Guest feature by Cohort 45 Mentor Jimmy Miller (Cohort 41)

In the early hours of the day on August 28th, 45 students from QUEST Cohort 45 embarked on their QUEST journeys by taking off to Sandy Hill Camp in North East, MD for Orientation. The sun was shining, and the weather was perfect for a day of team-building, problem solving, and meeting new friends. The excitement of the semester on the horizon and the prospect of the team’s future projects filled the air with an energetic buzz. Returning to QUEST Camp as a mentor evoked a feeling of nostalgia, deja-vu, and excitement for Cohort 45’s future. 

After spending the morning bus ride talking with their seat buddies, the students arrived at Camp ready to tackle the many events planned for the day. Cohort 45 continued to get acquainted with one another before finding out the team they would be on for the rest of semester in BMGT/ENED 290H. After having the opportunity to speak with their team and mentor, the students were launched into multiple activities including Ships Ahoy, Pilot Products, and Low Ropes. 

During these various events, students received a crash course on problem solving, collaboration, and team dynamics. QUEST Camp is designed to help teams bond quickly and effectively, so that they will be set up to succeed and hit the ground running during the semester. My personal favorite activity to oversee was Ships Ahoy! Students had to think outside of the box in order to build a ship out of cardboard, duct tape, and trash bags. After a 45-minute build sprint, each team selected a captain to paddle their boat about 30 yards off the coast and back. To my surprise, many of the teams built sea-worthy vessels that stood the test of the Chesapeake Bay with impressive success. 

After changing and drying off from their sea journey, students experienced one of QUEST Camp’s traditions: Pilot Products. This is a brainstorming/pitch sprint where students think of real world problems, come up with novel solutions, and design a pitch to share with their classmates the following day. Teams are given just over an hour to complete all of this. I was blown away by Cohort’s 45 creativity and enjoyed seeing each and every group pitch realistic, innovative solutions to real world problems students face on campus everyday. 

The final activity before dinner was low ropes. This offered Cohort 45 the ability to get out of their comfort zone and build trust with their new teams. During this activity, we worked as a team to pass a tennis ball as efficiently as possible between 17 group members. The winning time was about 0.2 seconds. I am still not completely sure how we did it that quickly. We also worked as a team to pass everyone through a spider web, lifting one another off the ground and passing them through different openings on the web to get everyone across safely. It was encouraging to see Cohort 45 become more open with one another and put their minds together to succeed. 

After dinner, the teams came up with their names and presented them to one another through light hearted and comedic skits. Afterwards, we were all able to enjoy smores over the campfire which was a picture perfect ending to the first night of Cohort 45’s QUEST journey. As students retired to their cabins for the night, many games broke out including an intense and fun game of mafia. 

Day two of QUEST Camp began like most days do, with an alarm going off way too early. Except instead of your usual iPhone alarm, QUEST students were awakened by Pitbull reminding them that “every day above ground is a great day.” A wonderful and not so subtle reminder that QUEST offers students the Time of [Their] Lives. After getting ready and enjoying breakfast together, students listened to each team’s pilot product pitches. After a long and difficult deliberation, the Quality Guild (QUEST faculty and staff) selected the winning team. Congratulations to SMACK who designed an alarm clock that could funnel sound to only one person in a room, allowing one roommate to wake up while the other could continue their sleep unbothered. I know I could have used a product like this a few years ago!

To wrap up camp, the students had the opportunity to learn from Program Manager Emily Marks about the stages of team development and communication styles. Teams were then able to discuss how they planned to move through each stage during the semester so that they could deliver the best projects possible. Afterwards, Cohort 45 had one last meal together before loading onto the bus to return home. 

As I reflect on QUEST Orientation, I am filled with excitement for what Cohort 45 has in store. In just two short days, I saw the students work together, solve complex problems, and share exciting ideas all while having fun meeting new friends. I know that the semester ahead will be one of great success and growth as Cohort 45 progresses through the QUEST curriculum. If QUEST orientation was any indication at all, I know the new future of QUEST is as bright as it can be. I can’t wait to see what each team does this semester and beyond!

Guest feature by Annie Ni (Cohort 39)

At the break of dawn on January 23rd, the newest QUEST Cohort—Cohort 44—embarked on an unforgettable journey, setting out for their orientation retreat at YMCA Camp Tockwogh in Worton, MD. The crisp winter air and snow-covered trails served as the backdrop for two days filled with team-building, problem-solving, and the formation of lifelong friendships. Returning as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for another group of bright, eager students, I found myself navigating the snowy terrain of a new camp, excited for the experiences ahead. 

Upon arrival, students were greeted by the enthusiastic YMCA staff before being introduced to their teams and mentors for the semester. From there, they launched into a dynamic three-activity rotation designed to foster collaboration and innovation. 

One of the highlights was “Pilot Products,” an interactive session where students were challenged to conceptualize and present innovative solutions—a fitting preview of their first course in the QUEST program. As students brainstormed and pitched their ideas, their enthusiasm and creativity set the tone for what promises to be a transformative experience in the program.

Meanwhile, on the ropes course in the snow, students engaged in classic team-building exercises led by camp staff. These activities, ranging from balancing on a small block while singing “Happy Birthday” to hoisting teammates across a seven-foot-high plank, pushed teams to rely on communication, trust, and collective problem-solving. By the end of the session, bonds had been forged through laughter and teamwork. 

After warming up back at the main conference center with snacks in hand, students dove into their final challenge of the day: “Ready, Set, Launch.” Armed with cardboard, tape, scissors, and rubber bands, teams constructed catapult-style devices, competing to launch ping pong balls and marshmallows with the greatest accuracy, distance, and power. The friendly competition, filled with strategic adjustments and enthusiastic cheers, made for an unforgettable afternoon.

As night fell, the group gathered indoors for a well-earned evening of relaxation. A bonfire crackled as students roasted marshmallows for s’mores, while others bonded over board games and impromptu ping pong matches—an easygoing close to an action-packed day.

Day two began with an unforgettable wake-up call—an energetic mix of the Angry Birds theme song and clattering pots and pans, courtesy of the ever-spirited TAs and mentors. Once breakfast was served, students rehearsed their product pitches, leading up to their first QUEST presentations. The culmination of their efforts resulted in compelling and creative pitches, with the standout team—Chips and QUESTo (Javier Coleman, Noah Gonzalez, Joanne Lee, Sydney Luong, and Sereen Aridi)—earning the coveted QUEST Padfolio for their outstanding performance.

The retreat concluded with an insightful session led by QUEST Program Coordinator Emily Marks on communication styles and team development stages. This discussion provided a crucial foundation for the challenges and collaborations Cohort 44 will navigate in the months ahead. With newfound confidence and strengthened connections, the cohort returned to campus, ready to embark on their QUEST journey. 

From innovative challenges to moments of camaraderie around the bonfire, the retreat at Camp Tockwogh set the stage for an incredible semester ahead in BMGT/ENES 190H. As Cohort 44 steps into their next chapter, they do so with a shared experience that will shape their time in QUEST—and beyond.

As Cohort 39 wraps up their QUEST experience, let’s see what they have been doing to prepare for their capstone presentations at the QUEST Conference on May 6th!

Adelina Seck is thrilled to be working with BAE Systems on their ESS-IT program. Seck says that she has learned a lot about how developing a plan for meaningful change can be very important for the company as a whole. Aside from working on recommendations and conducting meetings with the client and the team’s advisor, the team has also been on site visits to York, PA! When asked what advice she had for the next cohort, Seck said, “Establish good, consistent communication with your client and make sure that everyone is on the same page throughout the entirety of the semester.” 

Annaika Taneja has been working hard on delivering meaningful change for her company, Capital i. In order to prepare for the conference, Taneja and her team have been meeting twice per week to work on their final deliverables. They have also been having weekly meetings with their client and team advisor. Taneja advises future cohorts that if data analysis is necessary, do it early! Finally, she said that spending time with her team has made the class worthwhile.

Annaika Taneja (second from the left) and her team meeting with their clients for the first time.

Annie Ni is also working with BAE Systems in their Combat Mission Systems department, which manages online access for suppliers and utilizes manufacturing routings through Oracle. Ni says that the most exciting part about working with BAE Systems is that their work is held to a high standard and taken seriously. Interestingly, Ni’s team has taken a couple of extra steps throughout their time on the project to prepare for the conference. In order to understand and remedy complicated concepts, the team translates the processes into layman’s terms. Just last week, they used a sandwich analogy in their second status presentation! Ni suggests that future cohorts always be ready with a backup plan, especially because the class has a strict timeline for deliverables. 

Annie Ni (middle) and her team.

Matthew Weirich is working with PepsiCo on developing a totally new project, allowing the team members to exercise their creative sides. Weirich thinks it’s important to continuously incorporate feedback from the client and faculty in order to enhance the presentation and project. For future cohorts, Weirich believes that regular, in-person meetings are the way to go. “Building strong connections with your teammates is key, since making friends with your team members makes it a much more fun and productive class!”

But never fear, Cohort 40! Jimmy Takieddine says that 490H is hard work, but very rewarding!

Good luck Cohort 39. We are so excited to see your presentations!