The QUEST program has impacted the life and careers of its alumni in numerous and diverse ways, and continues to enrich new cohorts of students each year through its unique curriculum and activities. As I reflect on my own QUEST experience, I see how the program opened my mind to understanding how to harness the strength of diverse teams to generate game changing solutions and develop high quality products to exceed customers’ needs. Even today, I continue to use skills borne in the QUEST program to help bring high quality tactical communication products to market that help to protect the lives of our troops so they can successful complete their mission and return home to their families safely. This fuels my desire to support the QUEST program through service on the QUEST Alumni Board and provide personal financial donations to help fund the valuable program. QUEST alumni are the program’s foundation, and through our support the program can continue to provide the highest quality education and provide graduates with skills relevant to an ever changing global market so they can not only succeed, but excel.

I ask you to reflect on your own QUEST experience and then take a moment to visit the QUEST website and (www.rhsmith.umd.edu/quest) so you too can give back in an amount that you feel honors the program’s value to your career and success. I also ask that you consider taking the additional step of contributing to the program through service. Consider becoming a member of the QUEST Alumni Board or contact the QUEST program office to involve your company and corporate contacts with the program through one of the many opportunities for sponsorship.

We all have benefited from the program, and together we can grow the program into the next 20 years.

Sincerely,

Steve Kutchi, Cohort 1
Mechanical Design Manager, Thales Communications, Inc