the MBA with an undergraduate degree in business.

Simpson has spoken to graduate students and undergraduates at the Odette School of Business on several occasions as part of Odette’s leader-in-residence-for-a-day program sharing what he has learned over his 35 years in the investment management business.

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