Daniel Miller
Co-Portfolio Manager
AIM Course and Fund
The Applied Investment Management (AIM) course has long been a cornerstone of the Capital Markets and Investment Management curriculum and a key to student success. Founded by Professor Mustafa Gültekin in 1999, the course is one of the more popular offerings in the School and enrolls both graduate and undergraduate students through an application process. Participants consistently rate the course as the most important educational experience of their time at UNC Kenan-Flagler.
The AIM course allows students to develop their skills in all areas of investment management and provides a unique experience for students entering related fields. The program combines classroom coverage of MBA-level material in finance with hands-on applications, skill development and an opportunity to learn from, and interact with, program alumni and other successful financial analysts. Students learn advanced concepts in finance, gain exposure to new analytical tools, acquire knowledge about the workings of financial markets, and develop intuition about value-creation through stimulating and challenging coursework. Students hear from a number of high-profile guest speakers to enhance their understanding of the real world application of financial analysis and portfolio management.
The AIM class actively manages the Global Perspectives Fund. The fund has about $2 million in Assets Under Management invested in equities, and it has flexibility to invest in other asset classes, if economical. The AIM class will allow you to greatly expand your skills in investment management and will provide invaluable experience for students entering a wide range of investment-related fields.
AIM is an applied 6-credit course over two semesters, where you have an opportunity to apply what you have learned in other finance courses. You may take the course for one semester or both and receive proportional credit. The course is open to qualified MBA and undergraduate students. The next AIM class will begin in Mod I of fall 2024 and run through Mod IV of 2025. Admitted students are strongly encouraged to attend the class during Mod IV (starting in March 2024) to familiarize themselves with portfolio positions and the investment process, ahead of the transition to next year’s team.
For undergraduate students, the pre-requisite courses are 407 (Financial Accounting) and 408 (Corp Finance), with 580 (Investments) and 584 (Financial Modeling) recommended. For MBA students, the pre-requisite courses are Investments 1 and 2. You should have the ability to pull up a company’s 10K filing, locate the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and know what most of the terms mean. Since this is an applied course, there is minimal formal instruction; instead, you are expected to apply what you know, with feedback provided.
The AIM class meets on Wednesdays, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. in the Capital Markets Lab. Please review the course syllabus for details and answers to any questions you may have before applying.
Applications are due by March 3, 2024.
Decisions and notifications will be sent out no later than March 17, 2024.
Click here for the MBA Student Application
Click here for the Undergraduate Application
Capital Markets Lab
The UNC Kenan-Flagler Capital Markets Lab is the central financial resource at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. The lab provides students with hands-on experience using the most sophisticated and ubiquitous tools in the investment management industry. The lab includes 20 Bloomberg terminals as well as research tools like FactSet, CapIQ, Morningstar, among others, and representatives of Bloomberg and FactSet visit the School to provide instruction on using their tools.
Each year more than 500 undergraduate and MBA students achieve Bloomberg certification, an important credential in the financial services industry. The Capital Markets Lab provides a real-world setting for students to manage portfolios with exposure to equities, fixed income assets, and derivatives. The lab enables world-class research for the Global Perspectives Fund, a student-run portfolio managed from the lab.
The lab was founded in 2008 and was designed to provide an applied learning experience for students concentrating in Capital Markets and Investments. The skill developed help UNC Kenan-Flagler students launch successful careers in risk management, asset management and trading positions in banks, commodity firms and hedge funds.
Passing the Torch: Future of Investment Management
Join us April 25, 2024 to honor the career and legacy of Mustafa Gültekin as he retires from UNC Kenan-Flagler. Learn more about Investment Management at UNC Kenan-Flagler, what the future holds, and how you can be a part of this amazing journey and growth. We will wrap up the event with the 2nd Annual Undergrad Alpha Competition. Click here for more information.
AIM Program leadership team
(Select photo to view full profile.)
Dimitris Dimitriou
Co-Portfolio Manager
Dimitris Dimitriou
Harrison Chapman
Chief Strategist
Harrison Chapman
Jonathan Wierman
Asset Allocation & Risk Management
Jonathan Wierman
Kasturi Bramhane
Asset Allocation & Risk Management
Kasturi Bramhane
Shannon Wulff
Investor Relations
Shannon Wulff
Stephanie Pucci
Head Trader
Stephanie Pucci
Rishi Kulkarni
Head Trader