In a competition where strategy met speed, a team of QUEST students rose to the challenge with focus and collaboration. Representing both the Robert H. Smith School of Business, the A. James Clark School of Engineering, and the QUEST Honors Program, Civil and Environmental Engineering major Oluwatobiloba Oloye (Cohort 42), Information Systems and Finance double majors Marvi Shroff (Cohort 42) and Meilin Yuan (Cohort 42), and Mechanical Engineering major Yesha Shukla (Cohort 42) claimed first place at the 2025 UPitt FreeMarkets Race to the Case Competition – a unique, high-intensity supply-chain-focused challenge that tested not only analytical thinking, but also endurance, composure, and teamwork under pressure.
Hosted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business on October 18th, the competition blended rigorous business analysis with the thrill of a timed race. Over three intense rounds, teams literally raced from building to building: receiving a prompt in one location, reading it while sprinting to the next, and submitting their work at a third location under a strict time limit. For the UMD team, it was an experience unlike any they had faced before. “We’ve never been in a competition that made us physically move around campus while solving business problems, and it pushed us in a whole new way,” shared Shroff. “It wasn’t just about having the right answer, it was about staying calm and strategic under pressure.”
Each stop presented a new business scenario, demanding both technical knowledge and creative flexibility. The final round required teams to develop a supply chain optimization strategy for a multinational corporation grappling with sustainability and cost efficiency. With limited time and mounting pressure, the UMD team drew on the very tools that had become second nature to them through QUEST: structured problem solving, systems thinking, and data-backed storytelling to which judges praised their presentation for being both analytically rigorous and strategically cohesive.
Despite the frantic pace, the UMD team quickly adapted. Between rounds they refined how they collaborated: splitting work strategically instead of trying to tackle every problem as a full group. “Usually in QUEST classes, you work as one unit,” Yuan explained. “But after the first round, we changed formation and divided tasks based on strengths. That decision made the rounds much more efficient.”
For this team, though, the victory was rooted in something deeper than preparation alone, but rather it was built on years of shared growth. Having first met as teammates in BMGT/ENES 190H, their very first QUEST course, the group had already spent a semester learning to analyze problems, debate ideas, and deliver polished client presentations together. That early foundation became their biggest advantage. “Because we’ve worked together since our first QUEST project, we understand each other’s work styles.” Shukla shared.
Even so, familiarity didn’t mean the process was effortless. The physical and mental challenges of the competition tested their patience and pushed their communication skills to new limits. “There were definitely moments when the pressure got to us,” Oloye reflected. “But we learned to slow down, listen, and trust each other again, and that’s where our teamwork really grew.” That trust became a defining factor in their performance. As Shroff emphasized, “There were times when we genuinely had no choice but to depend on each other’s work and skills. We couldn’t double-check every detail—so believing in the team was the only way forward.”
Beyond strengthening their bond, the experience offered professional lessons that will stay with them long after graduation. “We learned how to think fast without sacrificing quality,” Shroff said. “In the real world, decisions often need to be made under pressure, and this competition was the perfect simulation of that environment.”
Beyond strengthening their bond and the first-place prize, the experience left a lasting professional impact. The team noted gaining deeper insights into how businesses must balance agility with precision – a lesson that extends far beyond the classroom. “It reminded us that good ideas mean nothing without execution under real pressure,” Shukla reflected. “This competition taught us how to think quickly, trust each other, and deliver under constraints, skills we will need to carry into our future careers.”
The victory also reinforced what they believe makes QUEST students stand out. “It was a full-circle moment,” Shroff said. “Everything QUEST teaches, from structured problem-solving to polished presentations, came together seamlessly, even if getting there wasn’t effortless.”
When asked what advice they would share with future QUESTees, the team was unanimous: take the leap. “Don’t be afraid to sign up for these competitions,” Yuan encouraged. “You truly have nothing to lose. Seek discomfort. If you’re already presenting in class, you can do this.” Shroff added, “We’ve done around ten competitions now, and you only get better by trying, learning from other teams, your mistakes, and from the pressure itself.”
Their story is a testament to what makes QUEST students stand out: a drive to challenge limits, support one another, and embrace every opportunity to learn. For future QUESTees, it is a reminder that success is not found by standing still, but sometimes you will have to race for it.
