Between sizzling quesadillas and rounds of cornhole, QUEST students and alumni gathered for this year’s Homecoming tailgate. This event reminded everyone what makes the program special: genuine connection.
QUEST students and alumni socializing and eating quesadillas at the tailgate
Held on the day of the Homecoming football game, QUEST Social held a tailgate event featuring freshly-made quesadillas, games like frisbee and cornhole, and a chance to meet other cohorts and alumni in a laid-back setting. Noah Smith, Cohort 44, says he enjoyed playing games with others, especially cup stacking. “It was nice to see everyone gather around laughing, making jokes, and just playing games together.” For many students, this casual environment was a refreshing change from the professional tone of most larger QUEST events. “A lot of people join QUEST because of the professional environment. Everyone’s trying to achieve excellence. But when you come together outside of the classroom, it takes away from the stress of school for a little bit,” said Smith.
I was lucky enough to join QUEST’s trip to New York City from November 13th to 14th. On Thursday, we boarded a bus from Van Munching Hall and headed into the city for two days of networking, learning, and immersive site visits, hosted by QUEST alumni.
Happy Hour with AlumniKKR VisitBCG VisitGoogle Visit
Our first stop was Meta’s New York office. Hosted by Sophia Khezri (Computer Science, Cohort 32) and Annaika Taneja (Computer Science, Cohort 39), we enjoyed gelato before sitting down for a panel and Q&A with employees across data science, app development, and product management. Students asked questions ranging from essential technical skills and day-to-day responsibilities to work culture, past experiences, and how to begin tech projects without much background. The panel also touched on Meta’s work in AI, including its superintelligence labs, and how emerging technologies affect employees’ roles.
Milkii Dagne, a computer science major in Cohort 45, said she appreciated how the panelists emphasized the value of learning beyond the classroom. “They talked about how QUEST, personal projects, extracurriculars, and pure curiosity helped them grow their soft skills and get to where they are.”
After Meta, we headed to a Happy Hour and dinner at Yard House near Times Square with QUEST alumni who live in the New York area. We met alumni working across technology, consulting, government, and politics and heard about their career paths in an informal, supportive setting. Lena Chennat, a bioengineering major in Cohort 43, shared that the dinner offered a “more personal and easy opportunity to connect with people.” She added, “The fact that they showed up, were excited to talk to us, and freely offered advice was extremely supportive. I loved how open and honest they were about their career paths.” Chennat said one of her favorite conversations was with “a math major who pivoted into climate technology,” noting how reassuring it was to hear that “professionals change their minds many times, and that it’s normal.”
After dinner, groups of QUESTees split off to enjoy the night: watching Broadway shows, exploring city lights, and visiting holiday markets.
The next morning, we started early with breakfast at the hotel before walking to our visit at KKR, a private equity firm. Alumnus Pavan Rangachar (Finance, Cohort 20) hosted us in the Hudson Yards office, where we admired sweeping skyline views before a one-on-one Q&A session. Even for QUESTees without financial backgrounds, the discussion became a highly informative “crash course” in private equity, covering topics like debt, bankruptcy, and real estate.
For Sebastian Decady, a finance major in Cohort 41, Rangachar’s relationship-building advice made the biggest impression. Sebastian referenced a quote Rangachar shared: “When times are slow, make sure to connect with people and build your network.” Decady reflected, “That’s something I didn’t do enough. Now, even when I have positions lined up, I know to keep meeting people, finding mentors, and building connections.”
Kavin Seralathan, an information systems major in Cohort 44, agreed. Having also attended the Silicon Valley trip last spring, Kavin said this trip’s mix of tech and corporate companies helped him understand professional life more broadly. “I always saw these roles as so professional,” he said, “But talking to people in them made me realize it’s all about relationships. Not fake ones, but genuine relationship-building.”
We then walked across Hudson Yards to the BCG and BCG X offices, where QUEST alumna Celine Moarkech (Data Analytics in Biotechnology, Cohort 29) hosted us. After grabbing coffee and admiring views of New Jersey and Manhattan, we joined a panel of BCG consultants who spoke about client work, upskilling, navigating setbacks, and everyday challenges on the job.
Praneeth Oruganti, a computer science and math major in Cohort 46, said the practical insights stood out the most. “We gained valuable insight into navigating issues in corporate jobs which are things we wouldn’t have learned until we were actually in them. Now we know how to handle difficult conversations with clients or teammates, especially when we have opposing motivations.”
Seralathan added that the visit broadened his view of who can succeed in consulting. “Anyone from any background can get into consulting. We met so many engineers who transitioned into it. Even our host started as a pre-med. It made me feel like I, or anyone, could do it.”
After a tour of the office, we walked the High Line to our final stop.
Following lunch at Chelsea Market, we visited the Google campus, hosted by Ben Lin (Computer Science, Cohort 33). The visit included a panel featuring employees from global partnerships, applied research, program management, and software engineering. Afterward, Googlers led us on a tour of the building, including its game room and high-rise balcony, before we joined small-group discussions with employees.
Dagne shared that she enjoyed learning how AI fits into Google employees’ day-to-day roles. “They view it almost like an assistant,” she said. “Across the industry, there’s more and more of a push to use AI to augment jobs.”
Oruganti added that meeting the employees felt surprisingly approachable. “Talking to alumni and Googlers seemed daunting at first, but when we met them and put a face to the name, we got real insight into their lives. We realized they’re not very different from us. They just also have good jobs.”
The end of the Google visit marked the end of our trip. Reflecting on the experience, mechanical engineering major Naomi Miatudila (Cohort 42) said, “My favorite part about the trip was meeting other QUESTees and getting to talk to the Quality Guild outside of class. It was also cool to see companies I had never considered, and now I can see myself in.” She added that while the trip leaned heavily toward software-focused companies, she hopes to see more engineering-based visits in the future.
Finally, Madyann Saidi, a mechanical engineering major in Cohort 45, summed up a central theme he heard throughout the trip: “If you want to work in tech, it’s not just about hard skills. I talked to a PM who used to be in computer science and that helped her build trust with her team. But what mattered most was being a good teammate, being likable, and having people who want to work with you and for you. That’s what we need to develop.” The trip was an incredible opportunity for QUEST students. Thank you to QUEST staff members Jess Roffe, Emily Marks, and all the alumni who planned this amazing trip!
The 11th Annual QUEST Networking Event in the Stamp Student Union Colony Ballroom
QUEST Corporate hosted its 11th Annual Networking Event on Monday, October 6th! Instead of long lines or rushed elevator pitches, students actually got the chance to talk and connect with alumni and recruiters. Attended by 130+ students and 26 companies, the smaller setting made the whole experience feel less intimidating and more personal.
“It didn’t feel like do-or-die networking,” said Carleigh Mahaney, Cohort 46, comparing it to the cutthroat atmosphere at other career fairs. “It was more about making conversations and connections.” Aliyah Hampton, Cohort 45, mentioned it was her first fair for this academic year, but it was definitely a genuine one. The QUEST alums that came back as recruiters were easy to talk to and honest about their paths, as they “opened up to talk about their QUEST experience.” For her, the fair felt real in a way most networking events aren’t.
While many students came looking for internships or job leads, the fair was just as meaningful for alumni who came back to recruit. Yash Mehta, Cohort 31, attended as a representative for Guidehouse. Mehta said he loved hearing what current students are learning about in their classes. “It’s always great to come back and see what new tools and skills [QUESTees] can bring to the table.” Mehta was also joined by Joel Liebman, Cohort 14, who also returned as a representative for Guidehouse. Liebman mentioned that during his time in QUEST, they didn’t have the personalized career fair opportunity like we do now, but there was already the power of the QUEST network where you could make concentrated conversations, connecting with alums from different companies. “Conversations just feel easier when you already share that connection.”
Mehta (left) and Liebman (center) at the event
Networking within QUEST doesn’t just stop at the career fair. Nadia Sumah, Cohort 41, mentioned that when she first started her summer internship at Deloitte, a QUEST alum had reached out to connect with her, and they were more than happy to help. “It made me less afraid to network,” Sumah said. “Just having natural conversations goes a long way.”
The QUEST Networking Event provides an opportunity for students to network with approachable alumni and recruiters, smaller crowds, and real conversations, all without it seeming intimidating or forced. Special thanks to the QUEST Corporate team for planning, especially the co-leads Carly Merwitz (Cohort 43) and Bhavini Pandey (Cohort 43), the alumni and recruiters that came and engaged with our students, and the QUEST staff that makes it all happen!
This summer, QUEST students kept in touch through the happy hours in New York City, San Francisco, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Seattle, which brought together students, alumni, faculty, and staff for a chance to connect, swap stories, and hang out over some yummy food.
Le in the middle, attending the DC happy hour.
Current student Anh-Mi Le, Cohort 43, attended the D.C. event along with her BMGT/ENES 390H team. “We just wanted to hang out and meet some alumni,” she said. What stood out to her most was how welcoming the alumni were. “I met a Cohort 1 alum who came back because QUEST had such a big impact on their life.”
Yang on the right in Seattle.
Over in Seattle for his summer internship, current student Andrew Yang, Cohort 42, enjoyed the mix of food and conversation. “It was fun catching up with QUESTees in the area,” he said. Talking to alumni in the startup space stuck with him. “They gave me a better idea of what it takes to be a good founder.”
Prof. Bardossy seated in the back left for the Baltimore event.
Professor Bardossy joined the Baltimore happy hour and enjoyed hearing from alumni across different cohorts. “Their stories about successes and failures are always fun,” she said. “There’s a lot to learn from the failures too.” She shared the enthusiasm that faculty and alumni have when hearing about the innovation that each additional cohort brings to the program.
Whether it was swapping advice, hearing about career paths, or just grabbing a bite together, the happy hours showed how much the QUEST community values staying connected.
Thanks to all of the alumni who helped plan these great events!
Samantha Taskale, Cohort 38 (NYC)
Michele Fried, Cohort 17 (San Francisco)
Tiffanie Choi, Cohort 36 (Seattle)
Abby Bond, Cohort 37, and Ishaan Kapur, Cohort 36 (DC)
QUEST is excited to be returning to Brazil for our 2026 winter study abroad trip for the first time since 2011! Almost 15 years later, I took a journey back in time with QUEST alumnus Vikram Bhandari (UMD ’13, Cohort 18), who attended the 2011 trip.
When Bhandari, founder of the Campus Maps app, reflected on his time at the University of Maryland, he described it as a period of exploration. While initially hesitant at the idea of going abroad alone, Bhandari said that the spirit of carpe diem took over and led him to the QUEST trip to Brazil in 2011—a two-week trip that he now counts among the highlights of his time at college.
Bhandari at Maracana stadium on the 2011 Brazil Trip
“We got this incredible access,” he said. “Factories, major companies, executives—things you’d never normally see as a student.” The students visited numerous companies—from accounting firms to manufacturing plants. Among those visits was a Johnson & Johnson plant, where students observed toothbrushes being produced from giant rolls of paper, and a battery factory where workers shoveled raw lithium on the floor by hand into machines. “It completely changed the way I thought about production,” Bhandari said. “In class, you imagine everything as perfectly automated. But seeing how much human intervention goes into everyday products—quality checks at every step, not just at the end—reshaped how I think about building things, even in my own company.”
Other stops included meetings with executives at Goldman Sachs, Accenture, Deloitte, and multinational companies. Bhandari remembers being amazed by how much customer needs drove strategy. “It wasn’t just about listening,” he said. “It was about going beyond — anticipating what people would want before they asked for it. That connected directly back to what we learned in QUEST about the voice of the customer.”
But the trip wasn’t just about business. In Rio, students explored historic churches, tried street food—which had some regrettable effects for Bhandari—and even visited the Maracanã soccer stadium while it was still under construction. Nights out in the city, including a memorable visit to the Sky Bar overlooking São Paulo’s skyline, deepened his cultural immersion. “It really felt like we were on top of the world,” Bhandari said.
The experience broadened his perspective on the world. “College is a sheltered environment, even with all its opportunities,” he reflected. “Brazil showed me another way of living, a different world. Talking to people on the street in broken Portuguese and them talking to me in English—it was beautiful. That kind of exposure is what makes your education complete.”
For today’s students considering the upcoming winter Brazil trip, his advice is simple: Go! “The trip changed how I see the world. It made a lasting impact on my life.”
QUEST Faculty Member David Ashley and Program Manager Emily Marks will lead this year’s trip. Marks shared, “QUEST has a ton of exciting plans for our program in Brazil this January. We will be going on some incredible site visits to learn about the manufacturing, agricultural, energy, and banking industries in the country. High-level executives and industry professionals will host us at places ranging from a renewable energy company to an airplane manufacturer to a coffee farm, giving us valuable insight into these diverse industries. We will also be doing plenty of fun cultural activities, including site seeing around São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, visiting the city’s gorgeous beaches, taking the cable car up to the famous Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugarloaf Mountain, and sampling delicious Brazilian food.”
Check out the full trip itinerary here, and be sure to apply by September 30th! Reach out to Emily Marks at ekmarks@umd.edu if you have any questions.
As always, the end of a semester marks the time to celebrate the achievements of our graduating cohort. On May 7th, the QUEST community gathered at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center for Cohort 41’s QUEST Conference. To kick off the event, Phil Tulkoff, the retired CEO and President of Tulkoff Food Products–a Baltimore-based company and a long-time QUEST project champion–shared a few opening remarks. Reflecting on their 15 years of collaboration with QUEST, Tulkoff emphasized that QUEST students consistently bring “fresh eyes, new thinking, and a level of energy that pushes [his] team to think differently.” These words are especially true for this cohort–four of whom I had the privilege of speaking with about their project and their biggest takeaways from QUEST.
Earlier this month, the QUEST community celebrated the culmination of nine semester-long capstone projects with Cohort 40’s QUEST Conference at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. Attendees enjoyed poster presentations, snacks, and even a dessert intermission! During the event, I had the chance to talk to some of the teams about their project.
QUEST students couldn’t wait for the annual QUEST Homecoming Tailgate which was hosted on October 19th this year. Students, faculty, staff and alumni of the program all gathered in Lot L for a great time, celebrating and cheering on Maryland Football!
QUEST Corporate hosted the 10th Annual Networking Event on September 30th, just in time for peak recruiting season when students are the most eager to make impactful professional connections.
Students making connections at QUEST’s 10th Annual Networking Event
