Lighting the Spark: Alumni from the Very First QUEST Cohort Look Back

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.

Continue reading

QUEST Alumni Go Global: Sharing Their International Journeys Post-College

From floating on rivers to pub quizzes and waiting for sheep to cross the road, QUEST alumni are embracing unique experiences across the world. I had the privilege of speaking with three remarkable QUEST alumni who have ventured beyond U.S. borders, seeking careers and adventures abroad. Their stories offer valuable insights into cultural adjustments, career growth, and work-life balance in different parts of the world.

Eric Appelbaum (Cohort 28) moved from California to Switzerland. Kenny Lopez (Cohort 20) relocated from California to England. Rachel George (Cohort 21) left the DMV area to spend nine months in New Zealand. Each of them sought change—whether in lifestyle, work culture, or personal growth.

Eric described his motivation for moving: “I was in a mostly work-centric area. My life was becoming too focused on work, so I wanted to step back.” Kenny, on the other hand, sought greater diversity. “San Francisco started to feel too small. After three years, I had the entire city mapped in my head. It lacked diversity—both in thought and people.” Rachel, after working for a production company, wanted to take a leap and found an opportunity abroad that aligned with her interests. She explained that New Zealand’s flexible visa policies allowed her to work while traveling. “I was coming up on the age limit for it, so it was a do-it-now-or-never kind of thing.”

Adjusting to a new culture came with challenges. Eric noted the friction of being a non-native. “Every interaction is a bit harder when you’re not from there,” he shared. He also encountered unexpected language barriers: “I thought my German was good enough to get by, but then I encountered Swiss German, which is completely different and has its own challenges.” Rachel recalled adjusting to the slower pace of life in New Zealand: “The town I was living in had a population of 600, and sometimes you’d have to wait ten minutes because someone was moving their herd of sheep down the road.”

Work culture differences stood out to all three alumni. Eric noticed a stark contrast in job stability. “In San Francisco, people tend to jump jobs every few years for promotions. In Zurich, many of my co-workers have been with the same company for a long time. They balance being experts at work with maintaining a healthy personal life.” Kenny observed a different attitude toward work-life balance: “In the U.S., you’re always grinding. You might only get two weeks of vacation—if you’re lucky. But here, I have holidays, sick days, wellness days, volunteer time, and unlimited PTO.” Rachel echoed these sentiments, noting how New Zealand’s workplace expectations differed from those in the U.S. “I came from a fast-paced, strict-deadlines, client-driven background. But in New Zealand, there was a more relaxed approach. I’d message my manager, saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, I spent longer on this than I thought,’ and they’d reply, ‘No worries!’”

All three alumni encouraged current QUEST students to consider going abroad. Kenny acknowledged that the biggest challenge is often the fear of the unknown: “The hardest part is not knowing anyone. But I say dive in. It might seem scary at first, but you’ll have an amazing experience.” Eric emphasized the importance of patience: “Give yourself more time than you think. Living in a new place comes with challenges, and I’m glad I gave myself time to learn and truly experience life here.” Rachel highlighted the personal growth that comes with an international move: “It’s one thing to say, ‘I’m going to spend a year figuring out what I want to do next,’ and another to have the patience to accept that sometimes you don’t know what’s next. But it’s so rewarding.”

A huge thank you to Eric, Kenny, and Rachel for sharing their experiences and offering thoughtful insights on navigating professional and personal growth abroad!

From Freelancer to Founder: Alum Hrithik Bansal on AI Entrepreneurship

For many aspiring entrepreneurs, the transition from employee to CEO can be scary. But for QUEST Cohort 34 alum Hrithik Bansal, it was a natural evolution to move from freelancing to starting his own software development firm, Premier Pixel. I had the opportunity to speak with Bansal, the founder of a new startup, Premier Pixel. Reflecting on his journey, Bansal shared how he transitioned from working with his previous employer to launching his own company, bringing some of the existing customers along. “I knew I wanted to do something on my own. It evolved from me being a freelancer to growing my team. I wanted to learn more and gain managerial experience,” Bansal explained.

Hrithik Bansal’s UMD Graduation Photo

Premier Pixel provides tech services, helping companies optimize their workflows and overcome operational challenges. In his own words, “I go to companies and ask about their bottlenecks—what issues they feel need to be solved. It’s about recognizing what resources you have, understanding what the customer wants, and aligning incentives so that it works for everyone.” Bansal also highlighted a common misconception in the tech industry. “Everyone thinks AI is the solution to everything, but there are teams struggling with basic processes—some don’t even know how to use Excel or there’s no consistency in their work.” Premier Pixel works with clients across various industries from property management to tech firms.

Bansal’s long-term vision is to develop a new tech product that addresses these business challenges. “I want to create something unique, innovative, and product-based,” he said. His current experiences are helping him identify the right market needs. “The market responds to what it needs—you have to be in tune with that and stay flexible,” Bansal noted. “I need to find a problem by talking to people and understanding their pain points. Hopefully, that problem is widespread enough to build a viable business while solving it.”

Bansal credited QUEST for shaping his problem-solving approach. “From a QUEST perspective, it’s all about talking to customers, identifying their problems, conducting interviews, and doing primary research. You use all that information to figure out how to provide value,” he said. He also emphasized the benefits of hands-on experience: “When you’ve worked with companies as a consultant in college, you learn how to analyze problems and develop solutions using data-driven insights.”

For current QUEST students—especially those interested in startups—Bansal offered key advice: “You have to be fully committed to your idea. In a startup, the product depends on you showing up every day. Your work directly impacts the customer experience. You have to invest a lot of time, and to do that right, you need to be genuinely excited about its success. Ultimately, incentives align—the product’s growth is the company’s growth, which is your growth as well.”

Thanks to Hrithik Bansal for sharing his insights with us and best of luck with Premier Pixel!

Alumnus Matthew Ambrogi Transforms Text into Talk

This month, I had the pleasure of speaking to Matthew Ambrogi, a QUEST alumnus from Cohort 27, who is a co-founder of PalateAI, an AI-powered app that transforms text content into audio podcasts.

Matthew Ambrogi, co-founder of PalateAI

Read more: Alumnus Matthew Ambrogi Transforms Text into Talk

While initially a mechanical engineering major, Matthew realized that his interests spanned both engineering and business. Under the mentorship of then QUEST associate director Pamela Armstrong, Ambrogi created and completed his own custom interdisciplinary major through Maryland’s Individual Studies Program called Engineering and Product Management.

“QUEST was the bridge between engineering and business for me,” Ambrogi explained. “It introduced me to the idea of product management and opened my eyes to tech as a career path.”

The foundation he built at Maryland laid the groundwork for his first professional role as a product manager at Capital One, but it wasn’t long before he felt the urge to branch out on his own. Ambrogi decided to leave his job at Capital One to start his own project. “I felt like I was good at product management, but I wanted to build products myself,” he says.

He spent six months teaching himself to code, experimenting with personal projects, and exploring AI by working with APIs at the start of 2022. 

After being approached by his co-founder with this app idea, the two began working on PalateAI. The app can take text content from a variety of sources– articles, essays, PDFs –and create audio podcasts that summarize the relevant information in an engaging way. Ambrogi said, “Just because something you know exists as text doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs to stay that way.” The customer base for Palate includes students, busy professionals, and parents– all groups that can utilize the flexibility of audio content. 

Starting a company hasn’t been without its challenges. Ambrogi balances his role as the app’s head of engineering with his full-time job as an applied AI software engineer. “Time management is the hardest part,” he said. “Some days, I’m negotiating deals with content creators, troubleshooting a bug, and writing code— all while managing a day job.”

Despite the demanding schedule, Ambrogi is energized by the variety of tasks that come with entrepreneurship. “If I’m tired of coding, I can focus on sales or customer feedback,” he says. “It’s exciting to have so much control over the direction of the product.”

PalateAI is focusing on improving the quality of its audio summaries, balancing conversational tone with detailed content summarization. Ambrogi adds, “Imagine if you didn’t do the reading for class, and your friend tells you everything you need to know. We try to make it engaging and conversational like that.”

As Palate gains traction, the team is exploring new features, such as supporting YouTube videos, integrating with platforms like Google Drive, and integrating paid text content platforms with authentication. 

Ambrogi recommends that students pursue their own personal projects. He said, “The deeper you get into a project of your own, the less it feels like work. Because it’s something you’ve brought to life.”

For Ambrogi, being in QUEST was an opportunity to learn how to work with other passionate people. He said that QUEST students all care deeply about their work. Ambrogi said, “When people actually care, you’re going to disagree and have a variety of ideas. And I think that QUEST teaches you how to work well on a team with people. Whether it’s in the corporate [world] or a co-founder, those collaborative skills from QUEST are extremely useful.” Check out PalateAI at https://www.palateai.app/.

Alumnus Joseph Houghton Leaves Lasting Impact through Snider Consulting Group

Since 2020, Snider Consulting Group (SCG) has supported over 25 on-campus clubs and programs by providing quality consulting services. Founded by QUEST alumnus Joseph Houghton (Cohort 34) and supported by a growing number of QUEST students, SCG continues to thrive, offering students invaluable real-world experience in consulting.

A photo of Joseph Houghton (co-founder), Devin Streight (co-founder), Professor Roy Thomason, Alec Musheno (chairman after Houghton), Natalie Hirsch (co-founder), and Harrisen Cefalu-Schwartz (current vice president).
Continue reading

Alumni Spotlight: Sami Bouhussein, creator of RandezVous

Sami Bouhussein, a QUEST alumnus from Cohort 37, is the creator of the RandezVous app. RandezVous finds and recommends activities and events for users, based on their location and interests. His QUEST journey started off with a random encounter. A conversation with a TA from his computer science class, who was in the QUEST program, inspired Bouhussein to explore his interests in business and computer science by applying to QUEST. 

Sami Bouhussein (Cohort 37)

Continue reading

Alumni Spotlight: Liam Mercer

Mercer (left) and his Capstone team.

Two weeks ago, Homes for America, a non-profit affordable housing developer based in Annapolis, MD, closed its first project since Liam Mercer, a QUEST alumnus from Cohort 28, started a year ago. The project is set to work on rehabilitating a 154-unit community in Baltimore that has historically served the deaf and hearing-impaired population. I got the amazing chance to reach out to Mercer to talk further about his time at UMD and QUEST, as well as his life post-grad.

During his time as an undergrad at Maryland, he studied Operations Management & Business Analytics and Finance. He also completed a minor in Sustainability Studies and Real Estate Development. With so many diverse interests, Mercer sought out QUEST to join an interdisciplinary program that “was designed for all students to play valuable roles on each project team.” Mercer was also part of many different extracurricular organizations, such as Phi Chi Theta Business Fraternity, The Maryland Pride, Ballroom at Maryland, and Survivor Maryland.

Mercer dancing with Ballroom at Maryland.

Many of the skills gained through QUEST have been useful for his professional career. After graduating in 2019, Mercer worked on a 2020 presidential primary campaign, where his team was “always looking for creative ways to be as efficient as possible with our limited resources,” something that he learned during his time in QUEST.

At his next job as an analyst at RCLCO Real Estate Consulting in Bethesda, MD, Mercer was able to combine his business and real-estate development background to provide economic consulting services for real estate owners, developers, and investors. He recalled that the QUEST Capstone prepared him well for the client relations part of the job. “I liked the opportunities to use data creatively in an analysis,” he shared.

Mercer and his current boss submitting the LIHTC Application.

Currently, Mercer works at Homes for America as a development analyst. His work is focused on developing housing projects that are income-restricted and affordable within the Mid-Atlantic region. Excitingly, Mercer has led Homes for America’s application for competitive low-income housing tax credits, which would help to finance their developments in the state of Delaware. Mercer says that it was part of the company’s “major organizational goal to diversify where we work, and I was proud to have a leading role in the application.”

Being able to work with combating the affordable housing shortage within our country is an area that Mercer had previously worked on as an intern during his undergraduate years that he was excited to come back to. Looking back on his time at UMD, Mercer says that “one of the benefits of a large university is that there is an organization of like-minded people for almost everything.” Congrats to Liam Mercer on all of his success so far!

Navigating the Product Landscape with Alumna Jacqueline Deprey

I had the opportunity to speak with QUEST alumna Jacqueline Deprey, who graduated in 2020 and now works for Dropbox. Deprey is a proud member of QUEST Cohort 30 and says she is still close to her BMGT/ENES490H team – Sign Sealed Delivered (SSD).

Sign Sealed Delivered (SSD) getting boba together.

Currently, Deprey is working as a Senior Product Manager at Dropbox, where she originally worked as a software engineering intern. When asked how she moved up to product manager, she mentioned how she was able to ask questions organically regarding product decisions (from QUEST!). This helped with her transition as it showed her interest in the product.

As a product manager, she is involved in the testing of new products. Dropbox uniquely tests products in-house. When they target a smaller firm (for example, a finance firm), they test the product with their own finance department. This allows them to creatively test their product in a parallel market to work out any issues. This way, they can analyze how products are used internally for accurate metrics to understand how it will work on the outside.

SSD team jumping for joy in Van Munching Hall!

Dropbox uses OKRs, objectives and key results, to measure their performance. This is really helpful when testing new products, as this process can determine how the product benefits the specific department in meeting its goals. 

Currently, Deprey is working on a project called Dropbox Dash. This is similar to a search bar, except it will go through all the communications that you use to find the information you need. For example, if Deprey was looking for meeting notes for the month of February and she uses Outlook and Dropbox as her main sources of storage, this feature would allow her to search through all those drives. This project will be launched later in the year.

As a senior product manager, Deprey faces some challenges in her day-to-day life. All stakeholders involved in product development have different opinions and priorities. Product managers at Dropbox handle this dilemma by testing out their products in-house first. If dilemmas occur on the inside, they will only be magnified outside the company. 

She also mentioned that transparency is important when it comes to juggling priorities. If her team’s goals are different than the goals of another group of stakeholders, they are still likely mutually beneficial. This realization increases cooperation between stakeholders for a brilliant final outcome.

SSD working on BMGT/ENES490H together in Van Munching Hall.

When asked about her experience in QUEST, Deprey mentioned that she learned how to think critically. Instead of just worrying about the problems on top, she learned to dig deeper into the underlying issue. This is something that has given her an edge and allowed her to become a Product Manager so fast!

Some advice that she has for current QUESTees is to take it all in. QUEST is a special place with fun and driven people. She also advises current students to be like a sponge in this program, since you can learn a lot from others and use it to better yourself. Finally, your peers in QUEST are like mirrors, they reflect your best qualities back to yourself.

So QUESTees, be like Jacqueline Deprey and find your mirrors in QUEST and soak everything in!

QUEST Alumni and Their Journeys to Success

One thing about QUEST students – we are all overachievers, both in and out of college! Two QUEST alumni were even included in the Terrapin Club 30 Under 30 Class of 2024 for having a major impact in their communities and careers while supporting the university and embodying Maryland Pride. I was able to connect with them about their journeys through college and where they ended up.

Bradley Polkowitz of Cohort 35 is a 2023 alumnus who majored in OMBA and Marketing. During his freshman year of college, he heard about QUEST through a member of Cohort 29 (David Rosenstein) and was instantly sold. He was especially excited since some friends were also applying with him. Polkowitz was interested in expanding his network and diversifying his skill set through hands-on learning, which is a main pillar of QUEST. During his time at UMD, Polkowitz was a busy man! He was the Founder of the Sports Management Program, Co-Founder and President of the Maryland Sports Business Conference, and President of the Sports Business Society. After graduation, Polkowitz ended up at the National Football League (NFL) where he is currently working as a League Sports Betting Analyst in their Rotational Program. When asked about his journey so far, Polkowitz said: “The most exciting part of my career thus far has been the impact I have had in the sports industry at both UMD and the NFL. Although I just graduated, I have left a lasting impression at UMD and played a pivotal role in growing the sports community on campus. It brings me so much joy seeing my friends and peers succeed in the sports industry. Similarly, with the NFL, it is so exciting to be around the game and learn from industry leaders. I am humbled and honored to have an opportunity to work for the NFL and mentor my peers along the way.”

Polkowitz and his BMGT490H team during the Cohort 35 QUEST Conference

Avi Kozlowski of Cohort 24 is a 2017 alumnus who majored in Finance and Accounting. His inspiration for joining QUEST was his older brother, who was also in the program and spoke highly of his experience. During his time at UMD, Kozlowski was involved with many clubs, including TAMID Investment Club, Hinman CEOS (Temporary) Business Honors, DUNK, UMD Hillel, UMD Chabad, and Real Estate Club. After graduating, Kozlowski began working at Greystone as a Production Analyst, where he has stayed for the last 7 years and risen to Managing Director and Loan Originator. When asked about his professional journey over the last 7 years, Kozlowski said this: “I’ve hit that turning point where I know the ins and outs of the debt financing industry and I’m able to help clients with their current debt structure and business plans, as well as guide them towards the best product for their needs.” In 2023 alone, Kozlowski orchestrated the financing of 76 loans totaling to approximately $1.2 billion, underscoring his unwavering commitment to excellence and substantial contributions to the real estate finance landscape.

We at QUESTPress want to give a huge round of applause to these amazing QUEST alumni for all they have achieved thus far. We cannot wait to see who joins the Terrapin Club 30 Under 30 Class of 2025!

Welcome Back to QUEST, Dr. Fox Troilo: Our Newest 190H Instructor

This semester, Cohort 9 QUEST alumnus Dr. Fox Troilo is making his return to the University of Maryland to be the newest BMGT/ENES190H instructor! He is co-teaching the QUEST introductory course with Dr. Ben Huffman. I had the opportunity to chat with him about his past experiences and life post-college, as well as his reason for returning.

Dr. Fox Troilo

Continue reading