For those QUEST experts out there, I have a question for you. What event does QUEST Corporate put on at least once a year? If you guessed site visits, you are correct! Every year, QUEST Corporate hosts a site visit where they take a field trip to learn firsthand about a company or corporation. For this year’s site visit, QUEST Corporate teamed up with the Smith Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA) to visit Guidehouse, a consulting firm based in McLean, VA. Attendees had a jam-packed schedule filled with gifts, presentations, networking, and even a delicious lunch spread. I had the chance to talk to QUEST Corporate co-lead, Adelina Seck (Cohort 39), and QUESTee and SUSA President, Amari Mehta (Cohort 43), about the visit and their favorite moments from the trip along.

We cannot begin this article without first mentioning the man who made this possible: QUEST alum and Director at Guidehouse, Joel Liebman (Cohort 14). Liebman has been a huge source of support within the QUEST community, actively participating in the QUEST Mentorship Program and attending the QUEST Networking Fair as an employer. With the guidance of Jessica Roffe of our very own Quality Guild and Eva Coll of the Office of Career Services for the Smith School, QUEST Corporate, Liebman, and his colleagues at Guidehouse were able to create and plan a personalized schedule for QUEST students. This was such a great opportunity that the invitation was extended to Smith school students through SUSA as well. Together, QUEST Corporate and SUSA organized transportation and coordinated with Liebman and the Guidehouse team to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for all attendees.

On Friday, February 21st, QUEST students and SUSA members hopped on a bus, excitedly awaiting the chance to see the Guidehouse HQ and network with consulting professionals. When the attendees first arrived, they were greeted with gifts from the Guidehouse team from metal straws to a mini duster. They even received Guidehouse Tide pens! However, the Guidehouse team went above and beyond physical gifts, providing attendees with meaningful insights about the world of consulting. To start, Liebman dived into an engaging presentation about public sector consulting, specifically regarding his experience advising the Department of Homeland Security. He then invited his fellow Guidehouse colleagues from all different backgrounds to the floor to discuss their own unique, personal experiences working in consulting. However, the highlight of the day was a simulated consulting project. Students were broken up into groups of five and partnered with a Guidehouse professional to tackle a TSA-related case study. Their job was to offer recommendations to the TSA to improve their efficiency and work environment. Through this activity, attendees had a first-hand look at how diversity within a team creates space for new perspectives to emerge, ensuring that clients receive the best solution.

For both Adelina Seck and Amari Mehta, this was their favorite part of the whole event. Seck found the activity very engaging as she worked with a Guidehouse associate who had personal experience in consulting the TSA and who provided relevant and useful feedback on Seck’s team’s solutions. Similarly, Mehta’s team was partnered with Joel Liebman who “helped [her] develop a practical understanding of consulting work.” Through this activity, Mehta not only built a more personal connection with Liebman, but also bolstered her repertoire as a future consultant by practicing her problem-solving and collaboration skills with her team of diverse individuals. Mehta specifically mentioned that “it reinforced everything we learn in our QUEST courses and allowed me to apply my classroom knowledge to a real-world case.” At the end of the simulation, QUEST students and SUSA members, including Seck and Mehta, gave a brief presentation of their major case findings. Before they headed back to campus, attendees had the chance to network in a more personal setting with Guidehouse associates, relax, and appreciate the office view–a beautiful conclusion to a fun, yet eye-opening day with the Guidehouse team.

“We hosted QUEST at our Guidehouse offices about two years ago, and when QUEST approached me about rekindling that event and broadening the invite list beyond QUEST in partnership with SUSA, I was thrilled and jumped at the chance,” shared Liebman. “We packed a lot into a half-day workshop, panel, and simulated consulting experience. I thought it would be a lot for the attendees to keep up with (and it was)—but it was me who had to keep up with them! They were energetic and engaged, they asked well-informed and thought-provoking questions, and they came up with creative ideas and solutions to realistic client challenges. The students from the Smith school and the QUEST program never disappoint. I look forward to partnering with QUEST, SUSA, and the Smith school on many things in the years ahead and welcoming many of the attendees as colleagues in the Consulting industry (and at Guidehouse!) soon.”

Our QUESTees had an amazing experience at Guidehouse thanks to the efforts of Joel and his colleagues Sophie Romanik (Senior Consultant), Zach Jacobs (Consultant), Marleigh Wood (Consultant), Jackie Olewack (Director), and Samantha Calvano (Talent Acquisition, UMD Campus Lead).

Thanks to the Guidehouse team, Jess Roffe, Eva Coll, SUSA Vice President of Events Hamid Shabbir, and QUEST Corporate for taking the time to make this incredible event a reality! If you missed out on this opportunity or were unable to attend, be on the lookout for future QUEST Corporate events!