Student Q & A
Vonda Williams
Senior Systems Engineer/Program Manager
Scientific and Engineering Solutions (SES)
Columbia, MD
Background
Vonda is the proud recipient of an ESI/GW Master's Certificate in Information Technology Project Management. She works for Scientific and Engineering Solutions, a technology company that supports U.S. Department of Defense contracts through services such as networking to software development.
As senior systems engineer/program manager, she oversees five employees and is responsible for implementing computer security systems for more than 32 government agency Web sites. A graduate of George Mason University, Vonda began her career as a programmer and later became a software developer and tester. Most recently, she has begun to take on the role of a project manager. ESI spoke briefly with Vonda about her graduation from ESI/GW's master's certificate program.
1. Why did you decide to pursue the Master's Certificate in Information Technology Project Management?
"My company moved me into management, and I needed some experience to better support the people I manage."
2. How will the material covered in the master's certificate help you on the job?
"I'm elated to have finished the program. I learned so much I can implement. The electives were the most helpful because I didn't have a background in those areas. I especially enjoyed Federal Contracting Basics and Winning New Business. They were very practical, and I took away a lot of best practices I could use on the job.
As a result of my training, I was able to identify the holes in my company's processes and knew I could put some things into place. For instance, we didn't have a formal format for creating Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from start to finish. I was able to take what I had learned and developed a new strategy for my company detailing how to format and write proposals."
3. What did you like best about your ESI courses?
"I think the most beneficial aspect of the courses for me was the hands-on exercises. It allowed me to interact with other professional who many already have processes discussed in place. It also allowed me to visualize how processes are implemented."
4. What's your biggest challenge on the job?
"We don't have enough people who have the expertise in our area, and we have a lot of work to do. The main challenge is juggling different tasks."
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