Assistant Teaching Professor

Q. How did you get into the field of Project Management?

A. I got into the field of project management over time. I worked for a wonderful US healthcare company and over time they were looking to optimize all of their resource allocations to ensure they were maximizing the value of their investments.  I began participating on project teams in a subject matter expert role and then became curious about the process of managing projects.  In addition, I worked on large United States government contracts which began requiring project managers who were assigned to the contract to hold the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, issued by the Project Management Institute, as a required credential to serve in the role of Project Manager on the contract.

Q. What do you enjoy about teaching at Northeastern University?

A. That’s an easy question. Our students.  I have met students from all over the world who are committed, passionate, and socially conscious of the impacts they will be able to create in their chosen field of study.  Without fail, being around the students makes me a better person.

Q. What courses do you enjoy teaching within the Project Management program and why?

A. I love our Agile courses and the Project Management Capstone.  Agile is a field that has really taken the industry by storm and requires students to adopt a mindset of service and shared responsibilities while iterating at a fast pace.  The Project Management Capstone, developed by Professor Connie Emerson, is a culmination of the learning journey the students have been on since joining Northeastern University.  The students work in teams to develop an extensive, and detailed, integrated project plan on a topic that is refreshed each and every term.  The capstone allows us as faculty to truly enjoy watching the students apply all that they have learned right before entering the job market.

Q. Why is this a good time to get into the field of Project Management?

A. According to PMI (2017), there will be 2.2 million project-oriented jobs created worldwide each year through 2027.  This creates enormous opportunities for our students who delve deeply into all aspects of the project management professional while applying their newly gained skills through experiential learning opportunities.    Project Management has been a field which has been increasing year over year as organizations try to manage scarce resources, the talent gap, and impacts to their workforce as many skilled project managers retire.

Q. What are your main interests outside of Project Management?

A. I have three sons who are all grown now but who represent my proudest accomplishment which is being a Mom.  We also recently adopted a 3-year-old dog from a local shelter who came from down south and was rescued by an organization during the floods.  His name is Henry and we find ourselves quite attached to him!

Click here to read more about Mary Ludden.