QUEST member and student athlete Hayley Brown (Q18)

Interview conducted by Sophia Wu (Q18)

1) Tell us: Who is Hayley Brown?

I am a junior marketing major from just north of Toronto, Canada.  I chose the University of Maryland for its strong business program, athletics and its proximity to home.  I came across the QUEST program by chance at an information session in the Smith School, and it has become one of the best decisions I made in college.  I plan on pursuing an MBA back home in Canada, and it would be my ultimate dream to own a marketing agency in Toronto.

2) You are a part of the UMD golf team on campus. What do you enjoy most about golfing?

Golf is a very social game, which enables me to meet people from different backgrounds, cultures, majors and schools.  It’s not a typical sport in the sense that you spend over four hours with your opponents and actually converse with them, as opposed to sweating it out on the court with no interaction.  As far as business is concerned, golf is a great sport for networking and building lasting client relationships.  You can tell a lot about a person by how they act on the golf course, from how they handle pressure, stress and whether they are honest when they are scoring.

Hayley in action on the golf course

Golf has been a tremendous sport in building my patience and other strong character traits that I show in all other aspects of my life.  Golf is 90% mental, which has helped me build up a strong will and dedication to the tasks I complete.  Being a student athlete has taught me a lot about prioritizing and balance.  In the real world, you don’t have unlimited amounts of time to complete a project, and having a very busy day-to-day schedule has enabled me to work as efficiently as possible with the tools that I have.

Not only is golf a competitive challenge and exercise, but it is also an escape at times.  During a stressful week of exams, a lot of students will become hermits within their room, but sometimes taking a break and spending a beautiful day on the golf course is ideal to refresh your brain.

3) Being a part of QUEST as well as a sports team on campus must be very demanding. What advice would you give others who are in the same situation?

I’m sure everyone has heard it over and over, but time management is key!  There are always enough hours in the day, but you have to learn how to plan and use them effectively.  For me, the toughest part about being a student athlete is missing so much class.  Time is limited on the road, and not physically being in class and hearing the lecture can be very difficult when it comes to exams.  My biggest piece of advice is just to ensure that you stay on top of things, because once you get behind, it’s a dangerous spiralling after-effect.  Secondly, take advantage of building a relationship with your professors.  They will respect your effort, and it can also be a tremendous networking experience.

4) Has QUEST helped your game in any way? If yes, how so?

One of the huge messages that I have pulled from 390 so far is to pursue your passion.  This has helped me tremendously with my golf game this semester as I’ve realized that if I love it, and I’m not forcing it, I play better.  At the end of the day, golf is just a game, and if you truly love it and enjoy playing it, you will see improvements in your performance.

5) What has been your favorite QUEST experience so far?

QUEST camp was an amazing bonding experience and introduction to the QUEST program.  I have made a lot of great friendships through QUEST that go beyond the classroom, and have, in turn, helped me become a more well-rounded person.  Working with students from engineering and computer science backgrounds has opened my eyes to a different way of approaching problems and solutions.  This is invaluable experience, as multidisciplinary teams are very prevalent in the workplace.

6) What is on your QUEST bucket list?

My QUEST bucket list consists of pursing and implementing either my 190 or 390 projects, attending a QUEST study abroad, and helping Dr. Suarez write a book full of his inspirational anecdotes and life experiences!