Southern Investment Association

Southern Investment Association (SIA)

About the SIA

The Southern Investment Association (SIA) at Georgia Southern University is a selective, experiential program that challenges students to apply financial theory through the active management of the Praevolo Investment Fund. Operating with a quarter-million dollars in Assets Under Management and a commitment to professional standards, SIA analysts conduct equity research, perform portfolio analysis, and develop data-driven investment recommendations that directly shape the fund’s strategy.

Founded in 2014, the SIA provides members with hands-on exposure to the tools and workflows of the investment industry. Students work with Bloomberg and LSEG Workspace (formerly Refinitiv Eikon) terminals. Additionally, financial modeling skills are taught and developed that bridge classroom learning and real-world practice. Guided by faculty advisors and a robust alumni network, the Association cultivates an environment that mirrors the rigor, accountability, and intellectual discipline expected in all financial industries.

With around 30 active members and a network of over 110 alumni, the SIA has a proven record of preparing students for careers across the financial services industry. Alumni have gone on to roles at leading institutions including PIMCO, Capital Group, Invesco, Fidelity, Vanguard, Deloitte, KPMG, Voya Investments, the Royal Bank of Canada, Fitch Ratings, Fisher Investments, and many others.

Current Officers

President – Luke Lytle
Executive VP – Turner Schmidt
VP of Investment Strategy – Caleb Dautel
Co-VP of Operations – Alexander Lea
Co-VP of Operations – Sebastian Rodriguez
VP of Recruitment – Drake Smith

Faculty Advisor

For more information, please contact

Axel Grossmann, Ph.D. (agrossmann@georgiasouthern.edu)

John Hatem, Ph.D. (jhatem@georgiasouthern.edu)

SIA Spring 2026 Semester Bulletin and Praevolo Investment Fund Report

The SIA publishes a semester bulletin and report on the investment fund every spring and fall semester.

To view the publication, click here.

SIA Membership Benefits

• Real World Investing Experience
• 3 Hour Finance Elective Credit via Professional Certifications Class
• Alumni Mentorship Program and Alumni Network
• Bloomberg Market Concepts Certification
• LSEG Workspace Certification
• Competitions
• Saturday Stock Pitch

Ashcroft Scholarship

Established in 2019, The Ashcroft Scholarship is intended to financially assist the most influential SIA member each semester. The SIA is very thankful to Nathan Ashcroft for making this scholarship possible.

Scholarship Recipients

• Joel Varghese (Fall 2019)
• Tyler Collins (Spring 2020)
• Kinley Stubbs (Fall 2020)
• Lincoln Owens (Spring 2021)
• Walker Dollar (Fall 2021)
• Thomas Jackson (Spring 2022)
• Aubrey Steadman (Fall 2022)
• Santiago Aponte (Spring 2023)
• Jacob Lord (Fall 2023)
• Bent Berger (Spring 2024)
• Luke Powell (Fall 2024)
• Luke Lylte (Spring 2025)
• Turner Schmith (Fall 2025)
• Caleb Dautel (Spring 2026)

Investment Strategy

The Fund follows a long-only strategy of value investing in stocks of mid-to-large market capitalization. We identify investment opportunities based on valuation, not labels, seeking companies that trade below their intrinsic value and at a discount to the median stock in their industry. Additionally, we focus on those underpriced stocks whose fundamentals are above their industry median. The goal of the Fund is to outperform the Vanguard Value Index as well as the S&P 500 index. For a more detailed explanation of our investment strategy including a description of the main financial variables utilized in our analysis as well as the fund’s performance see the SIA Semester Bulletin and the Investment Fund Report.

SIA Alumni Positions

Asset Management/Investment

Banking & Financial Services

Consulting & Professional Services

Insurance

Real Estate

Retail/Consumer

Technology/Fintech

Telecomm

Greg Parker Donates to SIA

At the Fifth Annual Parker College of Business Gala, Greg Parker, founder and executive chair of Parker’s kitchen, announced a $100,000 donation to the Praevolo Investment Fund managed by the students of the Southern Investment Association (SIA). This milestone donation doubles the total amount of previous contributions raised for the Fund and, combined with the investment returns generated by the students brings the Fund’s total assets under management to nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

Additionally, Mr. Parker joined the SIA students for their Saturday Stock Pitch on April 18, during which he addressed the students, announced his gift to the group, and emphasized the importance of giving back and investing in meaningful experiential learning opportunities that help develop talent for the Coastal Empire.

The SIA would like to express its sincere gratitude to Mr. Parker for investing in our students—not only financially, but, also, through his time, mentorship, and continued support in creating opportunities for them. Axel Grossmann, Ph.D., SIA advisor, stated that this milestone gift will further enhance the reputation and long-term impact of the Fund. Beyond the financial contribution, it is Mr. Parker’s willingness to personally invest his time in the students that makes this gift especially meaningful. Spending a Saturday afternoon with the students created a memorable experience for them, and words cannot fully express how much his support, investment, and commitment mean to the organization and how profoundly he continues to impact the lives of our students.

Parker’s kitchen is a Savannah-based convenience store and foodservice company he founded in 1976. Under Mr. Parker’s leadership, the company has grown into one of the Southeast’s leading convenience store chains and was named “Convenience Store Chain of the Year” in 2020. Greg Parker is widely recognized for his philanthropy and support of education and community initiatives across Georgia and South Carolina. Parker’s Kitchen has donated more than $30 million to charitable causes focused on education, healthcare, hunger relief, veterans, and first responders. In 2019, Parker made the largest gift in Georgia Southern University history, transforming the Parker College of Business and creating scholarships, faculty support, and expanded student opportunities. In recognition of his impact, he received the 2026 Georgia Southern President’s Visionary Award.