Last Spring, students in BCs Continuing Education Project Management Practicum developed a plan for a Fall fundraising event for the Mercer Island Farmers Market.
In the Practicum, CE’s Project Management Certificate capstone course, students form a team and apply skills, techniques, and concepts acquired from the program’s earlier classes to initiate, plan, execute, monitor and control, and close a self-managed project for a local nonprofit.
Along with the Mercer Island Farmers Market, the Practicum has also helped Friends of Youth, the Girls Scouts, Hopelink, the YWCA Family Village in Issaquah, and other nonprofits. “I like to see that we are filling a need in the community,” said instructor Ashlyn Leahy, PMP. “It’s important that we give back and provide help to people who need it.”
Leahy, who has managed projects for Boeing and Microsoft, noted that the Practicum is not a typical instructor-focused class. “I introduce the project scope and provide coaching and feedback, but it’s not up to the instructor to manage the project,” she explained.
Each student takes a turn leading a class and managing the project for one week. At week’s end, the team discusses what worked well and areas for improvement. Each teammate gives that week’s project manager a written performance review. Project managers also receive guidance from the instructor.
In the final class, the team jointly presents the project to the client. Leahy says, her students’ presentation was well received: “The board members were very impressed with the amount of work that was put in and the level of detail.”
Mercer Island Farmers Market Board President Kari Fisher reported that the fundraising event was “very successful. People were receptive, the event met our expectations, and we’re grateful for the help the students gave us.”
– by Ellen Kurek
Last Updated October 3, 2016