Hello QUESTees! I hope your fall is off to a great start! For this month’s issue, we’re highlighting how three QUEST students went above and beyond during their summers! From creating a website for local non-profits to working on airplanes, let’s go see their stories!
Continue readingCategory Archives: Student Stories
Flipping Tassels & Chasing Dreams: Celebrating our Graduating QUESTees

As the spring sun sets on another academic year, we are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our QUEST graduates. With the semester wrapping up, QUESTees from Cohorts 39 and 40 are putting the finishing touches on their final assignments and exams, ready to flip their tassels and embark on exciting new adventures beyond graduation. From unforgettable team memories and evolving leadership abilities to impressive professional journeys, these students have left a lasting impact on the QUEST community and beyond. This month, I had the chance to sit down with some of our well-accomplished seniors to learn about their favorite QUEST memories, their post-grad plans, and how the program has shaped their college experience and future careers.
I first had the opportunity to talk with Arav Patel (Cohort 39), a Computer Science major, who fondly reminisces about his first days in QUEST. Initially drawn to the program by a flyer and encouraged by his father’s colleagues at IBM, Patel recalls being excited to step outside his typical computer science setting and collaborate with students from diverse fields like engineering and business. When asked to describe his QUEST journey in three words, Patel chose “motivating, fun, and collaborative.” He shared how QUEST brought together intelligent, driven individuals who relied on each other’s strengths. “Overcoming team challenges and forming lasting friendships with my cohort were pivotal experiences in my personal and professional growth,” he reflected. One of his favorite memories from QUEST was the Silicon Valley trip, where he had the chance to explore the city and bond with friends, including fellow senior Akash Marakath (Cohort 40), while creating unforgettable memories together.
Looking ahead, Patel plans to venture into the world of entrepreneurship by continuing to build his startup playgoldai.com and seek venture capital funding. He plans on returning to Princeton, NJ, where he will focus on growing his startup from the comfort of his hometown, all while hopefully getting in a few travel trips to new places. With the freedom that comes post-graduation, he’s eager to balance the hustle of entrepreneurship with exploring the world and embracing the flexibility that comes with this next chapter.

I next had the opportunity to interview Akash Marakath (Cohort 40), a Mechanical Engineering major whose journey through QUEST has been nothing short of transformative. When asked to describe his QUEST journey in three words, Marakath chose “exhilarating, elevating, and enriching,” each word capturing the essence of his time in the program. For him, QUEST has been much more than just academic—it’s been a space for deep personal development and reflection.
For Marakath, the most important lesson QUEST imparted was “to take a deep dive into a problem before rushing into a solution.” This shift in mindset didn’t just affect his academic work—it extended into his personal life, too. “I used to be quick to react or make decisions impulsively, but now I’ve learned to pause, think carefully, and make more thoughtful choices,” he reflected. It’s a lesson he carries with him, tackling challenges with a newfound sense of clarity and confidence.
Marakath’s journey was also deeply shaped by his involvement in QUEST organizations, where he mentions finding a community despite not knowing anyone in the program beforehand. As part of the QUEST Social team, he helped organize the 2023 QUEST Formal, from designing the neon sign to crafting keychains for the first 50 attendees. His contributions earned him one of only eight Outstanding Service Awards from the QUEST Quality Guild (Faculty and Staff)—an honor given to students who go above and beyond for the program. “Creating memorable experiences for the community is something I’m truly proud of,” Marakath said, reflecting on the impact of his leadership. His efforts not only enriched the QUEST community but also sharpened skills he will carry into his career.
Looking ahead, Marakath is excited to take the next step in his journey. This summer, he’ll be interning at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation as a Special Programs Intern, before heading back to UMD in the fall to pursue his Master’s in Aerospace Engineering, with a focus on rotorcraft. He’s eager to continue honing his engineering skills and dive deeper into the world of aerospace, all while finding time for some road trips and a visit to Italy next year.

Patel encourages future QUESTees to connect with staff early on. “At first, I saw them as just professors,” he said. “But once I got to know them, I realized they’re not just instructors—they’re mentors and friends who genuinely care about your growth.” He advises students to engage with staff like Jess, Emily, and Professor David Ashley, who provide not only academic support but also invaluable guidance and networking opportunities. “They’re people you can rely on, whether for advice on your business or just to catch up.” On the same note, Marakath believes getting involved in QUEST clubs is key to growth. “You’ll make friends and develop leadership skills you won’t get anywhere else,” he shares. Through his work with QUEST Social, he learned how to lead and collaborate, skills that have shaped his college experience. His advice: “Dive into these opportunities—they’ll help you grow in ways you never imagined.”
As we celebrate Patel, Marakath, and all of our graduating QUESTees, we look back with pride at the hard work, dedication, and growth they’ve shown throughout their time in the program. QUEST has been an incubator for brilliant minds, helping students not only excel academically but also develop critical skills that will propel them forward in their careers. We are incredibly proud of all our graduates and grateful to have had such dedicated individuals as part of our QUEST family. We look forward to the bright futures they will undoubtedly shape and are excited to see where their journeys lead them next.
If you see any familiar names below, be sure to congratulate them and keep an eye out for all the great things that will soon accomplish. Our 2025 graduates (with cohort):
- Carter Austin 37
- Tyler Braisted 39
- Jennifer Chiang 39
- Claire Dever 39
- Arti Dhareshwar 39
- Pranav Dulepet 39
- John Fitzsimmons 39
- Maia Gustafson 39
- Ananya Khanna 39
- Avinash Komarlingam 39
- Ege Korkmaz 39
- Emily Li 39
- Samuel Low 39
- Michael Mallamaci 39
- Abigail Manga 39
- Angela McGonigle 39
- Rajit Mukhopadhyay 39
- Jake Muller 39
- Annie Ni 39
- Arav Patel 39
- Vinamr Pemmaraju 39
- Manny Sachs-Kohen 39
- Neeharikha Satrasala 39
- Adelina Seck 39
- Imaad Syed 39
- Jamil Takieddine 39
- Elijah Thompson 39
- Ansh Viswanathan 39
- Matthew Weirich 39
- Tristan Won 39
- James Yates 39
- Akshita Alousyes 40
- Shira Amar 40
- Eric Chen 40
- Allison Chung 40
- Caelia Chung 40
- Jack Collier 40
- Supriya Daddi 40
- Nour Eloseily 40
- Brian Epstein 40
- Alexis Faucette 40
- Jacob Fishman 40
- Patricia Guillen 40
- Arihant Gupta 40
- Nikita Khapre 40
- Kim Lek 40
- Brooke Lesser 40
- Jennifer Li 40
- Akash Marakath 40
- Duncan Millar 40
- Rahul Nair 40
- Karen Nguyen 40
- Anika Peshwa 40
- Maya Pollack 40
- Ashmita Pyne 40
- Nandini Shah 40
- Noah Stern 40
- Stirling Supple 40
- Bhargav Tumkur 40
- Amman Vahora 40
- Pavan Varthakavi 40
- Shruthi Venkatachari 40
- Kiran Vepa 40
- Timothy Woerner 40
- Vincent Yu 40
- Michael Zhao 40
- Will Procheska 41
Fresh Faces, Big Dreams: Meet Cohorts 45 and 46
Incoming! Cohorts 45 and 46 have officially arrived! After receiving over 415 applications, reviewing them all, and conducting over 150 interviews, 90 new impressive QUEST students have been selected. Earlier this month, the Quality Guild (QUEST Faculty and staff) released the names of the 90 students who will be joining our QUEST community. I had a chance to connect with three of these talented students to ask them about the application process and what they are looking forward to in the coming years.
Continue readingMaking a Global Medical Impact: Student Spotlight on Wilhelm Smith
This month, I had the pleasure of speaking with Wilhelm Smith, a junior bioengineering major (Cohort 42). Currently a researcher at the University of Maryland’s Global Medical Devices Lab, Smith is working on creating a portable low-cost laparoscopy device for use in low and middle-income countries.

Breaking Into Tech, One Social Media Post at a Time: A Student Spotlight on Ume Habiba
Meet Ume Habiba, a senior who’s helping women break into the tech industry! She’s gained 87,000 followers on Instagram since March and has spoken at multiple tech conferences, including Google’s DevFest, Kode with Klossy’s speaker series, and php[tek]!

Chris & Eric’s Pickles: QUESTees Launch a New Venture
Have you ever wanted to start your own business? Do you love pickles? Well, come try some of Chris & Eric’s Pickles on campus! I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Moon (Cohort 42) and Hudson Grill (Cohort 42) about their new business, Chris & Eric’s Pickles.

Founders Chris Moon and Eric Bennett holding their pickle jars!
QUESTees Share Exciting Plans for the Upcoming Fall Season
From pie-making to fall hikes to costume parties to football, fall is a season filled with good food, spooky fun, and long-lasting memories. These four QUESTees had a lot to share about their upcoming fall season plans.

Diwali candle-lighting ceremony
Mentoring Cohort 43 through QUEST Camp
Guest Feature by Valeria Salas-Dietz (Cohort 39)
On August 22nd, Cohort 43 students traveled to the Sandy Hill Camp & Retreat Center for a two-day excursion that defined and launched the beginning of their QUEST journeys. I was lucky enough to be able to accompany the fresh QUESTees as one of their mentors this semester.

Cohort 43 at QUEST Camp!
A QUEST Senior Send-Off
Summer break is fast approaching, and that means diplomas are arriving! Students in Cohort 37 & Cohort 38 are enjoying these warm days and celebrating the end of the semester with senior pictures and DC brunches. I was able to connect with a few graduating QUESTees about how QUEST influenced their college careers.
QUESTing for Success: The Power of Community in QUEST
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.”