Exciting things are happening at the PMI Educational Foundation. Click the picture below to watch an exclusive first look of the forthcoming short video Building a Better Future.

The PMI Educational Foundation has been able to help students pay for college, give school kids a better chance at success, and improve the response to tragedy through project management.  Click here for a list of recent accomplishments and program initiatives.

The second class of the Philadelphia High Project Management Pilot has graduated! The ceremony took place on January 22^nd at the School Administrative Building in Philadelphia, PA (USA). Classes for the fall pilot were held at Edison and West Philadelphia High Schools. Teams from each of schools presented their team project management plans to an audience of corporations, teachers, school representatives, mentors, and proud parents.

The students’ presentations included their project plans, which all had a common theme: making positive impacts in their community.  The project plans included a senior living center and center for the performing arts.

The students offered the following observations:

"We learned a lot in 8 weeks, used Power Point for the first time, created a 'project charter', used teamwork, learned how to manage time, and the importance of "utilizing resources effectively …"

"It's more than just project management … its learning life skills that I can apply in other places."

The PMI Delaware Valley Chapter provides project management mentors for the classes. David Glaze, a mentor and graduate of The School District of Philadelphia, said "I volunteered because I wanted the opportunity to work with students, especially those within the Philadelphia School District. I saw leadership in development, as well as maturity and great teamwork. It was exciting to see the finished product during presentations, knowing that it was based on their own ideas and creativity."

This program demonstrates the power of a partnership between education and industry and what we can accomplish together to benefit our youth. The partners include The School District of Philadelphia, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter, DeVry University and the PMI Educational Foundation.

For additional information about the program or helping your local school start a project class, please visit the Learning Zone at PMIEF.org or contact Diane Fromm, PMIEF Administrator, at diane.fromm@pmi.org.

Project management mentors	Student project team
Click here for more pictures.

The PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) is building a better workforce by giving more than US$150,000 worth of financial assistance to college and university students.  Thanks to the generosity of several new donors, students of project management and related fields will have access to the following new scholarships:

• PMI Nova Scotia Chapter Scholarship
• Bishop/Kloch Memorial Scholarship (donated by the PMI Baltimore Chapter)
• PMI North Carolina Chapter Scholarship
• University of Management and Technology: Full scholarships for online master’s degree and Doctor of Business Administration programs, partial scholarships (up to 35% of full tuition) for online undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Interested candidates should go to the Scholarships/Awards section of PMIEF.org to view a list of all scholarships and criteria for each and to apply online.  The application deadline is 1 June 2009.  Questions can be addressed to Andrew Stitt, PMIEF Associate, at +1 (610) 356-4600 ext. 7004 or andrew.stitt@pmi.org.

College and university students in North America still have time to submit a research paper to be considered for the James R. Snyder International Student Paper of the Year (ISPY) Award.  The winner will receive a US$500 cash prize and will present his/her paper at a session at PMI Global Congress – North America (Orlando, Florida, USA; 10-13 October 2009).  Expenses associated with Congress, including travel, hotel, and Congress registration, will be paid by PMIEF.

ISPY Awards are also given at the other PMI Global Congresses. Click here for more information and submission criteria.

Children can ensure future success in the workforce by developing certain skills such as communications, teamwork, and leadership.  Project-based learning accomplishes this and more, and that is why PMIEF offers Project Management Training Fellowships for Primary and Secondary School Educators. 

Cadence Management Corporation has generously donated complimentary seats to its Project Management Essentials for Educators seminar, which takes place throughout the year in various United States cities.  School teachers and administrators who attend these seminars gain an understanding of project management, which is beneficial for implementing project-based learning in the classroom.

If you are interested in applying for a fellowship or know someone who is, then please go to the Training Fellowships page on PMIEF.org for more information and schedule of seminars.

When natural and man-made disasters strike, saving lives and providing basic necessities such as food and water require a rapid and organized response.  PMIEF is a proud partner of Project Management for NGOs (PM4NGOs), a program that gives frontline disaster relief workers project management training that enables them to respond more efficiently and effectively during emergencies.  Disaster relief workers in the Philippines, Uganda, Myanmar, and other countries in Africa and Asiahave received training through multiple class sessions.

Chris Cattaway, PMP of PM4NGOs explained project management’s impact in human terms in a recent article called “It’s People That Count!” in the January 2009 issue of Project Manager Today. Click here to read the article in PDF format.

PMIEF was recently spotlighted on Brazilian project management podcast website Sou Gerente de Projetos.  Website owners Patricia Moreira and Daniela Morais Henriques interviewed Diane Fromm, PMIEF Administrator, and Leah Coles, PMI Marketing Communications Coordinator, and discussed PMIEF’s programs and activities.

You can listen to the podcast in English and Portuguese. The English version has a one minute long intro in Portuguese, and then the interview is conducted in English.

Interested in learning more about our humanitarian and educational programs? Would you like to help us build better futures with project management?

Please contact:
Diane Fromm, Administrator
PMI Educational Foundation
14 Campus Blvd
Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA
Phone: +1 610 356 4600, ext. 1128
Fax: +1 610 356 0357
E-mail: diane.fromm@pmi.org

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The PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) has a 501 (c) (3) classification from the US Internal Revenue Service.  For those filing a US tax return, all donations are tax-deductible.  The PMIEF is also registered in the U.S. District of Columbia and all U.S. states that require charities to do so.  A person may obtain a copy of current financial information at www.pmief.org.