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Project management community expanding membership, starting coffee talks

The Rutgers Project Management Community was launched to help existing and aspiring project managers in the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and University Finance & Administration (UFA) improve their skills by learning from each other. 

Now, it is opening itself to existing and aspiring project managers from across the university. 

Anyone interested in project management is welcome to share experiences, ask questions, and help establish best practices that will improve project management at Rutgers. 

“We started with OIT and UFA hoping to create consistency between our practices and enhance collaboration between our project management offices and staff, as these departments work closely together on a number of initiatives,” said Mankit Tsui, UFA Project Manager. 

“Over time, we realized that the principles and best practices being discussed would apply to people managing a wide range of projects, as well as individuals who manage projects but may not have a formal project management role. Opening the group to a wider audience allows us to take advantage of the diversity of experience across the university. It’s a win-win as there is a lot we can learn from each other.” 

The Rutgers Project Management Community provides an inclusive and collaborative environment for project management practitioners to ask questions of each other or share best practices, methodologies, and expertise. It welcomes all types of project managers with all levels of seniority, from veterans experienced in managing projects to beginners who just have an interest. Meetings are set up to foster dialog so that members can learn from one another, increase their effectiveness, and foster more consistent approaches to project management across the university. 

The group has traditionally met once a quarter, but it is now adding a new “Coffee Talk” series set to take place between the regular quarterly meetings. Coffee talks aim to provide a casual environment where project management professionals can connect and share their project management knowledge and experience.  

The first Coffee Talk will be held on April 19 from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. via Zoom, with a discussion centered around Project Management Learning Resources. Anyone interested in project management should join the group to learn more about the community and receive notifications on upcoming events. 

“There’s a wealth of project management expertise here at Rutgers, and our members are eager to share what they’ve learned,” said Kendra Newman, OIT Project Manager. “These meetings are an excellent opportunity for cooperative learning, including anyone who is currently responsible for managing projects or who aspires to take on a project management role in the future. They’re also a fun and interesting way for project managers to build a network and create a sense of shared community.  It’s a great group.” 

Do you know of project managers beyond OIT and UFA at Rutgers—or others who may not have a project manager title but who act as one within your unit? Please forward this story and encourage them to join the group. 

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