Build Skills That Lead Successful Campus Projects

By Autumn Walden, Editor, AACRAO Connect, Content Strategy Manager, AACRAO

Project management is often misunderstood as a technical skill reserved for people with formal project manager titles. But in higher education, the work of improving systems, simplifying processes, implementing policy changes, and coordinating cross-office initiatives increasingly depends on the same core skills: planning, communication, stakeholder alignment, accountability, and follow-through. EDUCAUSE named Administrative Simplification the No. 2 issue in its 2025 Top 10, noting that outdated processes can reinforce perceptions that higher education is inefficient, while simplification can reduce work and costs. In that context, project management becomes less about job titles and more about institutional capacity.

The AACRAO Project Management for Higher Education course, running June 8-28, 2026, and October 5-25, 2026, is designed to help professionals build a practical framework for planning, organizing, communicating, and implementing projects in a higher education setting. For enrollment professionals, project management includes timelines and task lists, as well as understanding how decisions move through an institution, how stakeholders work together, and how to maintain momentum when work spans multiple offices and competing priorities.

“Many routine activities in higher education, such as orientation, commencement, recruitment events, or campus-wide programs, are, at their core, projects,” said course faculty member Dr. Reginald Garçon, who also serves as Associate Vice President, Student Records and University Registrar at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. “This course builds on those existing experiences and provides a framework to approach them more strategically and efficiently. For registrars or admissions professionals, this is directly applicable to their daily responsibilities and can enhance both individual performance and team outcomes.”

In this Q&A, Dr. Garçon reflects on his first full cycle as a faculty member in the Project Management for Higher Education course. He discusses misconceptions about project management, how higher education differs from other business settings, the challenges participants often bring to the course, and why the material is valuable even for professionals who do not have “project manager” in their title.

What do you think is the biggest misconception higher education professionals have about project management before they take a course like this?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that project management is something separate from the day-to-day work in higher education. In reality, most professionals are already engaging in project management at some level, whether they realize it or not. This course helps participants recognize that connection while expanding their understanding of what effective project management looks like. It introduces best practices, practical tools, and, importantly, insights from experienced professionals that encourage participants to think more critically and strategically about the projects they are already leading.

How does project management look different in a college or university setting compared with a more traditional business or corporate environment?

Project management in higher education often requires a higher level of cross-functional collaboration. Unlike corporate environments where teams may operate within more centralized structures, colleges and universities frequently involve multiple departments that report through different leadership lines. This makes stakeholder buy-in and a shared understanding of project scope especially important. Success often depends on relationship building, clear communication, and navigating decentralized decision-making processes.

What are some of the common challenges participants bring into the course, and how does the course help them think differently about planning, communication, accountability, or implementation?

Participants often come unsure of where to begin, what questions to ask, how to structure a project, or how to gain stakeholder buy-in. They may also struggle with maintaining consistent communication before, during, and after implementation. The course helps reframe these challenges by providing a structured approach to planning, emphasizing proactive communication, and reinforcing accountability throughout the project lifecycle. Participants leave with clearer strategies for both execution and follow-through.

How do you and the other faculty members complement one another in helping participants understand both the technical tools of project management and the real-world institutional dynamics that affect whether a project succeeds?

In my experience, the faculty complement each other very well. My colleague brings a strong foundation in the technical and practical aspects of project management, while I contribute a higher education-specific context. I’m able to integrate real-world examples, strategies, and guiding questions that reflect the unique dynamics of colleges and universities. Together, this approach allows participants to fully connect the concepts to their everyday work environments.

For someone who may not have “project manager” in their title but is regularly asked to lead initiatives, coordinate people, or keep work moving, what would you want them to know about the value of this course? What would you say to a registrar or admissions professional who’s on the fence about whether this course is relevant to their day-to-day work?

The value of this course is significant. It helps professionals become more organized, prioritize effectively, and set realistic timelines for their work. It also strengthens how they engage with colleagues and stakeholders across the institution. Many routine activities in higher education, such as orientation, commencement, recruitment events, or campus-wide programs, are, at their core, projects.

This course builds on those existing experiences and provides a framework to approach them more strategically and efficiently. For registrars or admissions professionals, this is directly applicable to their daily responsibilities and can enhance both individual performance and team outcomes. The last added value is that I recently co-presented with colleagues at the AACRAO Annual Meeting on Lessons Learned: Common Pitfalls in Implementation and How to Avoid Them. The insights during this presentation are added insights that I bring to the project management course.