This month, I had the pleasure of speaking with some inspiring QUESTees about how the QUEST community has been a key element to their success. Let’s see what they had to say about their QUEST journeys so far!

Faith LeBrun of Cohort 41 says that working in QUEST teams has helped her become a better leader and team member. “QUEST has strengthened my communication skills, especially in teams with diverse perspectives. Moreover, it has helped me get better at managing my time, developing project ideas, and delegating tasks.” QUEST has also inspired her to reach out to her peers and the QUEST alumni network for interview techniques. 

LeBrun (Cohort 41) with her BMGT190H team

Similarly, Abby Bond of Cohort 37 has learned a lot by networking with QUESTees both in and out of her major. “I was able to reach out to alumni in a plethora of roles and figure out what I wanted in a career. Through those professional interactions and interactions with our clients in classes, I’ve built confidence in my professional communication skills. Now I am able to present my best self and communicate my goals more effectively, which has helped me find roles that are best suited to me.” She also notes that the very nature of multidisciplinary teams has given her the opportunity to “communicate complex ideas simply by breaking them down into palatable ways.”

Bond (Cohort 37) giving a presentation at her previous internship

QUEST not only gives us opportunities to learn from our amazing alumni, but also from our peers currently going through the program. Sometimes, they can give the best advice!

Sebastian DeCady of Cohort 41 says that his peers have inspired him in many ways. One piece of advice that he’s gotten is to “be comfortable being uncomfortable.” He says, “This advice has propelled me further than I ever imagined, allowing me to look at my weaknesses as opportunities to build new strengths.”

DeCady (Cohort 41) with his BMGT190H team

Ume Habiba of Cohort 38 says that the most beneficial advice she’s received is to take advantage of all opportunities, whether or not they align with your immediate goals. “I think this was very valuable to me and my career because I was able to try different things and broaden my skillsets in different roles.”

Habiba (Cohort 38) with her BMGT490H team

Bond thinks that sometimes inspiration can be hidden. “I am constantly inspired by QUESTees around me. Seeing how they are driven by their passions and how they are able to be such caring, fun people inspires me to be my best self. I am so grateful for the friends I have made through this program.”

Hi all, my name is Samantha Taskale, a graduating senior majoring in Computer Science. As a proud member of Cohort 38, I’ve recently completed my capstone class, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter with the QUEST Honors Program.

In this reflection, I aim to share my journey through the program, from 190H all those years ago to my time in the final course, my rewarding role as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for the introductory course, and my recent contribution as a student representative at the capstone conference.

When I participated in 190H, three years ago, I learned so much about working with a team of students. And later turning those fellow students into friends. I also learned a lot about professional expectations: being true to your word and the importance of showing up for your team. 190H is meant to be a highly demanding class, the necessity to juggle outside work while also upholding expectations of excellence is meant to be a learning experience. 

Pictured here is my 190H team, from left to right: Samantha Taskale, Odessa Howera, Lauren Gomes, Derreck Boateng-Agyemang, Ayman Bootwala

This semester, while going through 490H, I was one of the two TAs for 190H. Going through the introductory curriculum again with new students while doing my 490H class was an amazing experience. I’ve always loved teaching and doing it in such a hands-on, challenging, and practical environment was a joy. Planning lego activities on agile and just-in-time manufacturing were highlights of my semester. I also truly enjoyed imparting my knowledge of presentation skills and speaking presence. Seeing how the 190H students developed, learning about the program, and improving their processes was incredibly rewarding.

Discussing with my students at the QUEST Conference

A culmination point for me was seeing my students at our conference and discussing my completed project. Answering their questions and sharing as much knowledge as I could was a truly full-circle moment for me.

Going into 490H this semester, myself and my cohort shared a sentiment of anticipation. Throughout the program you are always told that this is one of the most important classes. The class is your opportunity to truly display all of your knowledge and development. Of course that always leaves room for let down when things don’t go quite as planned. But that in itself was also part of the process. Dealing with undecided scopes or clients is part of life and what shined in those cases was the support from our teams, cohort, and professors. Working with professor David Ashley as our faculty advisor this semester was truly a morale boost. When things got difficult or uncertain, we could rely on each other and Professor Ashley to uplift spirits and encourage the team to chug ahead. Ultimately, I am so extremely proud of the work my team completed this semester. 

Following the completion of our project, the conference couldn’t have gone better. In the week leading up to it, my team, the rest of my cohort, and I worked tirelessly on our slides, posters, and speeches. I was also preparing my speech as the student speaker. It was tough to hold back my emotions in the first draft. I worked closely with Abby Bond, the speaker from last semester. Reflecting on our experiences together was a blast. In my speech, I focused on the importance of friendships. In 190H, we always emphasized the value of team members being friends, as it leads to better professional partnerships. 

My speech at the QUEST Conference

My speech about the importance of friendships in the program was met with a lot of positive reactions. My cohort shared my sentimental feelings, and an alumnus even told me that my speech made him nostalgic for the program.

I hope to have had an impact on QUEST. The program and people have certainly had an impact on me. As a whole, I hope that for each team I was a part of, for each student I helped this semester, and each conversation I had, people have come away with a brighter outlook and more knowledge. 

My advice to future students would be to ask the questions and show up. College is a cornucopia of opportunities and decisions. If you find something interesting, don’t be afraid to say so. I just happened to find QUEST interesting. If there is an opportunity that comes by and you are piqued with interest, don’t be afraid to take the first step, ask the first question, or shoot the first cold email. As QUEST’s assistant director Jess Roffe would say: “ABS” or Always Be Scoping. 

Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue as a TA until the end of my time at UMD. I hope the future students enjoy and benefit from the program as much as I have. I hope to remain an involved alumna of the program following my graduation. 

As winter break approaches, some students are getting more than just time off—they’re getting their diplomas. No cap and gown can hide the smiles of students ready to take on the world post-college. I connected with a few graduating QUESTees about their college experience and how QUEST shaped their time here.

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