Memoir of a Milestone: My First High-Profile Project

In this episode of Memoirs of a Project Manager, Devon Williams shares the story of his first high-profile project: leading a Mentorship Program for Black Student Athletes.After a life-altering injury ended his college basketball career at UNM, Devon transitioned into Sport Administration, eventually finding himself in the "hot seat" managing a high-stakes initiative. He breaks down the project lifecycle—from navigating complex NCAA disclosures and athlete regulations to the personal growth that comes from managing high-visibility programs.Key highlights from this episode include:Turning Adversity into Opportunity: How a career-ending injury led to a new trajectory in project management.Project Initiation: The transition from being a program participant to leading the entire mentorship initiative.The Planning Phase: Navigating unique requirements like confidentiality agreements and rules for student-athlete engagement.Lessons from the Trenches: Navigating the intersection of the student and athlete experience while maintaining project alignment.