Firstly, I would like to thank the Center for Innovation, Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE), Cassie Hagan, and Anthony Mendez ’20 for the opportunity to participate in the Business Innovation Program (BIP) this summer. As a part of the BIP, we completed a project management course online and received a professional certification when completed. During this course, we learned the ins and outs of project management.
Project management starts with the initiation, planning, launch, control, and closing. While all parts are necessary, I thought planning/control was the most important in successful project completion. The planning defines the stakeholders, scoping, budgeting, and risk assessment. It also outlines who is involved in the project, the project goals/deliverables, the potential obstacles/risk, and where the funding should go. The control phase is when the project is going according to schedule and adjusting where the project needs adjusting. Risks are handled in the planning phase when the project and deliverables are defined clearly- so the manager knows what they are turning in. They can occur in the control phase when costs rise but adjust within the budget or schedule of operations.
Overall, I found this online course via edX very helpful. I believe I can apply it in CIBE engagement projects for alumni-owned businesses and organizations and in my future professional career. Lastly, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from successful alumni while befriending the other rising sophomore interns in the CIBE.
