'My circus, my monkeys – managing programs with limited resources' proves to be a crowd favorite

The superpowers of program coordinators and managers across Virginia Tech on how to make the most of a small budget is a marvel to behold. 

The dynamic duo of Sarah Gouger and Leslie Thornton-O'Brien joined forces -- along with their experiences in center program management at Virginia Tech -- to present at the annual Online and Professional Education Association, previously known as the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA).

"We tend to focus (as we should) on how brilliant faculty members are in their roles as professors and researchers at Virginia Tech and we sometimes forget that we bring our own sparkle to the world of higher education and project management," said Thornton-O'Brien.

Gouger serves as the program coordinator for the Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borns Pathogens (also known as infectious disease), while Thornton-O'Brien is the project manager for NSF COMPASS Center and program coordinator for Pandemic Prediction and Prevention Destination Area.

The presentation appropriately titled, "My circus, my monkeys – managing programs with limited resources," featured interactive activities, while exploring innovative approaches to managing programs with limited resources. 

Hallie Harriman, program coordinator for the Invasive Species Collaborative, conceived of the catchy presentation name, said Gouger. While she was not able to participate in the formal conference presentation, Harriman did contribute her experiences and strategies to the overall message of the presentation.

"Leslie reached out to Hallie and me about submitting a proposal that highlights how, in our roles, we wear many hats — and how doing it well depends on leaning on each other. Our collaboration is what makes the juggling act not just possible, but successful," said Gouger.

"Managing with limited resources is something that Sarah, Hallie, and I feel passionately about and we wanted to share with our peers how we handle our day-to-day activities, while incorporating our vast networks, with a fun workshop and a no-holds-barred Q & A," said Thornton-O'Brien.

From their vantage point, resources can include everything from their time, a colleague's time, physical resources such as name tags or poster boards, and even mental resources. 

To no surprise, the presentation drew a full house of attendees, also looking for ideas for how to advocate for themselves and their programs while adhering to institutional guidelines. 

Key topics included:

• Fostering collaboration,
• Practicing inclusive leadership, and 
• Maximizing available resources. 

The session concluded with a Q&A segment, allowing participants to share their own unique experiences and challenges related to managing with limited resources. 

"We believe in the innovation that comes from our researchers and with a strong network, we are able to share that amazing research on a larger scale," shared Thornton-O'Brien.