Hard work, rigorous analysis, and an unwavering commitment to excellence have once again propelled the Amrhein Investment Club to the top of its category. For the second consecutive year, the club has clinched first place in the highly competitive Core Portfolio Category at the Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education (G.A.M.E.) Forum, reaffirming its standing as a rising powerhouse in the collegiate investment community.

This milestone is the culmination of a year marked by extraordinary performance and relentless determination, and the hard work of all previous Amrhein members. At the center of this achievement was the club’s flagship Growth Fund, which posted an outstanding 40.67% return — a figure that not only beat market benchmarks but also reflected the keen insight and disciplined execution of the team. Driving this growth was a strong overweight in the tech sector, which pushed the fund’s total gains to nearly $834,000 over the course of 2024.

The club’s strategy was anything but passive. It thrived on daily engagement with market movements, leveraging data-driven research and valuation analysis to make timely, high-conviction investments. The approach blended bold sector positioning with rigorous risk management, and above all, it embodied a culture of collaboration  —  one where every voice mattered and every perspective contributed to the portfolio’s evolution.

Leadership was not defined by titles but by action. Every member played a crucial role in shaping the club’s direction through weekly pitch sessions, performance reviews, and peer-to-peer mentoring. In these moments, whether debating valuation multiples or dissecting earnings reports, the true strength of the team came to life.

This year’s triumph would not have been possible without the passion, persistence, and precision of its dedicated members. The club extends its deepest appreciation to: Gavin Wagner, Sean Superka, Dalton Kucher, Hanna Nowak, Andrew Campbell, Trinity Kite, Dylan Fosko, Arly Hernandez, Grayson Kerzmann, Cael Markle, and Genevieve Eddinger  —  each of whom brought unique expertise, unshakable dedication, and a drive that turned vision into victory.

Beyond the numbers, 2024–2025 was a defining chapter in the club’s journey. It was a year of late-night strategy sessions, breakthroughs born from spirited debate, and a shared belief that with the right mindset, no challenge is insurmountable. The experience has not only sharpened the team’s financial acumen but also forged lasting bonds that will carry well beyond graduation.

As the Amrhein Investment Club looks ahead, this back-to-back win is more than just a trophy  —  it’s a springboard. The bar has been raised, and with it, so has the ambition. Fueled by momentum and united by a common purpose, the team is already laying the groundwork for an even stronger future.

The road forward is clear, and the best is yet to come; the 3-peat is on the horizon. 

Choosing Your Platform

When starting your investing journey, choosing the right platform can make a significant difference in your financial growth. While Acorns is appealing for its simplicity, rounding up spare change for automated investments, it comes with limited control and relatively high fees for small accounts. 

Fidelity, on the other hand, offers far greater flexibility, allowing you to

invest in individual stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds without account minimums or commission fees. Fidelity also provides a wealth of educational resources, research tools, and personalized guidance, making it an excellent choice for beginners who want to actively learn and build wealth over time.

Unlike Acorns, which focuses on passive micro-investing, Fidelity empowers users to take charge of their portfolios and make informed investment decisions. Whether you’re looking to start with small contributions or grow a long-term strategy, Fidelity’s comprehensive platform gives you more control, better investment options, and a stronger foundation for financial success.

Market Outlook: Tariffs

The news has been riddled with a single word for the past few months: tariffs. So, what exactly is a tariff? A tariff is a tax imposed by one country on the goods or services imported from another country. Tariffs are a way to protect competitive advantages that one country has over another. 

A competitive advantage occurs when one country is better at producing a certain product/service than another, allowing that country to focus on selling the product/service to other countries. A competitive advantage forces other countries to focus on what they are better at producing and to buy what they struggle at producing from other countries. 

President Donald Trump has issued a 10% reciprocal tariff on 90 different countries and, additionally, issued a 145% tariff on the majority of Chinese imports. This tariff occurred in response to China raising its tariff on U.S. goods from 84% to 104%. 

While the reciprocal tariff has been paused for 90 days, tariffs on China are still active. These tariffs have been imposed to “rebuild the economy and restore economic security.” For years, the United States has faced steep tariffs on imports, and these reciprocal tariffs are an effort to negotiate with other countries to balance the trade deficit that the U.S. faces. 

How do these tariffs affect the United States and the stock market? 

Tariffs on goods imported to the U.S. force businesses to pay more for goods and services overseas. This payment goes to the government as a tariff is a tax on imports. This is substantial as a large majority of U.S. products are imported from overseas. 

Look at the items that you use in your day-to-day life: your phone, your clothes, your car. Most of these items are produced overseas and then imported into the U.S. A tariff on these goods means that the company needs to pay more for their product to get to the U.S., to then get to you.

This drives up input prices for companies and consequently drives up the sticker price to consumers. This has impacted the stock market as a high percentage of the large players in tech import their products from warehouses overseas. 

Charging a higher price to consumers then lowers the demand for these products and subsequently lowers sales and profits for companies. Reduced sales mean worse financial performance for companies, which lowers stock prices and causes the stock market to decrease. This can be shown through the valleys that you see when you look at stock graphs.

During this trade war, it is difficult to predict what will happen to stocks in the short term. Based on the day-to-day actions occurring in the trade war, we will see major gains or losses in the stock market. That is why it is best to always try to take your emotions out of investing and focus on the long-term rather than the short-term. 

In the long term, for companies, their inputs are variable, while in the short term, some inputs are fixed. That means that in the short term, companies are more likely to appear “stuck” with the current scenarios because their inputs are set in the short run. Long-term variability allows companies to adjust their inputs to fit the current needs and scenarios that they are facing, which allows them to better prepare for events and perform better in the future.