One of the best aspects of the QUEST community is the willingness of our 1,400+ alumni to give back and help current students as they explore different career paths. Instead of having students independently search for mentors by combing through the QUEST Directory, QUEST Corporate launched a new mentorship program this semester for students to learn one-on-one from QUEST alumni.
43 current students participated in this amazing new mentorship program. Based on students’ responses to a questionnaire – and with the help of Assistant Director Jess Roffe – relevant alumni mentors were hand-picked for each of the students. The program consisted of three meetings: an informal get-to-know-you, a resume review and mock interview, and a session on exit opportunities and how to move relationships forward. I reached out to a few QUESTees to learn more about how their interactions with their mentors went!Continue reading →
QUESTServes partnered with Knock Knock Give a Sock to host a sock donation drive between March 8th and 12th!
QUESTServes, QUEST’s newest student organization, just wrapped up its Knock Knock Give a Sock event. One of QUESTServes’ main initiatives for this year was to begin to partner with organizations outside of the University of Maryland’s campus and give back. They were able to accomplish this goal when QUESTServes student Ryan Goodman (Cohort 36) had the opportunity to meet with the founder of Knock Knock Give a Sock, Adina Lichtman. Adina had started the charity when she was in college, where she physically knocked on students’ dorm room doors and asked for sock donations. She was able to collect thousands of pairs of socks for homeless shelters this way. Though QUESTServes wasn’t able to knock on dorm room doors this semester, they were still able to collect hundreds of pairs of socks for local homeless shelters over the past few weeks! I caught up with Ryan Gerbes (Cohort 33), the QUESTServes lead, to learn more about the project.
With exams and assignments piling up as the semester progresses, students welcome the opportunity to escape and relax during spring break. Though this year’s break may not have included the typical tropical getaways of other years, many students still made the best of their time off with new hobbies, events, and activities. I was lucky enough to catch up with a few QUESTees about how they spent their break!
Some students found unique and creative ways to continue celebrating events. Cohort 36 student Nakisa Rafiee was able to spend time with family to celebrate one of her favorite holidays, Persian New Year! Emma Pastor, a member of Cohort 35, cheered on her sister in a gymnastics meet. Cohort 31 student Christina Giovanazi celebrated her puppy’s 13th birthday over Spring Break… “She may be a teenager now, but she’s still a puppy at heart!”
Guest writer Ally Merwitz is a junior in QUEST Cohort 33 studying Operations Management and Business Analytics and Mathematics. She is also the current co-lead of the QUEST Corporate student committee.
Over the course of a mere 1.5 years of QUEST, I cannot count the number of times I have changed my mind about what I plan to do with my life after graduation. I would like to think I am alone in this, but I have talked to enough of my peers to know that so many others have the same indecisive mindset that I do. Through it all, my number one supporters have been the one and only Jess Roffe (QUEST Assistant Director) and the QUEST directory. As much as I could talk to Jess all day, her time is limited. The QUEST directory is a great starting place to find a contact without having to reach out to her or anyone else in the Guild first.
Cohort 35 student Ijeoma Asonye – known by her author name “E. Ozie” – will release her first novel this April.
Many college students have picked up hobbies during quarantine, but how many can say that they’ve used quarantine to write a book? Cohort 35 student Ijeoma Asonye – known as E. Ozie – can! A sophomore mechanical engineering major, E. Ozie combined her passions for STEM and writing with her upcoming novel, The Beautiful Math of Coral. Focused on students Coral and Fernando navigating school and pursuing arts and science, The Beautiful Math of Coral is slated to be published this April. I was fortunate enough to talk to Ijeoma about her inspiration behind the book, writing process, next steps, and advice for fellow QUESTees.
Technica is the only all-women and non-binary hackathon at UMD and now the largest hackathon at the university.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of everyone this year, the University of Maryland and QUEST communities have risen above these obstacles and continually achieved impressive feats. One instance of this resilience is the immense success of Technica, the only all-women and non-binary hackathon at UMD, and now the largest hackathon at the university.
You might be thinking, “Class of 2020 is over with. We’ve moved on to Class of 2021.” But let’s not forget about the elite, underdog class that is winter graduates. Okay, perhaps I am biased because I am a part of said group. But nonetheless, I wanted to take a second to shoutout the underrated Class of Winter 2020, and more specifically the incredible group of QUEST students that will be leaving the University of Maryland after this semester to pursue life outside of undergraduate school, whatever that life may be.
We can all agree that the University of Maryland looks a bit different this semester, and it’s been a long time since most QUESTees have seen each other in-person. Despite no longer being able to see each other at events in the QUEST Lab or around campus, QUEST Social and QUEST Creative have been hard at work to keep the QUEST community engaged!
QUEST students go on to create incredible impact in their professional and personal lives. Some of them start early and are able to work on projects that are deeply meaningful while still at UMD. Natalie Wolfe, a Mechanical Engineering student and junior in Cohort 33, is one of them. Natalie is the Innovation Team Lead for the Engineering World Health (EWH) Chapter at UMD. The EWH Chapter at UMD is a part of a global community seeking to inspire and mobilize biomedical engineering to improve the quality of health care in vulnerable communities.
When describing the QUEST Honors Program, the first word that comes to many minds is interdisciplinary. Though only in his first semester with QUEST, Cohort 35 Materials Science and Engineering QUESTee Vincent Lan has taken “interdisciplinary” into action with his new organization, Flower STEM. When asked about what inspired him to create Flower STEM, Vincent explained that “it felt like current STEM classes are set up in a way where students learn concepts, formulas, and topics with limited application opportunities. Even when we do get to apply our work, it’s often very technical, without room for creativity. In the real world, creativity is what sets technology apart, and I want UMD students to get exposure to this concept while still in college.” After formulating the vision behind Flower STEM late one night, Vincent knew he had to pursue it. He formed a group of officers that were also interested in the interaction of creative and technical studies, began the SORC (Student Organization Resource Center) application, and even had a logo designed. From there, Flower STEM’s seeds began to blossom.
Vincent Lan (Cohort 35)
The goal of Flower STEM is to promote and showcase creativity within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through impactful workshops and captivating guest speakers, Flower STEM aims to show that STEM is interconnected with arts, entrepreneurship, and all other fields that demand creativity. Their guest speaker lineup includes figures like Anouk Wipprecht, a Dutch-based hi-tech fashion designer and entrepreneur. She is working in the emerging field of FashionTech, a rare combination of fashion design combined with STEM and UX design. Examples of projects include creating Intel-Edison based ‘Spider Dress’ where sensors and moveable arms on the dress help to create “a more defined boundary of personal space while employing a fierce style.” Through figures like this and more, Flower STEM members can get a first-hand look at how technology can be applied to more artistic industries.
Example of FashionTech by Anouk Wipprecht
Though the organization is still very new, many students have shown interest in Flower STEM’s vision and ideals. Aside from just professional development, Flower STEM aims to create a social community of interdisciplinary students on campus. Though aimed at STEM students, the club is open to all majors, encouraging diversity of perspective and background. Flower STEM also hopes to create a Big-Little Program, nicknamed “Flower Buds.” Additionally, the club has an active Discord, making it easier for members to bond and remain connected, even during the virtual semester. With a large group of passionate and creative individuals, it’s inevitable that Flower STEM members will inspire others and create innovative projects in the future.
A recent Flower STEM meeting on Zoom
The QUEST community can’t wait to see Flower STEM blossom into a thriving organization! If you’re interested in learning more about Flower STEM, you can follow them on Instagram at @flowerstemus. Best wishes to Vincent and the rest of Flower STEM for a great organization kickoff and rest of the semester!
