Category Archives: Editorials, Columns, & Opinions

Cohort 26 Presents at the Fall 2017 QUEST Conference

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Cohort 26 presented for the last time as QUEST students on December 7, 2017 at the QUEST Conference. The students led the audience through their 490H presentations that showed the culmination of all their hard work and talent. Parents, friends, QUEST alumni, and corporate partners all came to support the 490H students as they showcased a semester’s worth of work on their capstone projects.

The event started with an hour of flavorful hors d’oeuvres accompanied by great conversation. During this time, guests were invited to walk around and peruse all of the great posters. Old cohorts got to reunite while the newest cohorts got a taste of what is to come. Then, everyone was directed into two rooms where for the next hour great, thoughtful presentations were carried out. From nBD’s work with Becton Dickinson on “Designing an Imaging Device for Microbiological Automation” to Call Sign SkyLine’s work for Leidos on “Optimizing Training for International SkyLine Product Area,” the variety of projects was immense. It was clear that Q26 managed to process a lot of data and was able to produce great solutions worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Cohort 26

Being a member of Cohort 29 and only just finishing 190H, it was a great glimpse into the future. To get to envision myself and fellow peers presenting at the high level that we got to observe is very exciting. These projects are clearly high stakes with companies like Orbital ATK providing a million dollar budget, and BD expecting to make an additional 3.6 million dollars in revenue thanks to their QUEST team. I know that it seems intimidating now, but I also know that QUEST will continue to train and prepare us for our turn in 490H.

The final presentation to round out the night was the one to win the Most Outstanding Capstone Award. The Caterpillar Effect not only performed to the highest level but also achieved the Best Poster Award. The group members are Rohan Bajaj, Chloe Berman, Alyssa Hu, Sam Lewando, and Julia Lomakina, and they spoke about their work “Improving the User Experience of Authentication.”

The QUEST community had a blast celebrating Cohort 26’s accomplishments through their QUEST journeys. Students of Cohorts 27, 28, 29 and 30 admire the work Cohort 26 put into QUEST and hope to carry on the success as we each have a go at the 490H experience. Congrats on a successful night Q26, you made it!

Graduation: T-Minus Seven Months

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Writing this article was hard. When I offered to do an article about taking 490H, on being a senior in general, I had no plans for it. But how hard could it be? It was just a reflection. I had thoughts every day, surely some of them were fit for public consumption. Needless to say, it wasn’t that easy.

When writing reflections about major life events the natural inclination is to ask: What has changed? What have I learned? What story can I tell that others will benefit from? It’s human nature to crave narrative, to want to wrap things up neatly with a bow. It’s also what made writing this article so difficult. Nothing about my senior year thus far, or even my undergraduate career, can be neatly summarized into a 400 word fable.

My college experience has not been a series of epiphanies. It’s been like drawing a map, but making it entirely from walking around and stumbling into things. Eventually, I got enough parts that I could start to pick out patterns, could start to guess what would be around the corner and how I would handle it. It’s the same confidence that seemed like sorcery to me when I was a freshman – the knowledge that if college hasn’t killed me yet it’s probably not going to, and that I’ve got a mean left hook if it wants to try. To all the underclassmen reading this, I am aware of how fake that sounds; I didn’t think I’d ever get here either.

The unfortunate thing about college, about life, is that sometimes the only way to learn is by doing. I can tell you about my map all day: go to office hours, never eat fish from the dining hall, and call your parents more and don’t lie to them, or yourself, about how many vegetables you’re eating. But, ultimately, college is a build your own adventure story – you can’t base it only off what other people tell you. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in college it’s this: your map, your wisdom, your internal best practices are never going to look like anyone else’s. Your goals and fears and idea of a good Thursday night are something you get to decide, and there’s no “right” answer. There’s no perfect job, no perfect education, just opportunities to do good work. The amount of time I’ve spent agonizing over what I “actually” want has never gotten me anywhere – so just take your best guess and keep doing to the work. The rest will come with time.

Introducing— New QUESTPress Leadership

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Each month, QUESTPress writers face a blank page and will themselves to fill it with the very best story they can find from the QUEST community. While on the surface this may seem simple, a quality article always requires a writer to express him or herself. The article serves as a proxy for the author’s skills, ideas, and emotions – and once published leaves him or her vulnerable to criticism. In addition, these articles often take a ton of time to produce and are written by students spread thin by academic obligations, clubs, and the career search process. However, despite the sacrifice required, there are a group of students in QUESTPress who do this semester after semester—since 2008.

While I cannot speak to why others in QUESTPress contribute, for me, I believe it is critical to connect the QUEST community. I believe in the vision of the program as a force for good in the world. Most importantly, I believe in the leadership of QUESTPress for the past five semesters—Andrew Jones (Q26), Chineme Obiefune (Q25), Sam Weaver (Q26), and Joseph Piscitelli (Q25). They’ve led by example and I wish, for their sake, they could stay students forever. However, they are passing their classes and securing jobs, and it is as good as a time as ever to introduce the next generation.

 

Celine Moarkech (Q29) 

Celine is a cell biology and genetics major from New Jersey planning on attending medical school. She joined QUEST out of a desire to learn about business. If you are having a potluck, make sure to give Celine a call (she’s a whiz in the kitchen). Also, give her a ring if you want to go on a hike (she crosses the line at sleeping outside though).

celinemm2008@gmail.com

 

 

 

Caitlin Thompson (Q28)

Caitlin is an economics major from West Virginia. She became interested in QUEST because she likes learning about different subjects, was interested in the three schools, wanted to learn how other people think, and loves to problem solve. She’s an Images tour guide so she is solid at walking backward (she downplays her skills, but I think she is just being modest). She also loves to play tennis.

cthomp15@terpmail.umd.edu

Annesha Goswami (Q29)

Annesha is an information systems and operations management major from Maryland. She has a ton of interests including animal welfare, book club, and business IT. For her 190H project, her team created an “Oasis Mobile Market” solution to combat food deserts. Annesha is originally from Assam, India, a land which has been continuously occupied since the stone ages and is known for its silk and tea.

annesha.goswami@gmail.com

 

 

Kara Eppel (Q29)

Kara is a bioengineering major from Maryland. She’s always been involved in English, even working in the county executive office of tourism and communication. There, she wrote a lot of declarations and citations for honors, blogs from the county executive, and advertisements. She also had the distinct honor of being the editor for her high school literary magazine, The Shalshelet (if that name looks familiar it is because I mentioned being the editor for the same magazine in my last article!).

karaeppel@gmail.com

Matthew Masison (Q27)

 

Mathew is a mechanical engineering major from Maryland. In his spare time, he works as a CAD technician for a professor on campus working on UAV’s. He is also involved in Terps Racing and is a huge Maryland sports fan. If you want to socialize with Matthew, you may have to meet him at the top of the Epply rock wall – he can often be found hanging out there.

mmmasison@gmail.com

 

 

Jacob King (Q27)

Jacob is an operations management and business analytics information systems major from Maryland. He is super busy between his academics, QUEST, AKPSI, and Army-ROTC. However, with all of his commitments, Jacob still manages to keep the real priority in perspective—food. Jacob dreams of one day, after he retires, opening a restaurant. Last I heard, he was leaning towards Spanish tapas.

kingjacob1515@gmail.com

We’ve got a great group of new students in QUESTPress, carrying on a tradition of almost nine years now. It’s exciting to meet new faces, and I can’t wait to read the stories they capture from the QUEST community. For those looking to share their stories or the stories of others, you know who to reach out to.

What is QUEST?

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1. What is QUEST?

2. What do you get after 5 years of casual research, months of false promises to your editor that you’ll write an article, and a 3 hour train ride to the QUEST 25th Anniversary Conference?

I attempt to answer the former and certainly answer the latter in my latest article.

Spring semester of my sophomore year marked an important turning point in the manner in which I daydreamed and procrastinated. Distractions were critical to me at that time as I faced a very real dilemma—I hated studying accounting and I was an accounting major. I’m sure you can imagine the severity of the situation. Every day I sat in front of a book for hours about nonsense like bond amortization and the double-declining method of depreciation. So like any sane individual driven insane by the pressures of carving out a reasonable career for himself/herself, I decided to escape the reality in front of me and took a trip upstairs to the third floor of Van Munching to speak with Dr. King (then Kylie Goodell and the Quality Guild member in charge of QUESTPress).

Getting involved in QUESTPress was just as much a retreat from my studies as a return to something familiar (in high school I ran my school’s literary magazine, The Shalshelet [“The Messenger” in Hebrew]). On one of my trips upstairs to visit Kylie, Dr. Bailey was outside his office and we had a conversation. I don’t remember 99% of what we said, but I certainly remember a question The Doctor posed—“What is QUEST?” So here is what I’ve got so far.

1) Managing for Quality a History

  • “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning–the sixth day.” – Genesis 1:31
    • First recorded instance of quality control
  • From ancient Chinese regulation of the handiwork industry to Nordic shipbuilding, history is littered with examples of managing for quality
  • Read: “A History of Managing for Quality” by Joseph M. Juran

2) The Fathers of Quality

  • Joseph M. Juran (Born 1904, Romania)
  • E Deming (Born 1900, Iowa)
    • Read: “Out of the Crisis” by W. E Deming
      • I don’t have all the reports I read about him archived, but just read a few biographies all accessible on the interweb
    • Kaoru Ishikawa (Born 1915, Japan)
    • Each of these individuals plays a critical role as the developers and proselytizers of TQM in the US and Japan, then globally
      • Others not to be overlooked—Armand V. Feinbaum, Genichi Taguchi, Phillip Crosby, etc.
    • If you follow these individuals careers you gain a real appreciation for the foundation of TQM— “revolutions are the long shadows of great men and women”

3) The Keeper of the Gate

  • Walter E. Shewhart
    • May 16, 1924, Hawthorne Works (Western Electric): Dr. Shewhart prepares a one page memo laying the foundation for statistical quality control.
  • Juran and Deming each spend time interacting with Shewhart at Hawthorne and absorb his philosophy, leading many to dub Shewhart the grandfather of quality
    • These developments all occur during the height of the Bell Labs era (Hawthorn Works was a partner with AT&T Bell Labs)
      • Read: “The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation” by Jon Gertner
      • Read: Early SQC: A Historical Supplement by Joseph M. Juran

4) Failure in America

  • Although Shewhart, Juran, and Deming develop TQM in the US, no one cares and they are largely ignored.
    • Reference 2). The careers of Juran and Deming are littered with examples of neglect stateside

5) War and Defeat

  • WWII devastates Japan and General McArthur is assigned as Supreme Allied Commander of the nation.
  • McArthur rebuilds the country and brings in TQM experts (Juran and Deming, among other) to rebuild the telecommunication system. [Hawthorn Works (AT&T) > rebuilding Japanese telecommunication system]
    • Read: “Embracing Defeat” by John W. Dower
    • Read: “Hirohito And The Making of Modern Japan” by Herbert P. Bix
      • Both books won the Pulitzer

6) The Japanese Economic Miracle

  • Japan, long known for terrible quality, becomes the world leader in Quality and second largest economy in the world
    • Back to the Future III
      • Doc: “No wonder this circuit failed; it says ‘Made in Japan’.”
      • Marty: “What do you mean, Doc? All the best stuff is made in Japan.”
        • Doc and Marty in 1955, while fixing the time circuits
  • Americans, long supportive of their steadfast ally in the Pacific, begin fear that they will all work for Japan someday (Japan’s rise is that dramatic).
    • Japanese competitiveness strikes fear in the heart of corporate America, especially those in the automotive and electronics industries

7) If Japan Can, Why Can’t We? (June 24, 1980)

8) Adoption of TQM in the US and Globally (especially IBM)

9) TQM Leadership by Dean Kirwan and Dr. Judy Olian

  • State budgets requires the University of Maryland to do more with less

10) The IBM-TQM Grants

  • Total Quality at the University of Maryland at College Park: Proposal Submission to the IBM Total Quality Management Competition

11) Only One Remains

  • Read: The IBM-TQM Partnership With Colleges and Universities– A Report: A baseline report of the initial activities and future plans of the nine Partnership institutions by Daniel Seymour

It’s hard to imagine that after five years I still haven’t found an answer. Every time I read a new book on Juran, Deming, Japan, TQM, or IBM I find another loose thread in the story. If someone in the community asked me “What is QUEST?” today, I wouldn’t have an answer. I actually prefer it that way. Every time I have the opportunity to peak down the rabbit hole I end up in another adventure. QUEST is the story of eras, of people facing insurmountable obstacles, of geniuses in labs, and societies clashing. If I have an answer, all that ends. Maybe it’s better to live in the questions?

 

The Alumni Network – How YOU Can Make The Most of It!

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The involvement of a QUEST student doesn’t end after graduation. In fact, one of QUEST’s greatest assets is its vast alumni network. There are numerous ways for QUEST students to remain involved with the program after graduation. In fact, even within the QUESTPress community, alumnus Jacob Wilkowsky from cohort 19 continues to stay involved as our alumni advisor. QUEST also provides many other means of staying in contact with the program after graduation. Of these include joining the QUEST Alumni Board, getting involved in classes, and attending various alumni events around the country like happy hours and trivia nights.

One amazing way for QUEST alums to stay connected is through the QUEST Alumni Board (QAB). The 2017 Alumni Board Executive team comprises of Ricky Wilson (Q6), Josh Kohn (Q18), Karthik Menta (Q18), and Shirley Han (Q19) who are Chairman, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary, respectively. There are 22 alumni altogether on the board, and they are all responsible for hosting alumni events and staying connected to our program in various ways. If interested in getting involved, contact Ricky Wilson at Richard.Wilson@constellation.com.

Members of the QUEST Alumni Board at a recent QUEST Conference

Even students currently in the QUEST program have the chance to connect with our great alumni. Alumni visit classes and mentor students in various capacities. QUEST also hosts various events where students can build relationships with alumni. QUEST’s recent 25th Anniversary Gala was one instance where current students and alumni had the opportunity to meet and connect with each other.

QUEST has an intensive database that catalogs all current and past members of the program. This alumni database allows you to search for alumni based off of factors such as their majors and what companies they are currently with. Emails are also provided, so this is a great way to reach out to alumni who you think would be able to give you advice on the culture of a specific company or just what to keep in mind for as you pursue your major. Feel free to browse the database and make lifelong professional connections. Members of the QUEST community support each other. To access the database, contact Jessica Macklin at jmacklin@rhsmith.umd.edu.

Be sure to check out QUESTPress’s Alumni Spotlight articles. Students interview alumni and learn about how they managed to get to their positions, how QUEST helped them achieve what they have so far, and what input they want to give to the rest of the QUEST community.

Once students are accepted into QUEST, they are exposed to a diverse environment and are encouraged to get out of their comfort zones. As time goes on, those students begin to characterize QUEST culture by focusing on quality, professionalism, and teamwork in their lives. These qualities don’t end after graduation, and these values that we get from the program allow us to relate to and connect with members across all cohorts. I encourage current students to use our extensive network of alumni and see what they can learn, and I invite alumni to stay connected with our community by visiting our various events and social functions. To learn more about ways to get involved, visit our website.

5 Things to “Fall” Into the New Season For

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Leaves are changing colors from a dark green to a deep burgundy, pinecones are falling from trees, and pumpkins are popping up on doorsteps. Yes, it’s that time of year again, FALL!

As a college student whose main transportation around campus is walking, fall has become my favorite season. During the summer, I can’t step outside without sweating, and in the winter, I layer on one hat, two pairs of pants, and three jackets and still can’t get warm. Fall is perfect in the sense that I don’t overheat the minute I step outside, but I also don’t feel the need to cling onto my coat while anticipating my walk to class.

So, why does QUEST love fall?

Pumpkin EVERYTHING

Pumpkin coffee, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup. “I love everything pumpkin,” says David Rosenstein (Q29). I must say, I agree. You also can’t forget about pumpkin picking, pumpkin carving, and my personal favorite, pumpkin seeds! Even Charlie Brown eagerly awaits for fall so he can see the Great Pumpkin!

Halloween

“I really like Halloween, it’s my favorite holiday,” says Jack Startuvent (Q29). “I love carving pumpkins, watching Halloween movies, and eating candy corn. I can’t wait to dress up with my 190H group for Halloween!”

I’ve got to say, for me the best part of Halloween is the movies. All year, I look forward to binging Thirteen Nights of Halloween on ABC Family! I love watching every single movie, especially Hocus Pocus.

Sports Season

“Fall is the beginning of a new sports season,” says Adam Hostetter (Q29). “I like that Hockey season finally starts again.”

For sports fans, fall also means the start of football season! At the University of Maryland, the common argument is whether you’re rooting for the Ravens or the Redskins? I’ll be honest, I’m a Baltimore Ravens fan through and through.

Fall Fashion

Fall also introduces a whole new mix of clothes into our everyday style! “I like that I get to wear big, cozy sweaters,” says Zach Azrael (Q27). In my town, you know it’s fall when everyone is walking around in their plaid shirts and Timberland boots. However, if that’s not your style, you can choose from “bombers and denim and raincoats and wool and sportcoats and cardigans,”says Brian Yuwen (Q28). “And scarves. Can’t forget scarves.”

QUEST Loves Fall

Whether you like the season because it’s the start of football or because it’s the end of the hot summer, I think we can all agree that everyone loves fall. So bundle up into your cutest sweater and grab a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, it’s time to get ready for my favorite season, fall!

I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely “falling backwards”  from excitement!

 

QUEST Camp: Memories from Cohort 29

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By: Celine Moarkech (Q29)

Q29 at QUEST Camp

Early wake ups came a few days early for Cohort 29 students this semester because on August 24th, they headed to YMCA’s Camp Letts for their new member orientation.

As everyone walked into the meeting room that morning with sleeping bags and large backpacks, it quickly became clear: they were meeting their newest family members at UMD, people that they hoped they could laugh with in the QUEST lab and build something great with in 190H. Eyes scanned the room to find familiar faces but to also study the new ones. All that was known is that everyone was now in QUEST. That was about it. However, that was also about to quickly change and that one commonality was about to flourish into dozens.

The first day started with the expected icebreakers like pretending to be mystical creatures and speedy games for learning everyone’s name. Shortly after, the students were split into their teams for the semester. Groups then split off to do puzzles and some high and low ropes courses. It was a great opportunity to get dragged through mud resembling peanut butter, to be tumbled on by a fellow team member, and to be contorted in the most strange ways. But more importantly, it was when trust developed, when people cheered their new friends on, and when Q29 started to really come together.

In between the activities and camp style meals, teams developed team names and introductions while also having their first shot at developing a product together. Come the night time, everyone gathered around the campfire to roast s’mores and to introduce their teams. There were the ExtraterQUESTrials, the Best QUESTern, Clair-voyance (in honor of their mentor), and many more. Each introductory skit was funnier than the last, and the evening was filled with laughs. Following the campfire, teams regrouped one last time to work into the night on their first-ever product presentation together. Q29 student David Rosenstein said, “The true highlight of the two-day experience was bringing our idea to life. It was unbelievable to see some people who have always been leaders step back and count on and work with their team members.”

The next morning, Q29, along with their mentors and the Quality Guild’s judges sat at the picnic tables to present their projects. Products ranged from the FriendDex to an app on UMD’s dining hall nutrition to a cup that maintained its user’s ideal temperatures. It was a creative first round of projects and only a glimpse into what the next few years hold for Q29.

Having completed orientation, Cohort 29’s students are officially integrated into QUEST! Q29 may have concluded their orientation, but they are back with great memories and have started developing friendships that will live long beyond their time in QUEST. As David (Q29) ended, “aside from free food and time in the QUEST lab, I’m most excited to be surrounded by the best people at Maryland!” QUEST really is a community full of great people, and the journey has just started for its newest members!

Fond Memories of Q21 and Q22

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By: Jacob Wilkowsky (Q19)

In the canon of college memories, your last month as an undergrad holds a special place. Although you’ve spent the greater part of the past semester coming to terms with your departure, the reality becomes all too present during this final countdown. Rituals like meals at Chipotle, late night study sessions in the QUEST Lab, and trips to Cornerstone assume a certain gravitas the 1,000th time around. I still remember the nostalgia I felt at Senior Sendoff (brunching in DC with Cohort 19) and going for a final run on Paint Branch Trail.

In the spirit of nostalgia and celebrating the accomplishments of Cohorts 21 and 22, I reached out to QUEST alumni, faculty, and staff about their fondest memories of QUEST’s best and brightest soon to cross the Xfinity Center stage.

Personally, I have many fond memories—

1) Conversing lakeside with the newly formed “Club 22” of Andrea Kyeremeh, Ilan Gold, Amanda Shekarchi, and Elijah Biggs (Q22) lakeside at the end of QUEST Camp, and then watching them go on to “keep it classy and get it done” throughout their collegiate career.

2) Reading the February 2016 issue of QUESTPress, written entirely by Bobby Fitzgerald [a feat and rite of passage] of Q21.

Here are some more fond memories from alumni, faculty, and staff:

“Since I saw your 190H presentations 2 years ago, this group was clearly going to stand out as much as your posters did. Over the years it has been a pleasure working with so many of you whether it was through classes, QUEST committees (shoutout to QMT), or standard all nighters in the QUEST lab. I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors and look forward to hearing about how you are continuously improving the world at our next alumni get together.

— Max Cooper (Q19)

“Walking through the pouring rain in DC (some students without umbrellas) on a scoping site visit with Mandy Yard, Joel Samelson, and Bobby Fitzgerald (Q21).”

—  Kylie King (Program Director)

“So I don’t really know the specific moment I met Halley Weitzman (Q21) – but I do know that she had the privilege of pushing me a little bit out of my comfort zone (something that doesn’t happen often) by coercing me into going to my first Hackathon. That weekend we became instant friends – a friendship that has meant a lot to me – and though she’s on to bigger and better things, QUEST will sorely miss her presence.”

— Danny Laurence (Q19)

“Returning back to College Park to lead a PwC Case Competition, I was extremely impressed with the polish and poise of the students presenting. I was particularly impressed by how some of the seniors, despite already having jobs and wrapping up their collegiate career, participated and mentored younger students.”

— Joel Liebman (Q14)

“I have truly enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you and hope to stay in touch! Here are some specific memories that stand out: Singing Taylor Swift at Karaoke on QUEST2Asia with Alex Wilson (Q22); Meeting John Harbaugh with Chloe Spetalnick (Q21); Writing a paper for the ASEE Conference with Mandy Yard (Q21) and Kylie King and traveling to New Orleans with them this upcoming June; Giving a tour of UMD to prospective students with Brogan Sheehey (Q22); Eating at California Pizza Kitchen in Hong Kong with Josh Sarna (Q22) (bad decision..); Introducing Tony Trinh (Q21) to Mandel bread.”

—  Jessica Macklin (Program Coordinator)

I hope all graduating QUESTees enjoy their last month as an undergrad. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. While you reflect on your adventures during these past four years, just remember that the QUEST never ends.

 

Reflections On My First Year in QUEST

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By: Chineme Obiefune (Cohort 25)

I’m proud to call the QUEST program home. I personally don’t think there’s another program that mixes the professional and social aspects of business so perfectly, in a way that creates actual value for the participants. Time and time again, I’m reminded that the people I sit next to in 390H and see in the QUEST lab are some of the smartest students at Maryland. I’ve learned a lot from the professors, but even more from the actual students in the program. Through simple conversations, I’ve learned more about myself and received help and support from the most unlikely sources.

My experience in QUEST has been unlike any other program at Maryland. What has surprised me the most is the emphasis placed on the application of topics that we learn in the class. The three projects I completed in 190H were definitely time consuming, but none of that time was ever wasted. There was never a moment where I felt as if my time could be better spent elsewhere. Those projects showed me skills I didn’t even know I had and gave me the chance to learn even more. 390H has been even more of a roller coaster. The course has been amazing and I can honestly say that there hasn’t been a group project that I’ve been more proud of than the one I did for 390H. That class allowed me to explore my passions and combine them with the consulting skills I gained in 190H to create an incredible piece of work.

Outside of the required QUEST coursework, I feel it’s only right to talk about the sense of community within the QUEST program. Through participating in QUESTPress and constantly being in the QUEST lab, I’ve come in contact with a lot of really cool people. It wasn’t until this semester that I really started to connect with more people in my cohort, and I’m thankful that I made the effort to do so because it’s been an incredible semester. The sense of community makes everything seem more fun. I actually look forward to going to class and to all of the extra events that the QUEST community puts on. The people really make the program what it is.

Next year, I’m going to be a mentor for Cohort 28 and it’s crazy seeing how things come full circle. When I first came into QUEST, my mentor Sarah Scott (Q23) definitely made the experience a lot more interactive and enjoyable. Knowing that I have the influence to potentially elevate the QUEST experience for the new students is exhilarating. I can’t wait to share my knowledge and help them grow both inside of the classroom and outside as well. At the end of the day, even in a mentor position, I’m still learning. There are still two years before I graduate and I still have 490H ahead. But with only one year of QUEST under my belt, I feel prepared to take on any challenge. It’s easy to face the world when you have the best team in your corner.