Author Archives: Jessica Roffe

QUEST Well Represented at Innovate Maryland

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On April 11th, 2018, The Academy for Innovation & Entrepreneurship hosted their annual Innovate Maryland event. The event recognizes innovative and entrepreneurial students from across campus and almost 30 QUEST students were nominated for this year’s awards. We were able to interview four QUEST students who were nominated and attended the event!

How did it feel to be nominated for Innovate Maryland?

Chineme Obiefune (25): It felt cool to be nominated. I was invited because I participated in the QUEST/IBM Design Challenge last semester so it was pretty unexpected but very much appreciated.
Bryan Varghese (26): It was great to be nominated for Innovate Maryland! I didn’t know what Innovate Maryland was before being nominated, but I glad was nominated. It felt nice to be recognized for my accomplishments in the IBM Design Challenge.
Chloe Berman (Q26): I was actually surprised to be nominated to attend Innovate Maryland. I know we get to do some pretty cool work as a part of QUEST, but I guess I never quite realized how the work we were doing could be seen as innovative. However, I was very excited to be able to attend this event.
Brianna Ho (Q29): Being nominated for Innovate Maryland was honestly a surprise. Having been nominated for a project (IBM Design Challenge) that was finished several months ago, it was nice to get back in touch with my other team members after a while and meet up with them again.

How did it feel to be amongst other distinguished students and faculty?

Chineme Obiefune (Q25): There were a lot of really cool startups there so it was inspiring to be around so many people that were pursuing their passions. I could tell that they were all serious about making a difference and changing lives.
Bryan Varghese (Q26): It was a great way to interact with other distinguished students and faculty. I felt honored to be included among these really accomplished and passionate students and faculty.
Chloe Berman (Q26): It felt very special to be surrounded by such distinguished students and faculty. I was impressed to learn about all the innovation happening in the community around me, so much of which I had no idea existed. It is inspiring being in an environment full of such talented, driven individuals, and it inspired and encouraged me to continue looking for ways to be innovative in my future.
Brianna Ho (Q29): The whole environment of the event was also pretty unexpected and honestly much fancier than I’d thought it’d be. Being surrounded by all of these great startups and being able to mingle with not only students but also professors and faculty was a nice experience. The entire ambience of the place just fostered a feeling of wanting to do something.

What was your favorite part about the event?

Chineme Obiefune (Q25): My favorite part was the showcase portion where you got to see the different startup founders and talk to them about their work.
Bryan Varghese (Q26): My favorite part about the event was talking to the different startups. It ranged from multiplayer VR video gaming companies to drone building companies. It was so diverse, and it was interesting to understand how they started and made it to where they are today.
Chloe Berman (Q26): My favorite part of the event was being able to speak to colleagues from various programs I am either currently in or have participated in at my time at Maryland, as well as meeting new people and learning about how they are innovating here at Maryland.
Brianna Ho (Q29): My favorite part of the event was actually watching the awards ceremony. Seeing what was going on around campus and how innovative these students and faculty were being right under my nose was so surprising. The videos they played demonstrating each project were awesome.

How did it feel to have so many other QUEST students there with you?

Chineme Obiefune (Q25): It was nice to know that QUEST students are so involved in the innovation spaces on campus. It definitely made me feel proud to know that the program contributed to the entrepreneurial mindset at Maryland.
Bryan Varghese (Q26): I was really proud of QUEST for having so many students at the Innovate Maryland event. The most surprising thing was that half of the QUEST students weren’t invited because of QUEST, but because of other activities like challenges, running their own courses, EIP, and so on. It just shows how active QUEST students are throughout UMD.
Chloe Berman (Q26): I loved seeing how well QUEST was represented was at the Innovate Maryland event! QUEST has been such an amazing program, and it was rewarding to see so many of my peers amongst those who are driving innovation at UMD.
Brianna Ho (Q29): Seeing them around just brought me joy because it reminded me how great and impactful the QUEST community is.

How has QUEST helped you be innovative and/or entrepreneurial?

Chineme Obiefune (Q25): QUEST has instilled a design thinking mindset in me that pushes me to understand the people around me and gather insights to solve the problems that impact them.
Bryan Varghese (Q26): QUEST has definitely taught me to be more innovative. I have learned about different perspectives, different brainstorming techniques, and different management skills. This not only helped me throughout the QUEST curriculum but within my academic and professional career.
Chloe Berman (Q26): QUEST has especially helped develop my skills and capabilities when it comes to being innovative and entrepreneurial. Through QUEST, I was provided the tools and knowledge to be able to tackle problems with a new mindset and to provide uniquely innovative solutions to even the toughest challenges. My entrepreneurial abilities have also been expanded through real-life product innovation challenges and through QUEST alumni who have come back and spoken about their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Brianna Ho (Q29): QUEST for sure has helped me be more innovative and entrepreneurial. I’m nearing the end of 390H right now, and it’s only added to my toolbox that started in 190H. So many concepts that were covered ranging from empathizing with your market to building a business plan are topics that I always keep in mind when starting a new project.

Congratulation to all the QUEST Nominees!
Sam Lewando (26)
Chloe Berman (26)
Alyssa Hu (26)
Bobby Ellett (25)
Conor Casey (27)
Timothy Chen (28)
Cameron Harner (25)
Varun Mohan (28)
Jeffrey Zhao (28)
Chineme Obiefune (25)
Jordan Steiner (26)
Bryan Varghese (26)
Brianna Ho (29)
Adam Sarsony (29)
Kyle Su (30)
Colin SyBing (30)
Derek Xiao (28)
Ankit Sheth (29)
Mingkai Xu (27)
Lauren Kim (30)
Sameera Polavarapu (27)
Didac Hormiga (28)
Brooke Nesselt (27)
Conrad Hong (27)
Adam Hostetter (29)
Didac Hormiga (28)
Brian Freeman (27)
Chad Simon (30)
Meena Sengottuvelu (28)

Dr. Suarez’s Book featured in The Washington Post Bestseller’s List

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Recently, Professor J. Gerald Suarez was featured in the Washington Post Bestseller’s List for his book Leader of One.

In the era of “analytics,” Dr. Suarez reminds us of the wisdom in the maxim, Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts[1]. “How can we effectively measure passion, desire, or imagination?” he asks. These attributes may defy measurement, yet they are essential for influencing our future. Dr. Suarez’s maxims and “nuggets of wisdom,” made his book “Leader of One: Shaping Your Future through Imagination and Design,” a Washington Post bestseller.

The book offers a way to help readers transcend the present—its trappings and obstacles— and helps them create a vibrant and viable future. Creating a desired future requires that we guide our efforts through vision, values, constancy of purpose and consistency of action. Doing so is not easy, transformative efforts never are, and to help us take the first steps he introduces the cycle CONTEMPLATION-DESIRE-DESIGN-CREATION, as well as interactive idealized design, problem dissolution, the Physical-Logical-Emotional model, and non-linear thinking, among other systems thinking frameworks.

But most importantly, he has created a system to help students find their passion, nurture their purpose, and have the courage to imagine the future and take action in the present to pursue it. These enduring lessons have shaped and inspired QUEST students for over a decade… and as he says, “the student’s accomplishments have inspired me.”

 

Link to Washington Post Bestsellers List can be found here

Book link: Leader of One http://www.amazon.com/dp/1494401363

 

Video excepts from Leader of One
Get out of your career rut:   https://youtu.be/kDRvBDytts0

How to find your passion:   https://youtu.be/DLLkvIMeuMA

How to lead when you aren’t in a leadership position:   https://youtu.be/3vi-HerorwA

Keep an eye on the goal:  https://youtu.be/KfNWgQiYaAo

 

[1] This quote has been attributed to Einstein, William Bruce Cameron, Hillard Jason and others.

Cohort 27’s Final Presentations

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All the quality tools, design thinking skills, data analysis mastery, and consulting prowess QUEST students accumulate over their time in college is eventually displayed for all to see at the QUEST Conference. On May 3rd, 2018, students of Cohort 27 put their outstanding capstone projects on display. After an hour of mingling with fellow QUESTees and admiring Q27’s beautiful and informative poster boards, it was time for presentations. Unfortunately, I could not attend all of them, since there were three rounds in which three presentations occured simultaneously in different rooms, so I had to choose three to watch.

The first presentation that a couple of my friends and I gathered to watch was Gizmo Solution’s project on how Orbital ATK can optimize their machine shop scheduling. I loved how the team not only focused on the quantifiable benefits of their recommended solutions, but also on how “Cory, the scheduler, will be able to spend less time using Excel and more time creating value for the company” (Mark Purtilo, Q27).

After a great Q&A session with probing questions from the audience, I moved over to Ballroom A to watch Operation Hawkeye present their suggestions on how Northrop Grumman can improve its machine uptime and utilization. It was hard not to be impressed with the confidence each speaker exuded when they were on stage and how clear the message was that Northrop should take preventative and not reactive actions. I spoke to Akshay Guthal, one of the members of Operation Hawkeye, about how the team was able to be so relaxed in front of such a large crowd. He said, “Having already presented in class on Wednesday, we felt very comfortable presenting our project again. And since that crowd included many of my friends and family, it felt great to show them what we worked so hard on.”

The last presentation I was able to see was how 1PoP Consulting helped Lockheed Martin reduce its supply chain costs. This was a very informative slide deck with clean, easy to understand appendices and a clear focus on how supply chain concepts can be better integrated into Lockheed Martin’s search for high quality suppliers. It was during this last presentation that I realized how supportive the audience had been in each of the showcases I attended and how the QUEST community sets a strong foundation to help its fellow members succeed.

I was very excited to be able to witness all of the knowledge Cohort 27 had learned over the years and how it had led to such a memorable night. I had gone to the QUEST Conference last year in December while I was taking 190H, but here I really took some time to think about what I was seeing, hearing, and experiencing. I noticed that every presenter had their own way of speaking on stage, just as each writer has their own voice in their articles.

I saw various 190H and 390H concepts being displayed in the presentations, be it how the teams utilized design thinking to gain empathy from their clients or how they used Monte Carlo analyses to determine the probability of getting a favorable outcome from certain recommendations. Each team had a clean, no-frills presentation slide deck and a poster board that only contained the most important information of their projects. Each student’s professionalism and composure on stage must be a result of having to present pitches for 2 years in their 190H, 390H, and 490H classes. I can’t wait for my turn to take 490H next year!

Goodbye and Good Luck to our QUESTPress Seniors

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Another year here at UMD is coming to a close and so naturally, we are losing some of our seniors to the real world. While we wish them the best, we also wish we had more time to learn from them and share more memories and laughs. With this said, QUESTPress would like to give a big sendoff to our seniors, Chineme Obiefune (Q25), Joe Piscitelli (Q25), Sam Weaver (Q26), and our Editor-in-Chief, Andrew Jones (Q26).

Andrew Jones (Q26)

Andrew is our great Editor-in Chief. He has been a part of QUESTPress for 3 years and has written numerous entertaining articles for the QUEST community. Additionally, Andrew has been involved in QUEST in other ways by being a  mentor for Q30 as well as attending not one, but two QUEST2 trips – to Silicon Valley and to Spain! Looking forward to the summer, Andrew will be traveling around the world (no exaggeration!). He’s going to be in Peru, Thailand, Southeast Asia, and then back to the US to be in New Orleans and Boston! After a busy summer, Andrew will be settling in Tysons Corner to begin work as an Associate Consultant at Appian Corporation.

While thinking about leaving UMD, Andrew will miss all of the experiences he’s had here and the opportunity to participate in so much. He said, “UMD offers so many activities. It can’t compare to any other institution!” QUEST gave Andrew a plethora of great things but what he’ll miss most are the abroad courses and meeting our amazing alumni! Andrew, we’ll miss your support and insights that you would give us at every Sunday meeting.

Chineme, our senior in Q25 has been in QUESTPress for two years but has also mentored 190H and helped out in the scoping class. This summer, Chineme is excited to be outside enjoying the weather but also hanging out with kids by volunteering at a summer camp. What’s really cool is that he’s going to also be working on his music (tune in everyone!!) to develop a skill that he is finally getting some free time to think about.

Chineme Obiefune (Q25)

QUEST is an intense community, full of people who are driven and passionate about what they are learning and Chineme appreciates and will miss it the most. Getting to see his team do amazingly in 190H yet still harness so much growth on the way to 490H was extremely rewarding, especially knowing that he “has had a slight hand in the success.” Chineme, we are going to miss your out of the box ideas for articles and fearlessness when it comes to trying and proposing new things.

Joe had an especially important position for not only QUESTPress but also the newsletter, in that he has been our webmaster and the genius behind figuring out any struggle with the online forums and making sure all of our articles and sites look great. Joe joined QUESTPress immediately after QUEST Camp after a now QUEST alumna, Grace Cha, suggested that people join. After school ends for Joe, he’ll be back in Miami with friends and family but his studying won’t be over as he will be preparing for the CPA exam prior to coming back to the DMV as a Core Assurance Associate for PriceWaterhouse Coopers.

Joe Piscitelli (Q25)

Looking back, Joe will mostly miss the amazing people that he has had the opportunity to meet through QUEST, Smith, and UMD as a whole. Joe says, “I came to UMD knowing absolutely no one else coming here so it was nice to have organizations on campus such as QUEST to make the campus smaller. I’ve met some of the best people I know at UMD.” Memories like simply walking into the QUEST lab to print and bumping into people you don’t expect to see and getting to catch up will stick with Joe for a while. He also loved to check out what new art our fellow QUEST students have up on the walls. Joe, we will miss your great sense of humor and endless help as we struggle through WordPress.

Sam has been in QUESTPress and writing articles for us since her sophomore year. After three years with us, Sam will be joining Lockheed Martin in Dallas. Sam has enjoyed her time with QUEST and says that she’ll miss all of the great events that QUEST has to offer. Being involved and getting to catch up with fellow QUEST peers are what she enjoyed most about QUEST. Sam’s favorite memory followed finally accomplishing the final client presentation in 490H. Her group had gotten through the toughest course for QUEST and to celebrate, Sam said, “My team and I went to Costco for lunch and just hung out and goofed off. Our client really loved our project and capping off that successful presentation with some pizza and ice cream was so satisfying.” Sam, we’ll miss having you over the conference call because you’re doing something cool like getting stuck at home baking bread.

Sam Weaver (Q26)

While we are sad to see you all go, we know you are onto bigger and better things. We look forward to hearing your names in articles not written by you, but rather about you. Thank you for your endless contributions to not only QUESTPress but QUEST as a whole. To you and all of the seniors moving on from our students to our alumni, keep us in mind. Come visit us and share your experiences with us or even let us know how we can be do better in our next QUEST presentation. I’ll leave you with a quote in the spirit of QUEST: “I begin with an idea, and then it becomes something else” – Pablo Picasso. QUEST has trained us to develop brilliant ideas and to take them as far as we can. Keep up the QUEST spirit and remain design thinkers regardless of where you end up because you all have great things to offer and thoughts to share. Best of luck class of 2018! You made it!

 

A Sneak Preview of Alumnus Yash Mehta’s New Podcast!

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Yash Mehta (Q22) began his own podcast to commemorate the beginning of 2018. While it’s still at its infancy, Yash has sights on expanding the podcast to feature even more “influencers, as the podcast name, The Great Influencers, suggests. At the current moment, there are two podcasts on the website highlighting Malala Yousafzai and Thurgood Marshall, implying that the diversity in influencers is not limited to prominent historical figures. I recently got to sit down with Yash to get his thoughts on the podcast and his vision moving forward.

What prompted you to start the podcast?

I think it was a host of internal and external factors. From the internal perspective, I’ve always really enjoyed creative writing and public speaking so this was a great way to practice those skills. I’ve also become an avid listener of other podcasts over the last year so this was a neat challenge/bucket list item for me to tackle. On the external side, I think we could all use some inspiration from time to time so I wanted to create something that helped busy professionals like those in QUEST to do something fun, learn something, and feel energized to improve their lives all at the same time. I think we’re in a particularly interesting political climate and regardless of your beliefs, I try to shape each episode so that people realize people just like them influenced our world.

I notice you featured both historical and current “influencers” on your podcast – do you have intentions on sticking with a theme regarding that or just whoever is making an influence?

The way I choose influencers is relatively unstructured – a lot of it is me coming across stories of people that make me go, “Wow, I want to know more.” I’m trying to make a conscious decision to showcase influencers from a variety of backgrounds (civil activism, science, arts, etc.) so that every person listening can see a bit of themselves in the influencers. My other criteria is choosing great influencers whose stories haven’t been widely told – yes, MLK was absolutely a great influencer, but so was Thurgood Marshall, and I’ve heard Marshall’s story far fewer times so I decided to tell his story instead.

In the spirit of continuous improvement, Yash always loves to get any feedback, so if anyone wants to provide feedback, please share it with him at MehtaJYash@Gmail.com!

Noah Vernick Selected for NewDay USA Character Driven Leadership Award

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QUEST student Noah Vernick (Q28) was recently selected for an award through New DayUSA for his efforts and leadership within the club, D4 Athletics, that he has been pioneering this past academic year. I had the chance to sit down with him to get his thoughts on being a recipient of this award.

1) Tell me more about NewDay USA and what the award is for.

NewDay USA is a mortgage company that is focused on supporting veterans. They also promote character driven leadership in companies, organizations, and universities. At UMD, they funded the NewDay USA Character Driven Leadership Award in which there were three categories: NewDay USA Character Driven Leader for Innovation, for Enterprise, and for Resilience. I applied for Innovation which should be awarded to the individual that has an optimistic, infectious vision for the future.

 

Noah (middle) with his award.

2) What allowed you to be selected for this award?

I applied because I believe that my club, D4 Athletics, is a perfect example of my leadership through Innovation. As a sports club, we hope to target students who do not play sports very frequently. All skill levels are welcome and the environment is one that breeds positivity. After being on campus and SGA-recognized for one year, we were starting to build a great presence on campus. It is challenging competing with intramural and club sports, but we hope to hit a larger audience by participating in philanthropy events such as our annual volleyball tournament, A Match for Karen, and our strong relationship with UMD’s Relay for Life. My efforts in building an organization to provide students opportunity to stay active and meet new people is what won me the award.

 

 3) How has winning this award affected you moving forward?

Sometimes we are hard on ourselves and we do not take time to recognize the small achievements that lead to success. Receiving this award made me realize how far D4 has come and motivated me to keep growing the organization to leave it in great hands by the time I graduate next year. It is also nice to be recognized by people other than your family and friends for something you have worked really hard to accomplish.

 

Congratulations again to Noah Vernick for being selected for this honor, keeping the trend of emerging leaders within the QUEST community!

 

 

Zack Khan Selected as KPCB Fellow

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Congratulations to Zack Khan, CMNS student and member of Cohort 29, for his acceptance into the Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) Fellows Program! KPCB is a national venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley that specializes in investments in early stage and growth companies. This firm has backed major corporations in their early stages like Amazon, Google, and Twitter! KPCB started the fellows program with the intent to recruit talented students for its current portfolio companies. Its hope is to continue to help create and invest in other major entrepreneurial companies.

Zack said, “I have friends who have previously been part of KPCB fellows, and they told me I would be a great fit for this program. So, I decided to apply. When I found out that I was actually accepted into the program, I could not have been more excited or honored to know that I would have the opportunity to participate in such an amazing experience.”

While KPCB Fellows is an incredible program, there is more to the reason why Zack applied. Zack explained that “the biggest reason I joined KPCB was because of the community. KPCB has beliefs very similar to my own and I am so excited to join KPCB’s talent group, meet its diverse set of people, and learn more about entrepreneurship.”

Additionally, Zack talked about how “once you belong to the KPCB fellows program, there is always a network of professionals willing to help you and provide mentorship. I believe that this type of program will help me as I set out to achieve my goals in the future.”

For his internship this summer in Silicon Valley, Zack will be working as a Software Engineer with the startup Handshake. Handshake is a group of 80 people whose goal is “democratizing opportunity.” Handshake works as a platform of over 8 million students which companies can recruit from. This company essentially gives every student a fair shot at receiving internships and jobs. “I decided to work at Handshake because my background is in educational technology, and I can relate with other students as I am currently in college now! I value and resonate with Handshake’s mission, and I am driven to help try and solve the problem they are addressing.”

Well done, Zack! QUEST is so excited for your internship with Handshake, and we are so proud of you for what you have accomplished! Congratulations, and enjoy your time in the Bay Area this summer!

 

QUEST Students Study Design in Silicon Valley Over Spring Break

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Spring break means many fun trips for students in college, and for some of our QUEST students, it meant a trip to California’s Silicon Valley. On this trip, our students got to explore some Fortune 500 companies and startups to see how QUEST themes and ideals apply to them. The design thinking process was evident and a sense of innovation was ever-present.

Prior to going on the trip, students prepared informative dossiers on all the companies they would visit. Praneeth from Cohort 29 studied Redfin to study their design and development process which resembled that of many other Silicon Valley companies. He got to learn that “ideation starts with product managers and then goes through an iterative testing process to finalize specifications that are sent out to developers who build the product.”

QUEST students visited ABC7 news to get a behind the scenes look!

Students visited many companies in order to study their operational ways and to understand their design processes to see how they compare to one another. Students got to visit Uber, Autodesk, Facebook, Cisco, and Google to name just a few! One company they visited, Compology, was actually founded by QUEST alumnus, Jason Gates, from Cohort 16. The visit to Tesla was a popular one. QUEST students got to see the factory and ride the Model X. Jeff Zhao (Q28) enjoyed it, saying, “Going from 0-80 mph in less than 3 seconds is something that I will never forget.”

QUEST trips to various locations, such as our most recent trip to Silicon Valley, teach our students in a unique way outside of the classroom. They not only got to interact face-to-face with people that work for these companies, but they also got to see them in their work environment. A special part of the trip was that QUEST alumni were working at many of the locations visited and getting to see them give back to the program felt great and inspired Jeff Zhao to think about a future with the program beyond graduation. All of the alumni that our students got to talk to were keen on sharing career advice and the best places to go to in San Francisco.

With that said, being in Silicon Valley meant that there was exploring to be done. In their free time, QUEST students had a chance to explore the local areas and all the tourist attractions. Jack Sturtevant from Cohort 29 loved bonding with everyone in the evenings after the visits were completed. Praneeth liked sightseeing, especially when it came to seeing and experiencing things unique to San Francisco. While they were learning, students were also provided with the opportunity to get to know each other better and bond with students outside of their cohort.

Students completed a design activity at Facebook

The takeaways from this trip are endless. From the opportunity to network with many people leading and working for these great companies to forging new relationships, the QUEST students that went to Silicon Valley have brought back great experiences and stories to share with our community. Anyone that went on the trip would recommend it! Jack (Q29) was grateful that “the trip gave [him] great insight into the area of California and how different companies and life are out there. It gives you opportunities to make business connections outside of the DMV.”

Praneeth recommends the trip strongly and described it as “a unique opportunity that every QUEST student should take advantage of, if possible. We were able to get an inside look at companies that come up in every major news source on a daily basis. It’s an incomparable way to understand problems at a deeper level which ultimately helps you discover your passion. Whether that’s going behind the scenes of Tesla’s factory and watching the largest machine in North America press down on sheets of steel with enough force to be noticed on UC Berkeley’s seismograph or playing games in the arcade of Facebook’s headquarters while thinking about creative ways to connect people across the globe, it’s these unique environments that this trip gives you exposure to that helps you find your passion.”

QUEST students love the “QUEST2” trips. The adventure is unlike any other and getting to see different parts of the world while better understanding design is unmatched by any other trip. For more photos of the trip, click here! 

QUESTees at IDEO!

Branding Yourself with QUEST: Current Students Reflect on their QUEST Experience

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By: Caitlin Thompson (Q28)

When asked about the QUEST program, current students are quick to describe the curriculum’s focus on process improvement, systems design, and quality management. While this description matches on paper, some may further describe QUEST as a program where multidisciplinary teams work on projects, while others focus on the application of technical skills.

As a program that provides students with a variety of real world experiences, each student can share personal stories of his/her time in QUEST. These unique aspects can be reflected on students’ resumes and used to differentiate themselves during job interviews.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with three current QUEST students at different points in the program about their own QUEST experiences. They discussed how they have benefitted from the QUEST program and shared how they branded themselves at each step of the three-course sequence.

190H: Introduction to Design and Quality

First, I discussed the 190H experience with Adam Sarsony (Finance, Q29). Adam recently completed 190H, the first course in the QUEST sequence. He discussed his experience analyzing problems, working on multidisciplinary teams, and using new skills including fishbone and process flow diagrams.

“In 190H, I learned how to work on a high-performing team using agile development or scrum, and we practiced using Gantt charts and other project management tools common to teams using agile or scrum. Having an experience with these processes as a sophomore is something that I can speak to that helps me stand out from other students my age.”

Furthermore, Adam’s biggest lesson learned in 190H was “how to manage a professional relationship with a client. It isn’t something that you can put on a resume, but it is something that you can speak about in an interview and something that comes through in the way that QUEST students talk with employers and other professionals. It’s a soft skill that you can’t build without these professional experiences.”

390H: Systems Thinking for Managerial Decision Making

Savannah Shaul (Chemical Engineering and Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, Q28) also shared some insight about her QUEST experience moving from 190H through 390H. She mentioned how QUEST has given her the confidence to take risks and question the way systems work.

In regards to how she brands herself with QUEST, she first discussed the professionalism skills she learned during 190H including “PowerPoint design, technical design, and presentation and time management skills. I found that all of these skills have helped me excel in various aspects of my life, even outside of school and my career.”

While these skills continue to be useful today, she expanded her knowledge of systems design in 390H, the second course in the QUEST sequence, and learned to think outside of the box.

“390H was definitely the class where I was challenged to think in new ways and to ‘break the system.’ As a student, we are constantly being told what to do and how to do it, but with this class, we basically were able to define ourselves and question everything around us. As young professionals who will emerge into the work force within the next few years, this is such an amazing skill to have because it will allow us to make drastic, but efficient and important, changes to whatever we end up working on. This is such an incredible skill that I definitely try to brand myself, and QUEST, with and hope to utilize in 490H.”

490H: QUEST Consulting and Innovation Practicum

Kevin Dragonette (Chemical Engineering, Q26) added to this conversation by reflecting on what he has learned throughout 490H, the QUEST capstone course. By working with an outside client, he learned about the importance of the voice of the customer when designing a solution.

Kevin Dragonette with his fellow 490 teammates and client

“In QUEST, and in particular 490H, I learned how to develop a solution to a problem that addresses the perspective of all stakeholders involved. Solutions that are well-designed to address a specific problem often do not consider obstacles of implementation such as resistance from stakeholders who the solution does not directly benefit, but requires for successful implementation. I brand myself with the ability to design a practical, adaptable solution with a high chance of implementation rather than the ability to design a solution that is only successful on paper.”

Overall, QUEST provides each of us with a variety of useful skills that are applicable to numerous career fields. As our skills evolve throughout the program, we can reflect on our own experiences to continue to grow personally and professionally. Although these may differ, we all benefit from being members of the QUEST community and will apply lessons from our experiences throughout our careers.

Introducing Our New Cohorts!

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QUEST Community, say hello to Cohorts 31 and 32! Cohorts 31 and 32, welcome to QUEST. It was just a couple days ago that the Quality Guild released the names of the ninety students admitted to our diverse, innovative, and challenging program, and we’re excited to introduce them to the rest of the community. I’ve reached out to four of our new members to learn more about what made them interested in QUEST, how they feel QUEST will impact their with future goals, and what other things they are involved with on campus.

When I asked about why the students were attracted to QUEST, one thing everyone had in common was that they were fascinated with the interdisciplinary aspect of the program and that they wished to expand their mindsets beyond those of their current majors. Amy Odenthal, a Clark student in Cohort 32, mentioned that she believes “working with students from three different schools will allow [her] to develop a more well-rounded perspective towards problem solving.” Uday Warier, a computer science major in Cohort 31, shared a similar standpoint and said that he “wants a way to work with people of different majors and skillsets.”

“Working with students from three different schools will allow me to develop a more well-rounded perspective towards problem solving.” -Amy Odenthal (Q32)

Many of the new students in Cohorts 31 and 32 have a strong presence on campus through various clubs and organizations, which is great since QUEST has such a strong focus on community. Involvement with the program outside of a classroom setting is a large part of what makes a QUEST student successful, so it’s great that our new additions are familiar with making a contribution to a community! Jeremy Rosenblatt from Cohort 31 is an engineer who represents the freshman class for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and manages consulting projects for TAMID, an organization that introduces students to consulting and then gives them opportunities to consult for Israeli start-ups. Jeremy says that managing the time he invests is “certainly a challenge, but [he finds] it really rewarding.” Dillyn Payne, an engineer in Cohort 32, stays busy by participating in Engineers Without Borders and Catholic Terps, doing financial planning for TerpThon, and interning at an electrical engineering company. Dillyn believes it is crucial for students to be involved in various activities since it “provides various opportunities for students to become better leaders and gain experience with how the world works outside of school.”

“[Involvement in extracurriculars] provides various opportunities for students to become better leaders and gain experience with how the world works outside of school.” -Dillyn Payne (Q32)

QUEST gives students the chance to engage with people from different backgrounds, provides opportunities for community involvement, and helps students navigate team dynamics and how the world around us works. But how does this help students in the real world after they graduate? Uday Warier says that “by becoming familiar with people from a variety of different backgrounds, it will be easier for [him] to create things that change the world and help the community through [his] career.” Jeremy Rosenblatt wishes to work in the biopharmaceutical industry and believes that “the interdisciplinary teamwork experience QUEST provides will be invaluable to [his] career” because “the industry is inherently interdisciplinary and runs entirely on scientific progress.” Amy Odenthal hopes to combine both technical and business concepts in her career and believes that QUEST will help her “learn more about the interdependence of the two fields.” Dillyn Payne wants to work for an organization that “challenges its employees to create innovative solutions to problems that may have many restrictions” and believes that QUEST will help her “become a better leader, critical thinker, and innovator,” all of which are necessary to succeed as an engineer!

“The interdisciplinary teamwork experience QUEST provides will be invaluable to my career.” -Jeremy Rosenblatt (Q31)

It was definitely refreshing to hear about the aspirations and goals these students have for their futures and how they believe QUEST will help them achieve them! Ambition is something that all QUEST students have in common, and the program’s goal is to help our ambitions become realities. My advice for the fellow cohorts is that it’s never too early to get involved. Make the most of your new community by getting swipe access for the lab, exploring our different student organizations, and staying up-to-date with our newsletters! You can have an impact even before you take your first QUEST class, so get on out there and make the rest of us proud.

Congrats to all of the new members of Cohorts 31 and 32!