Team members who went to Dayton, left to right: Victor Balta, Caroline Harvischak, Seul Lee, George Connaughton and Fuller Callaway click to view larger version>> May 4, 2009 - (ATLANTA) - Talk about a résumé builder. Five students from Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business recently traveled to Dayton, Ohio, for the Redefining Investment Strategy Education (RISE) Conference, a forum that brings together students, faculty and investment professionals for three days of discussion. Sponsored by the University of Dayton and the United Nations Global Compact, the conference drew more than 2,400 students from around the world who heard presentations by industry thought leaders and participated in workshops on topics including career development, security analysis and portfolio management. 2008-09 Portfolio Management Team, left to right: Fuller Callaway, Caroline Harvischak, Victor Balta, Eleanora Smith, Christopher Rodriguez, Seul Lee, Nejc Podkrajsek, Kevin Doan and George Connaughton click to view larger version>> The students who attended the conference are part of Robison's Portfolio Management Team, an 11-person group that manages a $200,000 equity investment portfolio donated by Bank of America many years ago. Although the fund took a hit during the stock market meltdown, the team remains enthusiastic about their management ability. Being with other student managers in Dayton taught the team that it's hard to buck a worldwide market meltdown. "Knowing our fund's performance was among the best of the student-managed funds at RISE helped us understand the real meaning of risk," said Victor Balta, the fund's co-CIO (Chief Investment Officer) who will graduate with a BBA in finance on May 9. Balta's co-CIO, Fuller Callaway, who also will receive his BBA in finance on May 9, added, "Sure, we can study risk and understand how to calculate it, but when you see the actual numbers, you begin to understand risk fully." The team, which meets weekly to discuss companies that they are considering for investment, was able to send a delegation to Dayton thanks to AirTran Airways, which donated airfare for five students and the team's faculty advisor, Genna Brown. "During these difficult times in the airline and finance industries, this gift was invaluable in getting us to Dayton," said George Connaughton, the only graduate student who is part of the Portfolio Management Team. Undergraduates Caroline Harvischak and Seul Lee rounded out the team attending the conference. Other members of the Portfolio Management Team are undergraduates David Bean, Kevin Doan and Nejc Podkrajsek, all of whom will graduate on May 9, and undergraduates Mary Coughlin, Christopher Rodriguez and Eleanor Smith. The largest business school in the South and part of a major research institution, the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University is located in Atlanta, an epicenter of business and a gateway to the world. With programs on four continents and students from 150 countries, the college is worldwide and world-class. Its part-time MBA program is ranked number seven in the nation and has been in the top 10 for 14 consecutive years. The college has 200 faculty, 7,400 students and 65,000 alumni. Noted for an emphasis on educating leaders, Robinson and Georgia State have produced more of Georgia's top executives with graduate degrees than any other school in the nation.