Student Spotlight: Q23’s Ben Sheppard

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Written by: Janae Savoy

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Known for his signature “Howdy” and his B1G ideas, Ben Sheppard has truly made an impact in my 190 experience. Hailing from Dallas Texas, Ben is a sophomore supply chain management major who is also a member of the Business, Society, and Economy scholars program. As a member of the group, JABBS, I have witnessed his brilliance first-hand. From his quick creative thinking to his amazing presentation skills, Ben is truly a great addition to the QUEST Honors Program.

Why did you choose to attend the University of Maryland?

My parents were encouraging me to go out of state and I wanted to go off on my own and become a man. Also, I would like to live in DC at some point in my life so I thought that this would be a good trial run.

Tell me about your kickboxing career.

My parents enrolled me in a local gym when I was 4 because they thought I was big, clumsy, and that my motor skills needed work. From there, kickboxing sort of became my sport. I went to the Texas State Championship at 13 and only missed the national championship by 4 points. When I turned 16, I became a youth coach and was able to teach my own students.

What inspired you to apply for QUEST?

The QUEST program seemed like a program that focused on the real world and was not solely centered around traditional book learning. Also, people that I knew in the program encouraged me to apply.

Why did you choose supply chain management?

I came into this university as a management major and realized that it wasn’t for me. In BMGT110, the section on supply chain was one of my favorites so I decided to pursue this major. The other things that attracted me were that supply chain is one of the fastest growing areas and that supply chain involves a lot of innovation. It really allows you to make an impact in your own way.

How do you come up with your B1G ideas?

I come up with an idea. Then, this idea is continually worked and reworked until it’s basically perfect.

WiseGuy.com – Unleash the Power of Peer Learning

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WiseGuy.com is a university focused peer learning platform being launched at UMD this

Fall that enables academic programs and student organizations to launch, manage, and

scale their own online tutoring and mentoring programs.

Imagine that it’s your first semester of college and it’s 9:00pm the night before your first

Calculus test. No matter how many times you read your lecture notes and review the

textbook, the concept of derivatives just isn’t clicking. Your TA’s office hours are over,

the Math Success Program is closed, the buddy you sit next to in class is just as confused

as you are, and the online private tutors start at $50 an hour.

I think we’ve all been there before. At a large university like UMD with lecture style

classes and thousands of students, the learning experience can be a daunting and lonely

process, especially for freshmen and sophomores. When I was a student, most of my time

studying was spent either cooped up in a McKeldin focus room reviewing PowerPoint

slides or in a “study” group where we spent half of the time talking about the latest HBO

shows.

Beyond my trouble getting late night homework help, I was often felt frustrated with the

one size fits all and siloed approach to learning in many of my classes. I didn’t feel like

they developed the communication and collaboration skills that are arguably as important

as the actual content of the course. I also felt like I missed out on many meaningful

relationships that could have been fostered with my peers, who are future leaders,

colleagues, friends, partners, and customers. The exception being my QUEST classes, of

course!

My college experience made me passionate about finding a way to better enable students

to take advantage of the most valuable resource at their disposal- their fellow classmates.

However, I didn’t jump in right away. After graduation I took a job in Management

Consulting and struggled to find a sense of fulfillment or a creative outlet in the work I

was doing. Brushing this off as ‘college wasn’t the real world’ shock, I stuck it out. Then

I told myself I just wasn’t doing the right type of consulting and switched from Finance,

to Customer Strategy, to Emerging Technologies. And while each rotation was more

interesting than the last, I still didn’t feel excited or challenged. I had the classic ‘Gen Y

itch.’

At the 2-year mark I decided it was time to start working on something that I

was passionate about and began spending my evenings developing the WiseGuy

(www.wiseguy.com) platform, working with my two co-founders, John Bafford and

Corey Cines (both UMD alumni as well). A month before my 3-year graduation

anniversary, I decided to take the plunge and work on WiseGuy full time. Although I got

a lot of “you’re crazy” comments from family and friends, it’s already been one the best

life and career decisions I’ve made. I feel like I’ve accomplished and learned more in the

last three months than I did over the last three years.

In our Beta launch this Fall semester, we’re excited to be working with various academic

programs and student groups that have already been using our platform to provide free

online peer tutoring and mentoring. On a daily basis, students are messaging each other

and hopping into online sessions to get help with coursework, learn a new skill, or just

hear about another student’s experiences.

Whether WiseGuy becomes the next big thing in EdTech or joins the 90% of start-ups

that fail, enjoying and learning from the journey has been invaluable – although I’m really

hoping for the former!

If anyone is interested in chatting about consulting, start-ups, or even Calculus homework

feel free to schedule a session with me on WiseGuy (www.wiseguy.com/tutor/JeremyL).

WiseGuy.com is also hiring a Marketing / Community Manager! Shoot me an e-mail at

jloya@wiseguy.com if you’re interested!

Student Alumni Ledos Dinner

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Check out pictures from the Student/Alumni Dinner at Ledos.

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The Quest Alumni Board partnered up with QSO to host a Student/Alumni Dinner on Thursday 9/18 at Ledo’s Pizza. The event was a huge success with 30 students and 10 alumni in attendance. This year name tags were made and seats were assigned so that people had the chance to network with those they might not have known well. Erika Carlstrom, member of Q19, and now QUEST alumni came back to connect with some of her old friends. “It’s really lovely to come back and see everyone,” Carlstrom says.

Check out the article on the dinner from last year http://blogs.rhsmith.umd.edu/questpress/?p=293

QUEST Goes Bowling

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QSO put on a fabulous event at Terpzone. Over 50 students showed up to enjoy a couple hours of bowling, pool, and pizza. The event was a perfect way to bring everyone back together and kick off the new semester. “It was nice seeing everyone again and catching up about summer,” says Q20 member Hannah Buehler.

The event went wonderfully. The events that QSO holds allow students to network and socialize with students in different cohorts. There was even some fun competition among cohorts. Ryan Crowder and Ashley Miller of cohort 22 challenged Nicole Blahut and Pavan Rangachar of cohort 20 to a friendly game of pool. There was no cohort victor as both Q20 and Q22 came out with one win.

QSO is doing a lot to connect students. On September 18th QSO partnered up with the Alumni Board and hosted a Student/Alumni Dinner at Ledos. On October 2nd they are hosting a Getting aHead workshop where students can get their headshots done. And of course QSO is organizing the QUEST semi-formal later in the semester.

Alumni Board Regions

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Have you ever thought about where you want to live after college? New York? San Francisco? Or good ole’ DC? Moving to a new region is a big milestone in your life. On the bright side, you are embarking on a new adventure in a strange city full of opportunities; on the other hand, you will leave behind your network of friends and mentors and will need to build a new one. What if there was a group of well-established University of Maryland and QUEST alumni who could help with your transition, provide mentorship, and invite you to informal social events?

QUEST has over 1,000 alumni in major cities in the U.S. and abroad. With active participation from members of Cohorts 1 through 19, the QUEST Alumni Board (QAB) has begun developing regional networks. The QAB will pilot three regions this fall: the Washington D.C. Metro Area, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area. There will be at least one quarterly alumni event in each region, and you can learn about any additional regional events and local alumni on a new QUEST Alumni Board web portal that’ll launch this fall.

The inaugural San Francisco Bay Area alumni happy hour was held in mid-August and was led by QAB member Linda Rassenti (Q17). There was a great turn out with about 14 alumni, and a lot of interest in getting involved and giving back to QUEST. Piloting this region will coincide with the program hosting its first student spring break trip to Silicon Valley. This will provide a great opportunity to host a joint student-alumni event in the area.

“I’m excited to continue to grow the QUEST alumni network, and I believe strengthening individual regions across the country will help make this happen.”

In addition, the New York alumni are planning a happy hour this fall and possibly a New Year’s Eve event. Local alumni and anyone visiting the area is more than welcome to join them at these events. All three region leads are excited to plan more alumni events in their areas. They’re always looking for additional support, so feel free to reach out with any questions or ideas you may have.

Linda Rassenti, Q17 (SF Bay Area): linda.rassenti@gmail.com

Chul Kwon, Q18 (NYC): chulk90@gmail.com

Eric Hamel, Q19 (D.C.): eric.x.hamel@gmail.com

 

 

QUEST Camp 2014

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What if I told you there was a place where ideas could be fostered rather than rejected, teammates could refer to each other as friends rather than classmates, and minds in the fields of business, engineering and computer science could be collaborative rather than bleakly divided? Well, to be completely honest, this place does exist. It’s called QUEST. Each August, the expedition commences for a lucky 90 terps at a little place we like to call QUEST camp.

It was roughly 9 a.m. on a blistering hot Wednesday morning. I remember the moment like it happened just seconds ago. The moment consisted of the sight of my very own QUEST gear in-hand, the taste of freshly baked bagels, and the crisp, leather-scented aroma of an air-conditioned coach bus. Indeed this initial environment was the perfect formula essential for the success of cohort 23 and 24 bonding. After a brief, yet extremely informative video on coach bus safety, it was time to make our way to Camp Lett’s— or Camp “Lett’s have some fun,” said fellow cohort 23 member, Chandler Pierce.

The second we stepped onto the dusty gravel road of Camp Lett’s, it was time to start the activities. Personally, I can say there’s no better way to start QUEST camp than by meeting a guy with a super cool Scottish accent, playing an overly-aggressive game of human blob, and by shifting a sweaty rope in a frantic circle with a team of QUEST campers you literally just met. If this doesn’t sound like quality fun, I’m afraid QUEST camp might not be for you.

Time flies when you’re having fun. And by mid-afternoon, I couldn’t believe I was almost finished my first of three stations— the highly stimulating high ropes course. Helmet on head, safety belt strapped around waist, and carabiner locked in position, it was now time to descend from the 40-foot ropes course. Rumor has it fellow cohort 24 member, Zack Zweig, screamed like a little baby as he descended to the ground. Though no one can verify the validity of this statement, I personally can believe it.

Next it was time for the second ropes course, known as the “low ropes course,” which forced QUEST teams to work with each other— even if that meant neither team had the chance to win. Indeed communication, collaboration, and cooperation were vital for success. Following this event, the lucky QUEST campers ended their third rotation in the air-conditioned “Boat House.” This station meant it was time to innovate like there was no tomorrow.

As the day grew old and the night grew young, yet another friendly meal at the Camp Lett’s cafeteria came to an end. But soon the QUEST campfire would be lit and s’mores would be shared. Even Dr. Armstrong had to have a s’more. Eventually, believe it or not, stories were shared around the campfire. Some people told stories about how they had gotten scars on their bodies. Weird right? Well actually, it wasn’t. It was quite fun.
As the campfire became ash and the moon began to shine beautifully in the star-lit sky, it was still as hot and humid as a sweaty cabin mattress. Literally. Though only the “cool” mentors gained access to the highly desired case of an air-conditioned room, QUEST campers innovated by fanning the upper-bunk windows while simultaneously playing games into the night.

Was it hard to sleep? Of course it was. What kind of question is that? Trying to sleep that night while knowing that the next day would be my first full-day as an official member of QUEST was like the seven-year-old me trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. Was that a run-on sentence? I’m an engineering major.

But alas, it was morning, and, yet again, the QUEST thinkers were thinking and the QUEST mentors were mentoring. Juices were flowing and ironed-out ideas blossomed into astonishingly creative presentations made by each individual team. Foluké Tuakli’s group, known as Scoop, illustrated their idea through their foldable desk mat prototype— perfect for those in jam-packed lecture halls.

All-in-all, each team learned a lot about quality— the essential trait necessary for effective innovation.

As QUEST camp came to a close and friendships between cohorts ignited, it was now time to say goodbye to the pleasant and accommodating Camp Lett’s staff. As each QUEST camper stepped back onto the bus, busy minds began to ponder on the idea of creating a time machine— that is, to restart QUEST camp once again. Many will say the bus ride was much shorter than on the way there, mainly because we came there as classmates and left there as friends.

Author: Sam Lewis

Developing Effective Presentations Workshop

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On Monday September 8th, Dr. Armstrong was able to bring in Dr. Oliver Schlake to talk to QUEST students about developing effective presentations. The workshop was intimate but students got a lot out from their time. For Q19 student David Kravitz the biggest takeaway was that “if your slides can function without you, you’re not doing PowerPoint right. It is your job to bring the slides to life.”

Dr. Schlake emphasized the importance of storytelling. Stories keep the audience engaged and interested. What presentations should not be are an accumulation of facts.
He then discussed the importance of the planning stage for any good presentation. Often times, people go straight to the PowerPoint but the best strategy is to stay away because the constraints created by the limitations of the software close down the ideation period too early. He recommends either using post it notes or a blank PowerPoint slide handout. The biggest considerations when planning are time, audience, venue, expectations, medium, and purpose.

According to Q21 member Bobby Fitzgerald, “the best part of the workshop was the presentation transformation.” Dr. Schlake showed slides from a past students’ PowerPoint and give them a makeover. It was incredible to see how much design can have an impact on the perception of the material by the audience.

The students at the workshop took away a lot of neat tricks and techniques to give their PowerPoints that something extra.

The Terrific Trio: QUEST’s Research Team Presents in Montreal!

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On May 31st, 2014 QUEST sent a delegation to The Industrial and Systems Engineering Research Conference in Montreal, Canada. Max Cooper, Kylie Goodell, and Dr. Jeffrey Herrmann joined over 16,000 attendees from industry, government, and academia to present their research. A terrific opportunity for QUEST to expand its brand and learn from leading professionals in their field, “The event was très bien!”

Assessing the Learning Outcomes of a Multidisciplinary Undergraduate
For QUEST’s first presentation of the conference, Kylie and Dr. Herrmann presented on a hot topic in academia: learning outcomes assessment. Learning outcomes assessment is gaining traction in higher education as universities and programs must prove the worth of student investment, and QUEST is certainly a pioneer in its implementation of the process. Based on empirical data, Kylie and Dr. Herrmann found that, on a cohort-by-cohort basis, QUEST students show significant improvement in their “QUEST skills” throughout the program. These skills include the ability to apply quality management tools, use quantitative and qualitative data and work in multidisciplinary teams, among others.

The conference provided a great venue for Kylie and Dr. Herrmann to collaborate with other programs and researchers on this topic. Already, improvements to QUEST’s learning assessment process are in the works. Under the leadership of Dr. Jim Purtilo, a website is currently in development that will make the learning assessment process more personalized, real-time, and collaborative. Additionally, Kylie and Dr. Herrmann are reaching out to other programs and faculty to both promote and improve their process.

Industry Sponsored Capstone Projects: Factors Influencing Success
Joining forces once again, the powerhouse Professor-TA combo of Kylie and Max presented their research on factors influencing the success of QUEST’s 490 projects. Pooling their data from project scope reviews, faculty assessments, and client evaluations, Kylie and Max attempted to discover which elements of 490 projects were key indicators for success. They found that the “Strategic Value” of projects was the most significant indicator of success.

“Strategic Value measures the value of working with a particular client or on a specific project. Factors such as current events and industry trends can boost a project’s potential for impact due to immediacy of these types of opportunities.” (Cooper & Goodell)

Additionally, the duo identified an interesting dynamic existing within 490 projects. While the student-client relationship is important, the student-program and program-client relationships are linked to high potential for capstone project success. Recognizing that the program is integral in both significant stakeholder relationships, these findings may indicate the importance of QUEST professor as facilitators in the sustained success of 490 projects.

The findings of QUEST’s terrific trio certainly provide valuable insight. Their impact is even more significant, considering the sparse research currently in existence regarding the QUEST program. As Max remarked, “It was eye-opening to attend ISERC as a current student and see firsthand how QUEST is pioneering research in higher education.” QUEST students and alumni are certainly encouraged to develop and participate in future research projects.

Max, Kylie, and Dr. Herrmann’s papers, Assessing the Learning Outcomes of a Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Honors Program (Goodell & Herrmann) and Industry Sponsored Capstone Projects: Factors Influencing Success (Cooper & Goodell), can be found in this month’s issue of QUEST Press.