Future Financial Leaders Shine as TVA Investment Challenge Beats S&P 500

Apr 10, 2026

Contact: Scott Fiedler

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Release Summary

TVA’s Investment Challenge Program (ICP) outperformed the S&P 500 in 2025, delivering an 18.90% return versus the S&P 500’s 17.88%, a difference of 1.02%.
Fifteen of 27 participating schools beat the S&P 500, with one school exceeding the index by more than 14%; these high-achieving teams earned performance awards for their institutions.
Since its inception in 1998, ICP has grown to nearly $16 million, collectively outperforming the S&P 500 by 0.39% annually and awarding $1.6 million to schools.
ICP is one of the nation’s largest student investment programs, providing hands-on portfolio management experience to over 10,000 students and preparing them for careers in finance.
Editor’s Note: Download photos of the winning teams who earned performance awards.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Friday that its Investment Challenge Program (ICP) outperformed the S&P 500 in 2025, posting a return of 18.90%, compared to the S&P 500’s 17.88%; a difference of 1.02%.

Of the 27 participating ICP universities and colleges, 15 schools beat the S&P 500 Total Return Index, earning performance awards for their institutions. One school achieved returns exceeding 14% above the index.

“The Investment Challenge Program is more than an investment initiative - it’s a launchpad for future finance leaders,” said Brian Child, TVA Treasurer and Chief Risk Officer. “By managing real portfolios and learning from industry professionals, students gain the confidence, skills, and vision to thrive in today’s competitive financial world. Year after year, these teams prove that with dedication and teamwork, they can outperform the market and achieve extraordinary results. Their success is a testament to the power of education and opportunity.”

ICP is a premier workforce development initiative that allows university teams to actively manage stock portfolios under faculty guidance and TVA oversight. Since inception, students have collectively outperformed the S&P 500’s annual total return of 8.93% by 0.39%, generating an excess cumulative return of 103%. Through 2025, the program has grown to nearly $16 million, primarily through positive investment returns, and has awarded $1.6 million to participating schools.

On April 9, TVA hosted more than 250 students in Nashville to celebrate the program’s success. The top-performing schools in 2025 include:

Alabama A&M University	Tennessee Tech University
Austin Peay State University	Trevecca Nazarene University
Belmont University	Union University
Christian Brothers University	University of Alabama in Huntsville
Covenant College	University of Kentucky
East Tennessee State University	Vanderbilt University
Lipscomb University	Western Carolina University
Tennessee State University

Other participating universities include: Carson Newman University, Middle Tennessee State University, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Murray State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of North Alabama, University of Memphis, University of Mississippi, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, University of Tennessee at Martin, and Western Kentucky University.

For more information about ICP, visit tva.com/investment-challenge.

About TVA

The Tennessee Valley Authority is the nation’s largest public power supplier, delivering energy to more than 10 million people across seven southeastern states. TVA has one of the most diverse energy systems – including nuclear, hydro, coal, gas, solar and advanced technologies. TVA is making significant investments in its power system toward new generation and transmission. 

TVA is a corporate agency of the United States, receiving no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. TVA maintains some of the lowest energy costs and highest reliability in the nation. TVA’s residential rates are lower than those paid by 80% of customers of the top 100 U.S. utilities, and its industrial rates are lower than those paid by over 90% of customers of the top 100 U.S. utilities. In addition, TVA provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system, and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation. Learn more at tva.com.

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Scott Fiedler
Public Relations
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423-751-7883

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