Byron Williams is used to doling out investment advice. The 24-year-old senior at Oregon State University starts each day by reading the Wall Street Journal, while Morningstar and MSNBC news tickers stream across his computer screen.

Williams, a finance major from Prineville, hopes to become a financial analyst. For now, he gets plenty of practice dispensing stock advice around campus, managing half of his parents’ stock portfolio and serving as president of OSU’s Finance Club.

Finance Club is a group of about 40 members that meets to discuss investment strategies, hear guest speakers, arrange trips to conferences and professional financial firms, and manage a stock portfolio.

Beginning winter term, the club will hold an additional session each week to study personal finances.

The group consists primarily of business and economics students, but all majors and even non-students are welcome. OSU students can receive one credit for the club.

In past years, the club has managed a paper portfolio, but this term members began investing real money.

“On paper, if you mess up, it’s really easy to start over. We have a lot more responsibility now,” Williams said.

The group raised $50,000 in alumni donations. They hope to raise an additional $10,000 each year for the next five years.

The club can pull 4 percent of its assets for operating expenses, and possibly a scholarship fund in the future. They’ll keep reinvesting the remaining earnings. The money belongs to the College of Business’ finance program, but is earmarked specifically for the club.

Last month, the club purchased 101 shares of Microsoft stock. They’ve also invested in companies such as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, XM Satellite Radio, Pepsi, Nordstrom, Waste Management International, BioSante Pharmaceuticals and Chesapeake Energy.

OSU Finance Club’s goal is to outperform the benchmark set by the Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

They focus on long-term growth, striving to balance aggressive investment strategies with risk control.

The club divides into teams to research market segments. The teams then recommend companies for the seven-member student board to consider as potential investments.

“Our goal is to teach students to be disciplined investors,” Williams said.

To make the most of compound interest, it’s important to start investing and saving for retirement as early as possible, Williams noted.

“If you set a regular investment plan when you’re young, the first seven years will be about half the value of your final portfolio,” he said.

Jimmy Yang, OSU assistant professor of finance, is in his second year serving as one of the club’s two faculty advisors. He said the students seem much more excited about the club now that they’re investing real money.

“The club gives our students the opportunity to get experience analyzing companies. We teach them how to access information from different resources, analyze it and make recommendations for future top performers. This will help them in their future careers,” Yang said.

Mary Ann Albright covers higher education. She can be reached at maryann.albright@lee.net or 758-9518.