How Do I Implement the CTG Project in Addition to My Full-Time Position?

International educators are not strangers to “volunteering” time on behalf of global perspectives and cross-cultural understanding. Institutions often allow and encourage a certain degree of involvement along those lines, which enables some of the implementation of a CTG project. Beyond that, special projects often require an extra mile commitment that, because of other priorities and deadlines, can become frustrating, tiring, and worrisome. The bottom line is changes, improvements, and related opportunities often do not come about without the willingness to forge ahead even when such challenges are foreseen.

Build a Support System

As you carefully consider applying for a grant, discuss the time commitment and involvement with your supervisor and coworkers. Your supervisor and coworkers are crucial stakeholders as well as your strongest support system. A successful project director enlists the assistance from colleagues, office assistants, student volunteers, and student organizations. Some also choose to have a colleague share the responsibilities of project director.

If you choose to codirect with a colleague, ensure you know this colleague very well, and ideally, have collaborated prior to this project. For any project, no matter what the various systems and support mechanisms are in place, the full-time position comes first, which most assuredly creates substantial after-hours and weekend work to complete your CTG project.

When things are busy in the day-to-day, it can be difficult to meet deadlines and get on conference programs and meeting agendas, perhaps the most effective means of sharing the concept and soliciting feedback. It is just as difficult to meet self-imposed project deadlines in order to move the concept forward.

Establish an Organizational System

Knowing that you must have various partners, set up an organizational system that assists you in tracking each component and collaborator of the project. Choose a committee of dedicated individuals and divide each component of the project into easily manageable pieces for subcommittees to complete. Everyone’s dedication to the project makes it a success and it is well worth the time and energy.