In 2001, the University of Dayton's Davis Center for Portfolio Management started an event called the RISE Forum; in 2006, it is now the largest student investment conference in the world.

Initially, around 300 participants from 39 schools assembled at UD for RISE (Redefining Investment Strategy Education). Now in its sixth year, over 1,400 participants from 191 universities representing 22 countries on six continents will travel to Dayton Thursday to take part in the annual event, according to Dr. David Sauer, executive director of the forum and a founder of The Davis Center.

'This forum is an education outreach initiative for The Davis Center for Portfolio Management designed to help foster investment practices and education,' Sauer said. 'It's trying to connect theory and practice by bringing faculty, students and professionals together in an interactive learning environment to discuss pertinent investment issues.'

That 'interactive learning environment,' along with its unique structure, has been the key to the forum's exponential growth over the event's short history. None of the keynote speakers prepare any speeches, presentations or papers, which results in a very dynamic and learning-conducive environment, Sauer explained.

He went on to detail the format of this symposium. Each speaker receives five minutes to talk about their area of expertise. Then a panel made up of three different students from three different schools has the opportunity to ask the presenter questions. After that, the floor is opened for anyone in the audience to make queries.

The keynote topics for this year's RISE Forum are the economy, markets, the Federal Reserve perspective, corporate government and public policy.

Some of the top minds in their respective fields will serve as keynote speakers, including William Poole, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis, and Jim Rogers, an adventure capitalist and author who made a name for himself by traveling around the world in his motorcycle to learn about investment markets in developing countries.

Dr. Bob Froehlich, an alumnus of UD and the current chairman of the Investor Strategy Committee at Deutsche Asset Management, will moderate the forum.

In addition to the keynote presentations, RISE will include sessions that focus on a range of investment, career strategies and academic program development related issues, as well as security analysis and portfolio management workshops.

Hosting such a global event enhances the prestige of the University of Dayton.

'The RISE Forum is generating greater awareness of UD in world-wide academic and investment circles. It has made UD a leader in investment education,' Sauer said.

Besides bolstering the University of Dayton's reputation as a teaching institution, the forum also benefits the larger Dayton community. According to a press release, Jacquelyn Powell, president and chief executive officer of the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Bureau, estimates that RISE, along with other recent events hosted by UD, including the NCAA Tournament, could bring as much as $1.8 million to the local economy.

Boosting the image of the university and the city is secondary, however, to the influence the forum has on the students who get involved.

'The event is impactful for students that attend because it exposes them to a wide range of investment issues they wouldn't otherwise have access to,' Sauer said.

This year's forum opens Thursday and runs until Saturday.