Project Management Fellowship in the GCU Honors College

Training for the long-awaited soccer tryouts. Planning a family road trip to the Grand Canyon. Organizing your friend’s surprise party. Completing that dreadful CLC project that probably won’t be done until 11:57 pm on Sunday. Alright, all of these sound like a lot of work, but what do they have in common? Simply put, they all fall into the category labeled, “projects.”

Each and every one of us contributes to or leads projects regularly, oftentimes, without even recognizing it. At Grand Canyon University, faculty and students have begun to realize the importance of educating students in project management. Faculty began to notice that even though project management skills are highly valued in the workforce, college students are seldom taught these skills.

Honors College Assistant Dean Breanna Naegeli and Honors College Program Manager Zach Mikotovich constructed a plan to launch honors students ahead of the competition by teaching them these largely sought-after skills.

This year, the Honors College is providing an exceptional opportunity called the Project Management Fellowship. This will allow students to not only work on projects that they are passionate about, but also have the opportunity to build connections with other students and faculty on campus, work on real projects and replace their Symposium credit. Who could say no to that?!

Vincent Indelicato and Brittany Holen, project management interns in the Honors College, found a strong interest and passion in project management. Both hoping to land a spot in a project management role in the near future, they strive to educate and push students along in their journey in this field as well. Throughout the year, they will assist in placing students into projects around GCU that spark their interest.

As for the benefits of this program? There are simply too many to list. Indelicato noted the importance of “opening up connections with other parts of the university while providing networking opportunities and access to mentors.” He saw such importance in being able to foster the development of university involvement.

Holen touched on the importance of practicing teamwork with individuals from different fields, noting that one of the projects calls for four students, all from different majors. In addition to this, she commented, “Students are able to make connections with other students who are motivated and passionate about what they’re doing, creating a strong network of driven students while also meeting professors driven to do awesome things in their field.”

GCU offers students the opportunity to gain the skills they need to succeed in their chosen career. We also offer an MBA in project management for students who are interested in continuing in the field. Learn more by visiting our website or contacting us using the Request More Information button at the top of the page.