Incoming! Cohorts 45 and 46 have officially arrived! After receiving over 415 applications, reviewing them all, and conducting over 150 interviews, 90 new impressive QUEST students have been selected. Earlier this month, the Quality Guild (QUEST Faculty and staff) released the names of the 90 students who will be joining our QUEST community. I had a chance to connect with three of these talented students to ask them about the application process and what they are looking forward to in the coming years.
I first reached out to Mahi Ghorakavi, a double major in operations management and business analytics and public policy who will be joining Cohort 45. Ghorakavi described how she first found out about QUEST through friends and Instagram, which led her to research more about it. From there, she learned about the different projects that the QUEST curriculum offers. Ghorakavi became particularly interested in the 390H project with the Department of Defense as it perfectly blends both of her majors. She shared that during the application process “[she] realized it’s not about being the most traditionally ‘qualified,’ but about how well you reflect on your journey, understand your strengths, and bring something unique. It was a reminder to lead with authenticity and purpose.” You have truly captured the beauty of what QUEST represents, Mahi!
Mahi will also be joined by Sophia Zhang, a marketing major, in Cohort 45. Zhang decided to apply for QUEST after attending one of QUEST’s information sessions. While at the information session hosted in Iribe, Zhang found that she really enjoyed the ramen-eating innovation exercise QUEST Recruiting designed where students were tasked to improve the ramen-eating experience. Because of this and a number of other factors, Zhang knew she had to apply to QUEST. Since being accepted, Zhang has expressed her excitement to start QUEST classes, sharing that “there is so much [she] has yet to learn and that [she] can’t wait to learn it while collaborating with a diverse group of people through hands-on learning projects.” She is especially looking forward to the winter study abroad elective where she hopes QUEST visits and explores Asia. When asked about what advice she would give future applicants, Zhang advised that applicants should try to incorporate a theme into their overall application, so that application readers can begin to understand the type of person they are and whether they fit within QUEST. Great advice, Sophia! We can’t wait to see what you and Mahi accomplish as members of Cohort 45!
We can’t forget about Cohort 46 though! I interviewed business management major, Brianna Robinson, about how she first became interested in QUEST. She explained that she heard about QUEST during a tour of the Smith School at freshman orientation, which immediately sparked her interest in applying. During the interview, Robinson revealed that she learned “how important nonverbal communication can be and that having too many voices at once can sometimes complicate things. [She] also learned the value of leaning into each team member’s unique strengths—when everyone gets to shine, the whole group benefits.” Robinson also attended the Ice Cream Social hosted by QUEST Social where she connected with incoming and current QUESTees all while enjoying the sweet and delicious Maryland Dairy ice cream. She shared that this event was super fun and helped her feel more like a part of the QUEST community. We look forward to all the amazing feats you and Cohort 46 will achieve, Brianna!
Thank you to Mahi, Sophia, and Brianna for doing this interview! The rest of the QUEST community cannot wait to meet you. To all of Cohort 45 and 46, congratulations on being accepted into the QUEST Honors Program and welcome to one of the best honors program on campus!
