What began as a student idea by co-founders Adam Burke and Jacob Lawrence in 2019 has evolved into one of TRU’s most competitive and career-focused clubs. The Thompson Rivers University Student Investment Fund (TRUSIF) now manages more than $200,000 in real capital, with a market value approaching $270,000, and offers hands-on training for students aiming to break into capital markets, wealth management, investment banking, and other finance fields that are often dominated by larger Canadian universities.
For fund manager Gagandeep Multani, TRUSIF fills an essential gap between academic theory and actual industry expectations.
“A lot of stuff which we learn in class is theoretical and not directly applicable in workplaces,” Multani said. “Here, we get access to software and tools…like FactSet and Capital IQ, especially finance jobs.”
Multani added that the club’s responsibilities encourage professionalism. “We are fairly judicious with the money and where [we] invest it because it is the school’s money and we are accountable for it,” he said.
Aspiring fund manager Caz Markus-Pawliuk says he was immediately drawn to the club’s real-world alignment.
“I honestly couldn’t believe something like this existed at TRU,” Markus-Pawliuk said. “The goal of it is to really train students how to work investment-style jobs and, more specifically, capital markets jobs.”
According to Multani, the club stands out not only for its mentorship but also for its outcomes. “In the last three years, since the time the fund started, we’ve had a total of 40 plus internships just within the group, and that includes full-time offers as well.”
“The proportion of jobs and internships which TRUSIF students have been able to take out as a total number is way ahead of any other club,” Multani added. “And we deal with actual money for the school, which I do not think any other club does on campus.”
Students from TRUSIF have gone on to intern or work at major firms, including RBC Capital Markets, Canalyst, Raymond James, Scotiabank, Grant Thornton, KPMG, TD, and BMO—a track record that rivals that of clubs at larger, more established business schools.
Markus-Pawliuk notes that even entry-level positions in Kamloops can be competitive. “My manager gets 200 plus applicants for every single teller position she posts,” he said. “Having something on your resume that shows you’re serious about finance really helps you differentiate yourself from other candidates.”
Mentorship plays a major role in the club’s success. Multani recalls being personally mentored by TRUSIF co-founder Adam Burke. “He taught me how to do financial modelling personally here, sitting with me,” Multani said.
Markus-Pawliuk had a similar experience with a former fund manager.
“I sat down, and I spent like two hours picking Daiman [Mather’s] mind,” Markus-Pawliuk said. “He’s actually an investment banking analyst in Calgary right now; the amount I learned from him really set me on the path now.”
Students interested in joining must complete a stock pitch, but advanced knowledge isn’t required.
“Anybody who knows the basics of the company they are pitching is good to join,” Multani said. “We do not expect any high-level knowledge.”
Looking ahead, the team aims to continue Winter recruitment, host speaker series events, and pursue more industry visits. Markus-Pawliuk emphasized what he hopes readers remember: “The fact that we’ve sent students out to investment banking and capital markets jobs is really huge for us.”
Multani summarized the reach more simply: “In Kamloops, there is no bank where TRUSIF members have not worked.”