Written by Elijah Biggs
On March 14th, seventeen QUEST students will embark on QUEST’s pilot spring break trip: QUEST to Silicon Valley (QUEST2SV). These students will have the opportunity to learn hands-on about design, innovation, and product and software development processes from firms in the region. QUEST students frequently learn about these principles in the classroom, but this trip will allow students to apply these principles and use tools such as: utilizing the voice of the customer and designing strategies employed to improve design quality.
QUEST2SV will be an enriching opportunity for students and the QUEST community at large. This trip offers students a chance to visit various firms: from fortune 500 companies, like Google, to tech startup companies, like Q16 Jason Gates’ very own Compology. Additionally, students will be able to network with QUEST alumni working in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, develop relationships with firm employees, and return to campus ready to share their stories with members of the QUEST community. Additionally, Linda Rassenti (Q17), one of the QUEST alumni board members, and Manas Kulkarni (Q18) are helping coordinate the cultural events in the San Francisco area.
To help reduce the cost of the trip, and so that QUEST may be able to return to Silicon Valley in years to come, QUEST2SV is seeking donations through University of Maryland’s crowdfunding initiative. In thirty days, QUEST2SV hopes to raise $7,500 to cover 50% of the trip cost. Any contributions will help make the Silicon Valley experience truly sustainable.