Smart Woman Securities

Smart Woman Securities (SWS) is a not-for-profit organization focused on educating young women about investing in the financial markets through direct investment experience. SWS is one of the few female-only investment organizations featuring undergraduate women in the United States. Our mission is to endow every woman with the proper skills and training in order for her to successfully invest on her own.

Smart Woman Securities (SWS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. At the national level, it is run by a Board of Directors responsible for overall policy and direction of SWS.

The Board of Directors delegates responsibility for day-to-day operations to the chapter organizations. Chapters are run by student leaders at each university in which SWS operates.

While SWS provides resources, support, and guidance for its chapter organizations and leaders, each chapter is independently run by students.

At the chapter level, SWS is run completely by students. Student leaders manage all operations of the chapter, including recruiting, programming, and fundraising. While all SWS chapters are independently overseen by student leaders, the national Board of Directors provide resources and guidance. SWS colleges typically follow the recommended chapter structure:

Within each college chapter, all prospective SWS Associates must go through the extensive Education Program, in which they gain knowledge about the markets, interact with mentors, develop analytical and research skills, and learn about the SWS investing principles. SWS Associates also have the opportunity to interact with mentors representing a variety of fields and interests.

After finishing training, SWS Associates have the opportunity to participate in Research Teams as Research Analysts. SWS Analysts conduct research on individual companies within an industry and present stock recommendations to the Investment Board in their chapter. The student-run Board ultimately makes the investment decisions for the chapter's Investment Fund.

By giving students the opportunity to manage real money within a portfolio, SWS embraces the “learning-by-doing” model of investment education.

chapter leadership

College chapters consist of an Executive Board that oversees the operations of that chapter’s activities. The Executive Board at each chapter manages the day-to-day operations of SWS, including school-wide educational programs, mentoring initiatives, and the investment fund.