Fellows in Focus: Elevating Project Management Skills

At Spectrum Science, we are dedicated to growing and mentoring the marketing and communication leaders of tomorrow. Our Fellowship Program is a launch pad for careers in healthcare marketing, communications, and media that provides participants with exposure to top leadership, on the job training, and a foundational skillset for their future.   

Fellows are full-time employees who are integrated into teams across our business where they gain hands-on experience. They also receive trainings on various capabilities and soft skills from top subject matter experts in our organization and complete a group capstone project at the end of the program.  Upon completion of the program, utilizing their newly acquired skills to continue their career growth at Spectrum.  

This week we talked to Katie Berneking, Associate Project Manager and Class of 2023 Fellow, about how the Fellowship helped her at Spectrum and what she would share with someone interested in the program. See what Katie had to say. 

1. How would you describe the Fellowship Program to someone who knows little about it?  

The Fellowship Program offers integrated training and hands-on experience in an agency setting. As a Fellow, you will learn from experts across our business, understanding their roles and responsibilities to immerse yourself in every part of our business. You will also participate in a capstone project, collaborating with peers to tackle real-life agency challenges.  

2. What are your typical responsibilities and challenges in your current role — what’s your average day like?  

As an Associate Project Manager, I oversee the day-to-day needs of the accounts that I am on. This includes sending to-do lists every morning and updating the status of those throughout the day, scheduling and running status meetings and project kick-offs, creating and updating timelines, budget management, and routing different materials we have created to our Design, Video, and Editorial teams. 

3. What is Project Management?   

Project Management is an internal position here at Spectrum. We are responsible for keeping teams organized and managing tasks so that client goals are achieved. Whereas a Client Service role involves meeting with a client to determine expectations and outputs to achieve, Project Managers are working on timelines, resourcing, and handling the mechanics of achieving those goals. We ensure that all projects are completed on time and are of the utmost quality for our clients.  

4. What type of skills do you feel enable success within Project Management?  

I think someone who is organized, motivated, and can manage many things at once would excel in a Project Management position. This job can be fast paced at times so it’s important to know where everything is to the best of your ability. You will always have plenty of support from everyone on the Project Management team to help guide you in this new position. I think overall, if you are eager to learn and motivated, this would be a great opportunity for you! 

5. Any advice for people interested in applying to the Fellowship?  

The Fellowship Program is one of the most hands-on opportunities in the healthcare communications industry. You’ll learn so much about the ins-and-outs of agency work, as well as learn specifics about the role you are hired into by doing hands-on work. I met so many amazing, talented people when I was hired in my Fellowship class as well as throughout the agency, and I am still very close with many of them to this day, almost two years later. This is an amazing opportunity!