Navigating the Product Landscape with Jacqueline Deprey

Posted on by

I had the opportunity to speak with QUEST alumna Jacqueline Deprey, who graduated in 2020 and now works for Dropbox. Deprey is a proud member of QUEST Cohort 30 and says she is still close to her BMGT/ENES490H team – Sign Sealed Delivered (SSD).

Sign Sealed Delivered (SSD) getting boba together.

Currently, Deprey is working as a Senior Product Manager at Dropbox, where she originally worked as a software engineering intern. When asked how she moved up to product manager, she mentioned how she was able to ask questions organically regarding product decisions (from QUEST!). This helped with her transition as it showed her interest in the product.

As a product manager, she is involved in the testing of new products. Dropbox uniquely tests products in-house. When they target a smaller firm (for example, a finance firm), they test the product with their own finance department. This allows them to creatively test their product in a parallel market to work out any issues. This way, they can analyze how products are used internally for accurate metrics to understand how it will work on the outside.

SSD team jumping for joy in Van Munching Hall!

Dropbox uses OKRs, objectives, and key results, to measure their performance. This is really helpful when testing new products, as this process can determine how the product benefits the specific department in meeting its goals. 

Currently, Deprey is working on a project called Dropbox Dash. This is similar to a search bar, except it will go through all the communications that you use to find the information you need. For example, if Deprey was looking for meeting notes for the month of February and she uses Outlook and Dropbox as her main sources of storage, this feature would allow her to search through all those drives. This project will be launched later in the year.

As a senior product manager, Deprey faces some challenges in her day-to-day life. All stakeholders involved in product development have different opinions and priorities. Product managers in Dropbox handle this dilemma by testing out their products in-house first. If dilemmas occur on the inside, they will only be magnified outside the company. 

She also mentioned that transparency is important when it comes to juggling priorities. If her team’s goals are different than the goals of another group of stakeholders, they are still likely mutually beneficial. This realization increases cooperation between stakeholders for a brilliant final outcome.

SSD working on BMGT/ENES490H together in Van Munching Hall.

When asked about her experience in QUEST, Deprey mentioned that she learned how to think critically. Instead of just worrying about the problems on top, she learned to dig deeper into the underlying issue. This is something that has given her an edge and allowed her to become a Product Manager so fast!

Some advice that she has for current QUESTees is to take it all in. QUEST is a special place with fun and driven people. She also advises current students to be like a sponge in this program, since you can learn a lot from others and use it to better yourself. Finally, your peers in QUEST are like mirrors, they reflect your best qualities back to yourself.

So QUESTees, be like Jacqueline Deprey and find your mirrors in QUEST and soak everything in!

Welcome Cohorts 43 and 44!

Posted on by

It is now April, and you know what that means: QUEST has just accepted a new batch of students as members of Cohort 43 and 44! This year, QUEST received its highest number of applicants yet with over 450 applications submitted. Although we will miss our amazing seniors graduating this semester, QUEST is so happy to welcome in its new members. I reached out to a couple of new QUESTees to talk about their experience with the application process, their interest in QUEST, as well as some upcoming events and activities that they are looking forward to. 

To start off, I spoke with Eric Ji, a computer science major accepted into Cohort 43. He had initially heard about the program through word of mouth, but once he went to the interest meeting, he was officially sold. “I was blown away after actually hearing current members talk about their experiences and all the cool projects you get to do, so that’s when I knew I was applying.” Furthermore, Ji found the entire application process to be “unlike anything he had applied to before.” He says, “The questions really push applicants in a way other programs usually wouldn’t.” He also found the interview process to be fun and motivating.

Eric Ji of Cohort 43

Another equally enthusiastic QUEST student shared some similar thoughts regarding the program. Bhavini Pandey, also a computer science major in Cohort 43, said “I’m most excited to be a part of a community that is not solely CS students.” Pandey went to an engineering high school and has always been surrounded by students in STEM, so she is thrilled to get a chance to meet people outside of her field. More than that, Pandey is also excited to get involved within QUEST by joining QUEST Corporate in the future. Until then, Pandey plans to have a relaxing summer and go ziplining, which is one of her favorite hobbies. If she could give any advice to freshmen, she says, “It’s so important to do things you are truly interested in and passionate about. It took me a long time to realize that I liked computer science over mechanical engineering, and even within the field there are so many options for what I could do. Explore your options!” 

Bhavini Pandey of Cohort 43

Lastly, I reached out to Ethan Zhang, another new member of Cohort 43. Zhang had heard about the program through his older brother, Eric Zhang of Cohort 31, and knew he wanted to get involved. Zhang is most looking forward to learning more professional skills and meeting new people. “Everyone I have met so far is so impressive, they all seem really qualified and I’m so excited to be surrounded by such ambitious people!”

Everyone in Cohorts 43 and 44 is encouraged to attend the upcoming ice cream social event, which is coming up on April 26th! This is a great way to kickstart some bonding by getting a chance to know other QUESTees. We can’t wait to get to know you, Cohort 43 and 44, and welcome to the program!

QUESTees in Omicron Delta Kappa

Posted on by

QUEST encourages its students to be leaders and to understand how to manage a diverse team. Some of our QUESTees are so dedicated to leadership that they were inducted to Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the national leadership honor society. I spoke to two impressive QUESTees who are members of ODK to learn more about the amazing opportunities that ODK has to offer.

Will Ahn (Q37) is a proud member of ODK.

Will Ahn is a senior in Cohort 37 who aimed to join ODK after hearing about it on Admitted Students Day four years ago. He liked that the honor society was full of hardworking students from different disciplines across campus. During his experience in ODK, he has been exposed to various parts of student life and had been able to connect with talented student leaders through opportunities not available to the student body. He feels ODK has affirmed his natural leadership skills. His favorite event is induction as he finds it fulfilling and wholesome to connect with new members and their families. It has been sweet to see how new members grow and develop and how their support network keeps them motivated during their leadership journey. He tells future QUEST students interested in ODK to stay involved and be authentic leaders.

Adelina Seck (Q39) at the ODK induction ceremony.

Adelina Seck is a junior from Cohort 39 and a recent ODK inductee. She decided to join because she has always been super passionate about leadership and giving back to the community. She also wanted to surround herself with like-minded students! She knows ODK will help her meet her future career goals through learning from other ODK student’s professional paths. She is looking forward to getting to know members better as well as events such as the Homecoming Students Leadership Celebration and the Maryland Day Fountain tradition. 

ODK is a great opportunity for QUESTees and UMD students. It helps students develop their leadership skills, network, and build a valuable, talented community. 

From Learning to Leading: Cohort 39’s Final Steps in the QUEST Program

Posted on by

As Cohort 39 wraps up their QUEST experience, let’s see what they have been doing to prepare for their capstone presentations.

Adelina Seck is thrilled to be working with BAE Systems on their ESS-IT program. Seck says that she has learned a lot about how developing a plan for meaningful change can be very important for the company as a whole. Aside from working on recommendations and conducting meetings with the client and the team’s advisor, the team has also been on site visits to York, PA! When asked what advice she had for the next cohort, Seck said: “Establish good, consistent communication with your client and make sure that everyone is on the same page throughout the entirety of the semester.” 

Annaika Taneja has been working hard on delivering meaningful change for her company, Capital i. In order to prepare for the conference, Taneja and her team have been meeting twice per week to work on their final deliverables. They have also been having weekly meetings with their client and team advisor. Taneja advises future cohorts that if data analysis is necessary, do it early! Finally, she said that spending time with her team has made the class worthwhile.

Annaika Taneja (second from the left) and her team meeting with their client for the first time.

Annie Ni is also working with BAE Systems in their Combat Mission Systems department, which manages online access for suppliers and utilizes manufacturing routings through Oracle. Ni says that the most exciting part about working with BAE Systems is that their work is held to a high standard and taken seriously. Interestingly, Ni’s team has taken a couple of extra steps throughout their time on the project to prepare for the conference. In order to understand and remedy complicated concepts, the team translates the processes into layman’s terms. Just last week, they used a sandwich analogy in their second status presentation! Ni suggests that future cohorts always be ready with a backup plan, especially because the class has a strict timeline for deliverables. 

Annie Ni (middle) and her team.

Matthew Weirich is working with PepsiCo on developing a totally new project, allowing the team to exercise their creative side. Weirich thinks it’s important to continuously incorporate feedback from the client and faculty in order to enhance the presentation and project. For future cohorts, Weirich believes that regular, in-person meetings are the way to go: “Building strong connections with your teammates is key, since making friends with your team members makes it a much more fun and productive class!”

But never fear, Cohort 40! Jimmy Takieddine says that 490 is hard work, but very rewarding! Good luck Cohort 39, we are so excited to see your presentations!

QUESTech Fair Recap

Posted on by

On March 27th, QUESTech, one of QUEST’s student organizations, held their annual Tech Fair in Van Munching Hall. Since it was the week students came back from spring break, it was a fun event full of things to see and learn about, complete with some popcorn and cotton candy to snack on!

Students got to walk around and listen to presentations on different types of technology. Here are some interesting highlights of the presentations I had the opportunity to listen to!

Daniel Danko (Q41) displayed some of his incredible 3D-printed projects, from chainmail to a light saber to a 3D-printed printer! He also showcased a mechanical set of eyes that is programmed to blink and swivel when it detects motion.

Danko (Q41) showcasing his 3D builds.

Kaushal Janga (Q42) presented on computer vision, extracting information from images and videos, and image processing. Janga talked about recent advancements in this field, such as deep learning and the incorporation of AI, as well as future challenges such as ethical and privacy concerns. There are many applications of this technology, such as augmented reality, medical imaging, and Google Translate’s photo function.

Melvin Rajendran (Q40) taught about prompt engineering, which is how to frame prompts to an AI such as ChatGPT. He discussed how to word prompts so the AI gives a more efficient task performance, such as providing context to input data, separating the input text, and specifying what it should output. He then ran an activity allowing us to practice coming up with our own prompts.

Rajendran’s (Q40) presentation on prompt engineering.

Meilin Yuan (Q42) talked about internationalization, or i18n, as a frame of thinking. Yuan described how significant the barriers are for coding across cultures and making software adaptable to different languages, as well as cultural implications.

QUESTech also invited the Leatherbacks Combat Robotics club, who displayed a few combat robots that have competed nationally! These robots are built, designed, and machined by the club in Terrapin Works. While they did not have a live demonstration with the robots due to safety concerns, they showed us competition clips and told us to look forward to their 1lb bot competition later this month on Maryland Day.

Leatherbacks Club’s 3lb robots on display.

Overall, the event was a great success and I learned a lot! Congratulations to the entire QUESTech team!

QUESTing Around the Globe

Posted on by

College is full of exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and the chance to explore another country during study abroad is certainly one of the most unique and thrilling. It’s a great chance to understand a new culture from both an educational and experiential perspective. QUEST currently has 10 students studying abroad across the globe from Europe to Australia. I spoke with two QUESTees to hear about everything from their study abroad journey so far.

Daniel Lamb is a computer engineering major from Cohort 40 who is currently studying in Madrid, Spain. He was inspired to study in Madrid because he wanted to explore a new country, meet international students, and try as many new things as possible! His favorite experience so far has been his solo travel to Valencia where he was able to participate in a festival called Las Falleras. He got to dance, eat, and build human towers with locals around a massive bonfire. His favorite class abroad has been his Spanish class, which is taught fully in Spanish by a professor who loves to poke fun and have a good time with his students. Lamb advises future QUEST students looking to study abroad to try as many new things as they can and not to worry about feeling out of place as that feeling is part of the gateway to new experiences.

Lamb (Cohort 40) parasailing in Spain

Maya Pollack is a computer science major from Cohort 40 studying abroad in Sydney, Australia. Pollack grew up loving to travel and knew she wanted to take advantage of studying abroad in college. Over the last two months in Australia, she has felt “genuinely immersed in the culture of this beautiful country,” and it has enhanced her “academic journey with invaluable insights and personal growth.” Her favorite class so far has been an environmental science lab where they go on weekly outdoor field trips related to the content they learn in class. Her favorite experience was when she visited Cairns, Queensland and went skydiving! Pollack wants future QUESTees to take the opportunity to study abroad if they can. She finds that “traveling and seeing the world is such an important part of life, pushing you to become more worldly and open-minded.” She advises coming in with the mindset of “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable” to maximize the exciting elements of studying abroad. 

Pollack (Cohort 40) skydiving in Cairns, New Zealand

QUESTing for Success: The Power of Community in QUEST

Posted on by

This month, I had the pleasure of speaking with some inspiring QUESTees about how the QUEST community has been a key element to their success. Let’s see what they had to say about their QUEST journeys so far!

Faith LeBrun of Cohort 41 says that working in QUEST teams has helped her become a better leader and team member. “QUEST has strengthened my communication skills, especially in teams with diverse perspectives. Moreover, it has helped me get better at managing my time, developing project ideas, and delegating tasks.” QUEST has also inspired her to reach out to her peers and the QUEST alumni network for interview techniques. 

LeBrun (Cohort 41) with her BMGT190H team

Similarly, Abby Bond of Cohort 37 has learned a lot by networking with QUESTees both in and out of her major. “I was able to reach out to alumni in a plethora of roles and figure out what I wanted in a career. Through those professional interactions and interactions with our clients in classes, I’ve built confidence in my professional communication skills. Now I am able to present my best self and communicate my goals more effectively, which has helped me find roles that are best suited to me.” She also notes that the very nature of multidisciplinary teams has given her the opportunity to “communicate complex ideas simply by breaking them down into palatable ways.”

Bond (Cohort 37) giving a presentation at her previous internship

QUEST not only gives us opportunities to learn from our amazing alumni, but also from our peers currently going through the program. Sometimes, they can give the best advice!

Sebastian DeCady of Cohort 41 says that his peers have inspired him in many ways. One piece of advice that he’s gotten is to “be comfortable being uncomfortable.” He says, “This advice has propelled me further than I ever imagined, allowing me to look at my weaknesses as opportunities to build new strengths.”

DeCady (Cohort 41) with his BMGT190H team

Ume Habiba of Cohort 38 says that the most beneficial advice she’s received is to take advantage of all opportunities, whether or not they align with your immediate goals. “I think this was very valuable to me and my career because I was able to try different things and broaden my skillsets in different roles.”

Habiba (Cohort 38) with her BMGT490H team

Bond thinks that sometimes inspiration can be hidden. “I am constantly inspired by QUESTees around me. Seeing how they are driven by their passions and how they are able to be such caring, fun people inspires me to be my best self. I am so grateful for the friends I have made through this program.”

The Importance of Balance in the Life of Akshita Alousyes

Posted on by

If there’s one thing that I could say about Akshita Alousyes, it’s that she means business. I guess that’s perfect since she is a business major. But seriously, as an Information Systems and Accounting double major in Cohort 40, she is definitely busy. So, let’s see how she can prioritize commitments during the chaos of midterms and all the other stress that school can bring. 

Akshita Alousyes (Cohort 40)

To start, she walked me through a typical day in her life. When first asked what a typical day looks like, she responded by saying “AHH, terrible,” giving a little chuckle. She enjoys her busy days, but she acknowledges that they can bring some stress and be overwhelming at times. Alousyes starts her day bright and early between 6-7 AM. Although her classes do not start until 11 AM, she likes to wake up early to give herself some time to get ready for the day and mentally prepare for what’s to come. 

She notes that once she is out, she typically doesn’t come back to the apartment until the end of the day. Her classes typically end in the late afternoon, and she enjoys getting her work done in between classes. After her long day, Alousyes has her little “social hour.” This is the time she makes to meet up with her friends, call family, and just have some quality time with the people that she loves. Last but not least, Alousyes heads to meetings with her business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, or a rehearsal with her dance team here at UMD.  

Although Alousyes appreciates her time with friends and loves to make the most of the clubs she’s involved in, she makes sure to dedicate some well-deserved “me time” at the end of the night. She’ll typically turn on a show and snuggle up in bed after doing her daily skincare routine.

Alousyes at the McKeldin Mall

When asked how she manages her busy schedule, she emphasized the importance of her health. “What I’ve noticed is that the days that I don’t sleep, eat, or exercise well, it ends up slowing me down. When I make time for those things, I feel like everything else just falls into place. I have the energy to do everything I need to, and my mood is so much more calm and positive.”

It was inspiring talking to Alousyes; she’s the definition of discipline and motivation while being a kind-hearted person. To close out our conversation, she shared an interesting fun fact: “This is gonna sound a little crazy, but I may have broken my foot when trying to do a TikTok dance…”

That’s Akshita Alousyes for you: a little bit crazy but always driven to get the task done, even if it means breaking her foot for it!

QUEST Goes Behind the Scenes at PepsiCo

Posted on by

This past February, QUEST Corporate planned an exciting site visit for QUEST students to PepsiCo’s Cheverly Bottling Plant. This was an incredible opportunity for the current sophomores and juniors in QUEST to take a tour of the production floor and get a glimpse of the inner-workings of a factory operation.

The QUEST team outside of PepsiCo’s Cheverly Bottling Plant

Upon arrival, QUEST students got to hear from a panel of production managers and quality control specialists about what it’s like to work at a production plant. Then, after a little bit of safety information, they were ready to put on some hair nets and venture onto the production floor! Students were able to witness and learn about how the different types of soda that PepsiCo sells are bottled and packaged. They also learned about all the flavors that PepsiCo offers and how they go into the drinks.

QUESTees suited up and ready to go to the production line!

Christopher Yeh, a sophomore Information Science and Supply Chain Management double major from Cohort 41 said, ”My favorite part of the site visit was being able to walk through the bottling production line! I’ve never seen anything like it and our guide took the time to explain how each section connected to the next. It was all super interesting.”

The site visit finished off with a Q and A session, which allowed students to gain more insight on the bottling process and PepsiCo’s Cheverly operations. It definitely sounded like a fun and informative site visit, so we want to give a huge thanks to QUEST Corporate and PepsiCo for organizing it!

QUEST Alumni and Their Journeys to Success

Posted on by

One thing about QUEST students – we are all overachievers, both in and out of college! Two QUEST alumni were even included in the Terrapin Club 30 Under 30 Class of 2024 for having a major impact in their communities and careers while supporting the university and embodying Maryland Pride. I was able to connect with them about their journeys through college and where they ended up.

Bradley Polkowitz of Cohort 35 is a 2023 alumnus who majored in OMBA and Marketing. During his freshman year of college, he heard about QUEST through a member of Cohort 29 (David Rosenstein) and was instantly sold. He was especially excited since some friends were also applying with him. Polkowitz was interested in expanding his network and diversifying his skill set through hands-on learning, which is a main pillar of QUEST. During his time at UMD, Polkowitz was a busy man! He was the Founder of the Sports Management Program, Co-Founder and President of the Maryland Sports Business Conference, and President of the Sports Business Society. After graduation, Polkowitz ended up at the National Football League (NFL) where he is currently working as a League Sports Betting Analyst in their Rotational Program. When asked about his journey so far, Polkowitz said: “The most exciting part of my career thus far has been the impact I have had in the sports industry at both UMD and the NFL. Although I just graduated, I have left a lasting impression at UMD and played a pivotal role in growing the sports community on campus. It brings me so much joy seeing my friends and peers succeed in the sports industry. Similarly, with the NFL, it is so exciting to be around the game and learn from industry leaders. I am humbled and honored to have an opportunity to work for the NFL and mentor my peers along the way.”

Polkowitz and his BMGT490H team during the Cohort 35 QUEST Conference

Avi Kozlowski of Cohort 24 is a 2017 alumnus who majored in Finance and Accounting. His inspiration for joining QUEST was his older brother, who was also in the program and spoke highly of his experience. During his time at UMD, Kozlowski was involved with many clubs, including TAMID Investment Club, Hinman CEOS (Temporary) Business Honors, DUNK, UMD Hillel, UMD Chabad, and Real Estate Club. After graduating, Kozlowski began working at Greystone as a Production Analyst, where he has stayed for the last 7 years and risen to Managing Director and Loan Originator. When asked about his professional journey over the last 7 years, Kozlowski said this: “I’ve hit that turning point where I know the ins and outs of the debt financing industry and I’m able to help clients with their current debt structure and business plans, as well as guide them towards the best product for their needs.” In 2023 alone, Kozlowski orchestrated the financing of 76 loans totaling to approximately $1.2 billion, underscoring his unwavering commitment to excellence and substantial contributions to the real estate finance landscape.

We at QUESTPress want to give a huge round of applause to these amazing QUEST alumni for all they have achieved thus far. We cannot wait to see who joins the Terrapin Club 30 Under 30 Class of 2025!