Category Archives: QUESTFeed

BuzzFeed-like articles

QUEST Explores Online Mentoring Platform, Brazen

Posted on by

If you read the article “The Alumni Network,” you know that QUEST’s focus on community involvement isn’t just targeted towards students, staff and faculty. QUEST is a program that keeps giving back to its community far longer than the average four-year lifespan of a college student. Through social events, anniversary gala celebrations, and electives taught by alumni, QUEST provides opportunities for everyone to interact and bond over shared values of quality, teamwork, and learning.

But what if you’re not in the area anymore, yet you still want to stay in touch with what’s going on in QUEST and help students back in Maryland make the most of the opportunities QUEST provides? Fortunately for our alumni who are out of state, or even out of the country, there is now a way to conveniently interact with members of the QUEST community in a quick, efficient manner.

Introducing Brazen. Brazen is an online platform that allows recruiters, job seekers, students, and of course, members of a community, to interact with one another over chat. Each online event is booked for a certain period of time, and there are several booths staffed by mentors, or whoever is giving out information. Each attendee has a short description in their profile about themselves so that more time is spent on answering the questions participants have for each other rather than on introducing themselves, since the chats are limited in length. QUEST has used this platform twice so far, the first for connecting alumni, and the second, for prospective QUEST students to speak with members of QUEST recruiting. The video below explains more about how Brazen works.

The first Brazen session was on the topic of whether or not QUEST alumni should go back to school. There were four booths of alumni who already received or were in the process of getting their graduate degrees. Two booths were staffed by Smith Graduates and Clark Graduates who received or were working towards an MBA, and two were staffed by graduates from all schools who had Masters, JDs, or PhDs. Alumni seeking advice were able to chat with those stationing the booth and receive advice.

One participant, Andrew Lee from cohort 23, said he took part in the session because he wanted guidance from those who followed a similar path as him. Andrew let me know that it was great hearing about what other alumni did to get where they are today, since it helped him better understand what steps he can take to pursue his passions. However, he said, “The most important thing [I] learned was to really take your time to learn and understand the subjects you are passionate about.”

The second Brazen session was for prospective QUEST students to talk to members of QUEST recruiting to learn more about the program, get application help, and learn about what a day in the life of a typical QUEST student is like. The mentors for this session were members of QUEST recruiting, including Noah Vernick from Cohort 28 and Silvia Caceres from Cohort 27, who enjoyed answering questions about their personal QUEST experiences and what makes the program really stand out to them. Noah found the Brazen platform user-friendly and easy to use and said he was a fan of the timing feature since “it keeps sessions productive and makes both sides accountable for being efficient.”

QUEST is always looking for new ways to bring the community together by finding topics that people share interests in and can bond over. To ensure that future Brazen sessions are just as exciting and full of participants as the first two, QUEST needs to pick topics that many people would be interested in learning about. QUEST can take this platform to many places, such as using it for alumni at certain companies to speak to students interested in internships or full-time positions, as well as for students to get a chance to speak with members from cohorts before them to learn more about how they handled their team projects.

If you have any ideas, feel free to share them in this google survey: https://goo.gl/forms/6OXZPbaYI9TLSM4Y2. We look forward to hearing your great ideas and implementing them when it’s time for the next discussion!

Springing into a New Setting – QUEST2Spain!

Posted on by

The QUEST2Spain course pioneered this past winter, where 20 students, both from within and outside of the QUEST Honors Program, spent 10 days total between Barcelona and Madrid to learn about design and innovation. Personally, I spent some time in Spain before and after the trip so that I could get fully immersed into the Spanish culture and setting, as I had just finished a quite stressful semester filled with the 490H capstone, the first part of the Aerospace capstone, and a plethora of concerts and recitals. Having the opportunity to travel to Spain, especially being my first time, was an unforgettable experience that, if offered in the future, I highly recommend anyone with the time and money to do!

I was honestly quite blind going into the course, to the point that I didn’t even realize the geographic locations of the cities we’d visit until I arrived. However, I had traveled to Europe in the past, so I did have a couple things I’d expect from European culture. To my surprise, there were many differences that I didn’t expect, ones I learned from self-travel and during the course. From the midday siestas businesses would take, to the times of meals being shifted over around 3 hours, and even the intimate interactions in public and at the dinner table, it provided a change in perspective and insights to situations that I took for granted back in the US.

Continuing with this theme of “surprise,” the course itself exceed the expectations I had prior. Starting out in Barcelona, we explored an array of sites and experiences, which ranged from visiting Gaudi’s works such as La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and Casa Batlló, to makerspaces in El Poblenou district, as well as a visit to Art Cava, a Cava maker, just outside Barcelona. Each day had a different focus, whether it was appreciating impact artists in Barcelona, or a comparison to the old vs. new traditions, or even digging into the intersection of art, science, and tradition. We even had the time to interact with students, undergraduate and graduate, from universities around the city, whether it was over tapas or participating in design thinking workshops.

Moving inward towards Madrid, the trip became a lot more relaxed, but at the same time introspective. Prior to the course, Dr. Armstrong and Dr. Suarez gave each of us a journal, and each day, they’d give us one or two prompts which we would have to answer. In Barcelona, they focused more on the themes mentioned above. However, when we got to Madrid, they became much more introspective and required us to dig answers and insights from our surroundings. With the activities ranging from interviewing locals at the Flee Market to taking walks around El Retiro Park, it provided a nice “break” from the hustle and bustle back in Barcelona, but at the same time, provided insightful experiences that I cherished.

Having been back now for over a month now, I feel very privileged and fortunate to have gone on that trip! It truly was unlike any experience that I had previously, and it was an honor that I could have two professors that I admire, Dr. Suarez and Dr. Armstrong, co-lead the course. It rejuvenated my intellectual curiosity for what’s out there beyond UMD and the United States, and if offered in the future, it’s an experience that I, 100%, would recommend anyone to do!

If you’d like to see additional blog posts that I wrote on during the trip, you can check out this link here!

Four QUEST Students Selected as Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars

Posted on by

Four QUEST seniors, Chineme Obiefune (Q25), Sarina Haryanto (Q26), Miriam Silton (Q26), and Cece Ukejianya (Q26), were selected as 2017-2018 Philip Merrill Scholars. This award is bestowed to only three students per college and recognizes students for their outstanding achievements throughout their undergraduate career at UMD. Additionally, as part of the award, winners are able to recognize their mentors and teachers from K-12 and college who have helped them get to where they are today. The QUEST student winners represented a few of those chosen from the Robert H. Smith School of Business and A. James Clark School of Engineering. I had the recent pleasure of interviewing three of the award winners from QUEST: Chineme, Sarina, and Miriam.

Sarina Haryanto (Q26) and her mentors at the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Event

How did you get selected for the Presidential Scholars Award?

 Sarina: While I don’t know the exact details of how I was selected as a Presidential Scholar, I am aware that selection is determined through a nomination process. I received a letter from the Office of the Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies towards the end of the spring 2017 semester. Thank you to the individual or group in the Smith School who nominated me as a Presidential Scholar. I appreciate the recognition of my academic excellence and engagement in the Smith School. In addition to connecting with my peers in the QUEST and Smith communities, I believe that developing relationships with the wonderful and supportive Smith faculty and staff since my freshman year played a major role in this award.

Miriam: In the spring semester of 2017, I was notified by my advisor that I should apply for this award. After seeing what it was for, it was mainly for honoring mentors and teachers who have helped me along the way, and I don’t think they get enough recognition most of the time. So it was an opportunity for me to put in some work to do the application, and in the end, having [the teachers] know they’re appreciated, as well as providing a scholarship from my school to come to the University of Maryland. I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the award and help benefit a bunch of people as well.

Chineme: I got selected for the program by being nominated by the business school. To be completely honest, I don’t know about the specifics of the nomination process, but I work in the Smith Office of Undergraduate Studies with Dean Mullins so I have a feeling that may have had something to do with it.

Can you tell me about the teachers/professors that have influenced your academic career? 

Chineme Obiefune (Q25) and his mentors at the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Event

Sarina: In fifth grade, Miss Stuart nurtured my joy of reading and writing. I recall wandering around the media center and leaving with a bundle of books (Magic Tree House and the Alice series were some of my favorite reads!). I also remember reading The Phantom Tollbooth and writing my first “research paper” on grizzly bears in her class. Last year in SIF, Dr. Kirsch encouraged me to explore how business can create social and environmental impact. I loved engaging in SIF class discussions and learning new concepts that challenge my perspectives. Dr. Kirsch also provided my SIF team the opportunity to present our social enterprise ecosystems paper at a research conference in Italy.

Miriam: The K-12 mentor I chose to honor was my Calculus teacher from high school. She was an engineer for a few years and then switched career paths to become a high school teacher. She managed to make Calculus fun for me which stopped me from hating math. She encouraged me to pursue independent study Calculus 3, which helped prepare me for college, as well as showed me that women can go into engineering. She also provided the insight into the possibility of becoming a high school teacher or college lecturer in order to give back to the community in the same way.

Chineme: Life can be challenging, but I’m blessed to have mentors that I can look up to and consult for advice when it comes to making big decisions. Ms. Irene Bademosi was one of my strongest supporters in high school. When people underestimated my potential, she made sure I never undervalued myself. She taught me to hustle for what is mine and to be grateful for all the blessings that I receive. Here at Maryland, Dr. Pamela Armstrong helped to give my career some direction. I came to college not knowing where I fit in the world of business, but after joining the QUEST program and working with Dr. Armstrong, my path became much clearer. She exposed me to design thinking and the importance of empathy in business and modeled these behaviors in all aspects of her life. Both Ms. Bademosi and Dr. Armstrong have made valuable contributions to my life. I’m still figuring a lot of things out, but with their guidance, I am confident that I will be able to navigate the multitude of decisions awaiting me in the years to come.

How has this award influenced you academically, professionally, personally, etc.?

Miriam Silton (Q26) and her mentors at the Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Event

Sarina: This award has made me realize and better appreciate the role of educators in my life. All too often people focus on the result rather than the process. For example, college students can be obsessed with grades. I value academic excellence and am interested in graduate school, so of course, I strive to do well in my classes. However, exploring things out of curiosity and intrinsic motivation is so much more fulfilling than “checking the box” for required classes.

Learning and sharing knowledge outside of the classroom goes a long way. My mentors have inspired me to embrace lifelong learning and explore a different kind of supply chain, “the education supply chain.”

Miriam: It was nice to be recognized in a way that gave credit to those mentors who’ve helped me get to where I am today. It made me stop and think and really look back and think who I want to pick out and honor. So by looking back and thinking of all the teachers that I’ve had and how much I’ve grown since first grade walking into public school for the first time, it really made me appreciate things, especially at this point in my college career as I’m getting ready to graduate and move forward and provide mentorship to other people.

Chineme: This award has been most influential personally. It’s forced me to reevaluate myself and figure out how to improve all aspects of my life. The people that spoke at the luncheon were smart, poised, and passionate. Listening to them speak and receiving this award was another reminder of how much more I need to learn and experience in life to truly call myself successful.

 

Congratulations to these QUEST seniors for being selected for the award. A comprehensive list of the awardees from each college can be found here.

QUEST to Leidos: Site Visit Recap

Posted on by

By: Caitlin Thompson (Q28)

On November 3, 2017, QUEST students from all majors and cohorts had the opportunity to visit Leidos in Gaithersburg, MD. Prateek Sayyaparaju (Q28) organized the visit through QUEST Corporate, a student organization within QUEST. Prateek worked with QUEST alums Ilan Gold (Q22) and Krishang Sharma (Q23) and Anh Tran from Leidos to finalize the logistics prior to the event. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Prateek and other students to recap this exciting visit.

Approximately twenty students, joined by QUEST executive director Dr. Bailey and program manager Jessica Macklin, traveled to the location. Upon arrival, the group was greeted and given the opportunity to mingle with current employees.  They were then presented with a quick overview of the company and the Gaithersburg location.

The visit centered around Leidos’ focus on air traffic control engineering and systems. In order to give the students a better understanding of the types of projects they work on to provide successful air trafficking, the large group was divided into four teams.

Each team rotated through four different demonstrations. During one rotation, students were surrounded by 180 degrees of screen to simulate the experience of being in an air traffic control tower. Students were able to act as controllers while interacting with the products. Leidos also invites actual controllers to test equipment through this system in order to receive useful feedback.

When asked about this opportunity, Jeffrey Zhao (Q28) remarked, “It was extremely enlightening being able to see and test out four of Leidos’ Skyline product line applications. Skyline is Leidos’ international air traffic control enterprise software.”

With this, Leidos adopts many of the same principles of QUEST. They are innovative by always designing more efficient products to keep integrating and stay above the competition. They are also customer focused while empathizing with their end users throughout the design process.

Overall, the trip was very successful. According to Prateek, “Everyone learned a lot, had fun while doing so, and became interested in a company that they may not have known much about before.” By the end, students were eager to seek out internships and discover other future opportunities. They were also excited to share their experience with the QUEST community.

For example, Akshay Guthal (Q27) said, “The Leidos trip was a cool experience because going in, I didn’t know much about air traffic control. They gave us a tour and showed us different software features and even let us play around with some air traffic control applications. Overall, it was cool to learn so much about an industry that I had no idea about from such a successful company.”

Roger Mao (Q29) also responded saying, “Leidos is a very interesting company with a lot of tech and infrastructure that supports our daily lives that I never knew about. It was such an interesting and eye opening visit.”

Thank you Leidos for hosting QUEST!

 

Cohort 26 Presents at the Fall 2017 QUEST Conference

Posted on by

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!

Spirit of Maryland Award goes to QUEST’s own Cece Ukejianya!

Posted on by

Cece Ukejianya (Q26)

 

One thing is certain about Maryland Terps, we have A LOT of school pride! You can count on finding someone wearing red, black, or gold, and there is always a new sacrifice for our favorite turtle, Testudo! While we have a very spirited campus, QUEST is proud to say that Cece Ukejianya of Cohort 26 has the most Maryland pride! Yes, that’s right, Cece recently won the Spirit of Maryland Award!

Each year, faculty and administration nominate students who they feel best represent our university for the Spirit of Maryland award. After nomination, students are invited to apply for this award. Through this application, administration chooses ten finalists who participate in a series of interviews and events. Subsequently, two winners are chosen. Specifically for Cece, Dean Victor Mullins of the Smith Business School recognized her talents and recommended her for this prestigious honor.

The Spirit of Maryland Award not only celebrates who has the most Maryland pride, but also recognizes the student who best embodies our University’s goals in terms of academics, extracurriculars, and leadership. “I was in disbelief when I won just because there are so many great leaders on this campus who I look up to for a certain skill or character trait that I one day hope to embody,” expressed Cece.  While she said it was a nice surprise, Cece points out that “no leader does what he or she does for recognition, rather any true leader does what he or she does because of their passion, drive, and motivation to better a cause he or she believes in and finds enjoyment through benefiting.” Cece says that while it is great to see how you are impacting the community, you know you have truly touched others when they “recognize how you specifically contribute to society. That’s how you know what you did was real.”

Cece is part of the academic committee in the Deans Student Advisory Council (DSAC), the President of ABA, Vice President of the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honors Fraternity, Sargent of Arms for Phi Chi Business Fraternity, and Chaplin of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

We are so proud of Cece for all that she has accomplished. We know that after her graduation this spring, she will continue to demonstrate quality leadership within her community, and we wish her good luck in her future endeavors.

Cece with President Loh after being awarded the Spirit of Maryland award

Interested in Web Development? A New QUEST Elective May Be Perfect For You

Posted on by

Danny Laurence (Q19)

Danny Laurence (Q19), a QUEST alumnus who was awarded one of the Outstanding Service Awards at this year’s QUEST Gala, will be offering a new QUEST elective for students interested in Web Development, beginning in Spring 2018. I was able to sit down and ask Danny about the inspiration behind the course and how it will help QUEST students in the future.

What new QUEST elective will you be offering, and what will the class focus on?

BMGT408C – Quality Web Development in Business. The class will focus on giving students the tools by which web development is achieved, without necessarily focusing on the coding itself. This class is designed to give students an understanding of what’s called the “full stack” – everything from database design to agile will be covered. Students will walk away with a solid understanding of how the internet works.

What inspired you to come up with the new elective?

A previous version of this course was offered by Dr. Bailey, Dr. Purtilo, Josh Kohn (Q18), and myself in Spring 2013 (I can’t believe it’s been 4 years). The inspiration for the course was a clamoring by business students for more technical content and a strong desire by me to get experience teaching a course. The students who took that course, to this day, will tell you how useful it was to their career searches. They were able to talk to parts of technology that their peers had never even heard of, let alone interacted with.

How does this new course fit the QUEST curriculum (cross-functional teams, hands-on learning, community of learning, etc.)?

Well, certainly everything you listed is represented in the course. Students are organized into teams, and class is largely about working through examples and hands-on learning. The community of learning aspect is relatively apparent – I’m an alumnus teaching this course. The class set up will likely have non-majors, so peer instruction on writing code is very important.

How will this class help students in the real world?

I’d postulate that most jobs now require you to understand technology, no matter what you are doing. Everyone has to deal with email, with web systems, and this class will give you the tools to understand what is going on. Simply demystifying the computer a bit is a very useful skill set, even if it seems like it wouldn’t be.

What is one message you have for any QUEST students who are interested in your class?

Do it. Not only are you going to have fun in class, you’re going to gain skills that will help you in your future endeavors.

Spring Fever: QUEST Electives Edition

Posted on by

The three required QUEST courses allow students to work in multidisciplinary teams to apply quality management tools, develop products that address real-world problems, and use the conflict negotiation and business etiquette skills needed to consult clients. However, these core courses alone will not ensure that QUEST students have a well-rounded outlook on process improvement, system design, and quality management.

Each QUEST student has his or her own individual interests, ambitions, and motives. QUEST’s five-course curriculum includes two elective courses, which gives students the freedom to pick two classes out of a comprehensive list with over 25 options. This allows students to take classes that intrigue them while simultaneously incorporating their passions into their QUEST experience. Many of you may wish to take an elective this coming spring 2018 semester, so it is important to understand your options and how the electives help you pursue your career goals.

There are several quality courses this spring that are QUEST-specific and are taught by QUEST professors. These courses include BMGT/ENES 397 and BMGT/ENES 491, as well as several classes that revolve around visits to places like Silicon Valley and Spain. These are well-worth looking into if you wish to get closer with QUEST students across cohorts or get to know the QUEST faculty better.

 

QUEST-Specific Electives

1) BMGT/ENES 397 is an engaging class that allows students to leave an impact on QUEST by guiding new QUEST students through the process of 190H and by doing a semester-long project for QUEST that requires a thorough knowledge of design and quality techniques.

“397 is a great opportunity to see 190H from the other side, and it comes with the added bonus of going to QUEST camp again!” – Akshay Guthal (Q27)

 

2) BMGT/ENES 491 is a course in which students play a role in finding the various consulting and innovation projects for 190H and 490H students. This course gives students a great opportunity to make connections with some of QUEST’s corporate partners and prepare for 490H. 491 is the class where students conduct site visits and talk to various departments on campus in order to scope out potential consulting projects new QUEST students can work on in their 190H class. Michael Vetter from Cohort 28 enjoyed his time in 491 and wants students deciding on electives to know:

“[Scoping is] a great opportunity to develop your professional skills and learn more about real businesses and how QUEST connects with them.” – Michael Vetter (Q28)

3) The QUEST immersion courses are amazing ways to spend your winter and spring semesters. Look into BMGT438G/ENES489Q if you’re interested in going to the Silicon Valley with Dr. Bailey and learning about design, innovation, and quality through various site visits and company research. BMGT438G/ENES489Q is a great way to network with professionals in your field and get the nitty gritty on what really goes on behind the scenes in successful tech companies.

“Exploring the technological culture that defines Silicon Valley, ranging from their start-ups to the Big 4 Tech, provided insight that can’t be paralleled in a classroom setting.” – Andrew Jones (Q26)

 

BMGT438M will allow students to visit Barcelona and Madrid this January to see how things like culture and architecture have an impact on innovation. Recent study abroad trips included QUEST2Japan and QUEST2China, where students were able to go on site visits to companies such as Toyota and Nikon in order to see how business cultures abroad differ from those in the United States.

“[QUEST2Japan was] literally the best trip I’ve ever taken in my life… QUEST study abroad trips are super unique experiences that everyone should take advantage of.” – Akshay Guthal (Q27)

Outside-of-QUEST Electives

1) BMGT 332 is just one of the many classes that teaches students topics such as project management, systems analysis and design, operations management, and managing for innovation and quality.

“Optimization based on data is extremely important, since proper data analysis prevents resources from being wasted, which would be tremendously detrimental to an organization.” – Roger Mao (Q29)

If you’re interested to see what electives can double as one of your major requirements or upper level electives, you can visit the electives guide here.

2) ENME 466 is one of the most popular electives, as it teaches students how to use Lean Six Sigma and how to apply the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) strategy in projects with corporate partners.

Even with the plethora of possible electives one can choose from, QUEST students do not have to be limited to these options. You can always nominate an elective to be considered for the program curriculum! Just email Dr. Herrmann at jwh2@umd.edu to see if you can get one of your favorite classes to count as a QUEST elective. The Curriculum Review Committee will review all requests and see if any can be approved. This is just one of the ways QUEST takes input from its students to continuously improve its program and keep its community curious, engaged in critical thinking, and fascinated with what QUEST has to offer.

 

 

 

Soon-to-be Alumni Feature: Julia Lomakina and Rohan Bajaj

Posted on by

As the semester approaches the stage when students are completing projects and beginning to start studying for finals, for many, it’s a time when they are thinking about the soon-approaching winter break. While some people will be using this as a time to rest up for the upcoming spring semester, some students will be celebrating an important milestone: graduation.

Recently, I was able to catch up with two Q26 students/soon-to-be-alumni, Julia Lomakina and Rohan Bajaj. Both students are graduating a semester early compared to their peers and also have exciting plans in store for after they graduate next month.

 

Rohan Bajaj (Q26)

Julia Lomakina (Q26)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s something that you cherish from your time at UMD?

Julia:

I cherish all of the wonderful humans I have met during my time at UMD. From rampaging around College Park bars with friends to pulling all nighters for projects, I’ve loved every moment of it. This school also gives you incredible opportunities whether educational, career, or social. I️ am so happy I️ decided to come to UMD – no regrets!

Rohan:

I cherish the people I met here. Fellow students, faculty, and friends have all had a great influence on my interests and goals. I have gotten the opportunity to teach, experiment majors, and work professionally all because of the people that surrounded me.

 

Favorite QUEST memory?

Julia:

1) Getting run over at QUEST camp within the first 30 minutes during an ice breaker resulting in a nice head gash. Haha!

2) I got to ride around in a tractor and meet the Cataraptasaurus during a client visit to a Caterpillar Dealer.

3) A few QUESTees went to play laser tag and my greatest mistake was wearing a grey shirt because that was the most intense workout I had all semester.

Rohan:

My favorite QUEST memory was just one month ago, when we went to our BMGT490H client Caterpillar’s Equipment Sale and Expo at their Alban CAT dealership. From an academic perspective, it was great to personally communicate with clients and observe the business opportunity real-time. From a fun perspective, we were treated to award-winning Chaps Pit Beef, free ice cream, and, best of all, got to drive tractors. It was a blast.

 

What are you plans after graduation?

Julia:

First, I will be traveling after graduation. I will spend a few weeks in Texas and Florida around the holidays. Then, I will travel to India and backpack around Southeast Asia for a few months. After scampering around the world, I am buying a few rain jackets and will work at Microsoft as a Program Manager in Seattle, Washington.

Rohan:

I plan to take a long break and start working at least past June. My plans are very much in the air, but I will try to volunteer. I am thinking of volunteering as a part of Habitat for Humanity or the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for the many recent natural disasters. If that falls through, I plan on travelling as much as I can.

 

Any other parting words you want to give to your peers?

Julia:

Things I wish I told myself as a freshman: First, do random stuff on campus and around the area. Sounds interesting? Go. Don’t have a friend to go with? Still go. People are friendlier than you think. Second, use all of your resources/network (like the QUEST directory). Don’t be afraid to contact random people and ask them for advice. Third, exams are easier when you pay attention in class.

To the QUEST Community: I am extremely lucky to have you guys. Thank you to the Quality Guild who make it all happen and the students who make the program what it is. I learned and laughed so much with all of you. You are all so exceptional and I am proud to be a part of QUEST. I thank you for your part in my journey.

Final Farewell: I genuinely hope our paths cross again. Keep in touch!

Rohan:

People often get stuck and fixated on wanting and “achieving” more. Don’t try to say yes to everything, but instead say yes to things that make sense for you. Take a step back, put things in perspective, and live your best life!

 

Congratulations to all of our seniors graduating this December:

  • Rohan Bajaj (Q26)
  • Angelina Bingei (Q25)
  • Pete Dziki (Q25)
  • Eric Huang (Q23)
  • Julia Lomakina (Q26)
  • Max Samuels (Q26)
  • Janae Savoy (Q23)
  • Derien Scott (Q24)
  • Gabe Vostal (Q24)

On behalf of the QUEST student and faculty community, we’ll all genuinely miss your presence on campus; we hope that you’ll be able to visit sometime soon, and wish you the best of luck with your careers and post-UMD life!

QUEST’s 25th Anniversary Gala – A Night to Remember

Posted on by

QUEST celebrated 25 years of continuous improvement with over 420 alumni, current students, parents, corporate partners, and UMD friends on October 7, 2017! Jacob King (Q27) provides his account of the evening below.

[slideshow_deploy id=’3945′]

 

Walking into the grand new lobby of The Hotel at the University of Maryland, we were ushered upstairs to the ballroom level where we were immediately enveloped into a different time era. It seemed as though we were thrust back 60 years as all the males were dressed to the nines and women were in dresses to the floor, taking stunning pictures off the balcony overlooking the valet. Overhead were enormous twinkling glass structures that added to the ambiance as we walked into the ballroom itself. As I grabbed myself a drink from the bar, I looked around at all the fabulous people around me, all the brilliant QUEST students and alumni dressed up to celebrate the anniversary of this wondrous organization that brought us together. I began to walk around to catch up with old friends who had graduated, and I was astounded to see the turnout of not only current cohort members from 25-30, but members of cohorts from the very beginning. I was even introduced to people from cohorts 5,13,18,19 and 20.

It is one thing to network and make acquaintances, but it is another to talk to QUEST alumni about your story and how your time in QUEST is benefiting you. The cocktail hour quickly elapsed, and as we sat down for the main event, we had no idea just how humbling and inspiring our speakers were about to be. With our emcee, the chairman of the QUEST Alumni Board, Mr. Ricky Wilson, the night kicked off without a hitch. While it makes sense to have the three deans represented from the three schools (business, engineering and computer, mathematical, and natural sciences), the speeches they delivered were completely awe-inspiring as they praised not only the program, but told stories of how QUEST has helped shape the best students within their schools.

Corporate partners were recognized for giving back to QUEST over the years. Leidos, IBM, and Orbital ATK were announced as Corporate Visionaries; Lockheed Martin was recognized as a Corporate Innovator; and BD, dlhBowles, Pwc, Unilever, and Tulkoff Food Products were recognized as Corporate Catalysts.

Jerry Goodman and ToniAnn Thomas from IBM then went on stage to announce the winners of the IBM Design Challenge. Team International Business Men took home the grand prize, a trip to the IBM Global Headquarters in NYC. Team members included: Conor Casey (Q27), Tim Chen (Q28), Cameron Harner (Q25), Varun Mohan (Q28), and Jeff Zhao (Q28). To learn more about the IBM Design Challenge, click here.

It soon came time to recognize the alumni from QUEST who strove to push past the normal call to action that comes with graduating from this honors program. To Jason Gates (Q16), who pushed the original 190H course to its fullest extent and sought innovation through his own career, the QUEST program awarded the Innovative Professional Achievement Award. For the individual who has helped QUEST increase its corporate visibility, the program awarded Steve Kutchi (Q1) with the Outstanding Corporate Connector Award. Presented next was the Outstanding Service Award to Danny Laurence (Q19), Bryan Towns (Q7) and Ricky Wilson (Q6) for giving back to the program. For early career achievements, the Outstanding Young Alumna/us Award went to Linda Rassenti (Q17).

Winners of the Alumni Awards and the presenters

Next, three alumni, Debbie Feinberg (Q1), Vlad Tchompalov (Q14), and Addrenia Smith (Q18), provided remarks on their time in the program. As those in the audience listened to the stories of these alumni and their seemingly unachievable success or commitment to the program, one could see the passion start to bubble and the gears start to turn as current students tried to devise ways to achieve these same heights. As I started to leave the event, I turned around and looked at those around me: the alumni who are following their dreams and the students who are building passions and elevating themselves to get there. That is the beauty of QUEST. It is not in the rigorous coursework or the extracurricular activities or even the prestigious faculty (no matter what Dr. Suarez says). The people are what make QUEST great- the congregation of like-minded scholars who are hungry to learn and vicious in the classroom, yet collaborative and intuitive, with a drive to push those around them to new heights. This positive feedback loop of each QUESTee helping one another and giving back has led to the placement and growth of hundreds of alumni, with many more to come.

Here’s to the first 25 years of QUEST, and another 25 or more of great students, faculty, alumni, and corporate partners! To check out more photos from the Gala, click on this link!