From lighting hairdryers on fire to meeting the university president and working for the QUEST program itself, the alumni of Cohort 1 of the QUEST Honors Program have had some memorable experiences. I had the opportunity to speak with three alumni from the first cohort: Missy Grace, a Finance major who went on to co-found the consulting firm Alpine Rewards; Brian Marquardt, an Electrical Engineering major and now Senior Director of Product Management at Google; and Debbie Feinberg, an Accounting major and the founder of consulting firm Maximize.

In 1992, when the QUEST program was a brand-new initiative, word about it spread by word-of-mouth and flyer-in-dorm. Marquardt heard about it through a friend, Patrick Valenti, in the business school, and the two were excited to get the opportunity to have a class together. “They were pitching students on applying and the exciting and promising aspects of being part of something completely new,” he recalled. Grace and Feinberg first learned about the program from reading flyers and postcards slipped under their dorm doors. Feinberg explained that the program received a five-year Total Quality (TQ) grant from IBM, spearheaded by Peggy Phillips. “Maryland’s program was the only undergraduate program to receive the grant—and the only one that continues to this day,” she noted.

From the very start, QUEST pushed students out of their comfort zones. One of the most memorable early assignments? Designing and marketing a hair dryer. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do because it was so out of my element,” said Feinberg. “We had to explain costs to the engineers, and the engineers had to explain materials to us. It was really the first cross-functional team I had ever worked on.” Grace remembers the project vividly—especially when the instructors told her team that their product would catch on fire if actually made. “But the lesson is really important,” she said. “You’re always going to make mistakes in life. It’s about your attitude towards them.” Marquardt emphasized the sense of community that QUEST fostered. “In addition to learning with people in class, the QUEST computer lab was a place where everyone would come to do their homework. You’d find yourself bonding with students from both schools, in class and outside of it.”

Each of the alumni credits QUEST with shaping their professional journey. “Personally, it opened a lot of doors in and outside of campus,” said Grace. After being selected to present to the university dean on how total quality improvement affected student life, Grace got opportunities for a scholarship and an internship in her current field of work. Grace said, “I don’t know what I would be right now if those things didn’t happen. I attribute a lot of my current success to being in QUEST.”

For Marquardt, QUEST was instrumental in broadening his skill set. “When you get out there in the real world, you realize it’s all cross-disciplinary teamwork. Smarts is one thing, but how you work with other people—that’s maybe even more important.” Feinberg agreed. “Whenever anyone asked me about interviewing for a job, I’ve always said you need something you were passionate about, that taught you something. QUEST was that for me.”

After graduation, these alumni continued to give back to the QUEST program. Feinberg returned to the program in a new capacity—as its first Director of Corporate Relations. “The graduates were falling outside of the career centers’ abilities,” she said. “They weren’t just accounting majors or just engineers anymore. My job was to help with resumes and interviews—and also to bring in companies who’d see how special these students were.” Grace has stayed engaged as a mentor and a capstone project sponsor, even sponsoring a current 490H project. “I really believe they’re the best students. It’s an amazing recruiting pipeline for people who are experienced, innovative, and able to learn.” Marquardt remains a frequent mentor, met up with QUEST students and President Pines on their recent trips to California, and even spoke in the QUEST product management course. On why he advises students, he said, “I realized that if I had gotten certain advice earlier in my career, it would have helped me make better decisions. So now, I try to impart my wisdom to help others.”

Each alum also gave their own advice for current QUEST students. “Just go with it,” Feinberg said. “Use the program and its resources to build a skill set no one else has. QUEST really gave me the permission to say yes to things I hadn’t done before.” Grace emphasized the personal growth the program fosters. “Being mindful and inclusive of other experiences and cultures—and the notion of always improving—really struck home to me.” She added, “And some of the relationships I made in QUEST have lasted literally a lifetime.” Marquardt encouraged students to make the most of every opportunity: “Participate in the events, even the optional ones. Build connections—with your classmates, across cohorts, and with companies. You go to school for academics, but you also go for the people you meet and the connections you make for the future.”

Marquardt also noted how far QUEST has come since its inception. “In the early days, it was a leap of faith. Now, it’s a proven, tried-and-true program. The university has preserved what’s special while also evolving with the times.” Thanks to Missy Grace, Brian Marquardt, and Debbie Feinberg for sharing their stories with us! From constructing hairdryers to cultivating high-powered careers, the alumni of Cohort 1 have demonstrated just how the QUEST program has evolved from “a leap of faith” to a lasting program with real impact on the students who go through it.