College Experiences That Helped a Project Program Manager at an NGO Succeed
Alexandra's communication degree with a research focus built strong "critical thinking skills" and fostered curiosity, while leadership roles in the American Marketing Association developed project management and people management skills. A broad undergraduate education, including a German minor and technology management program, exposed Alexandra to diverse disciplines, complementing the development of both hard and soft skills crucial to their career in project/program management at an NGO/International Trade and Development Office.
Communication, Project Management, Critical Thinking, Research Skills, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alexandra Banning
Project/Program Manager
NGO/International Trade and Development Office
UC Santa Barbara
N/A
Communications
Government & Public Sector, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Operations and Project Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Develop critical thinking and research skills by pursuing a research-focused degree or major.
2. Gain practical project and program management experience through involvement in student organizations and leadership roles.
3. Broaden your knowledge base by taking diverse electives across disciplines to cultivate curiosity and adaptability.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
Here's the cleaned transcript:
The things I did on paper include earning a degree in communication. This degree was quite research-focused, which I believe really helped with my critical thinking skills, research abilities, hypothesis testing, and curiosity.
I was also heavily involved in the American Marketing Association through a leadership position. This helped develop my project management and program management skills, as well as my people management and EQ.
Additionally, I took a wide breadth of classes outside my major. I earned a minor in German and completed the technology management program at UCSB. I also took many elective science classes.
Being exposed to different disciplines was really helpful, especially with my curiosity and research abilities. Ultimately, undergrad helped me balance the hard and soft skills needed.