The Incubator

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Article by Alex Bansleben (Q18)

 

The Incubator: one of the newest initiatives of the QUEST program as it turns 20 years old. Very much like some current students reaching this age, QUEST is beginning to take on some new challenges and focus on the “real world” (as students often say). I had the opportunity to speak with QUEST Executive Director, the one and only Dr. Bailey, about the newest program initiative- the QUEST Incubator.

At its essence, the Incubator is a program that is designed to give our QUESTees the opportunity to develop business and some entrepreneurial experience, while working with corporate partners and the Quality Guild. The program was opened to select Cohort 17 students this year after the completion of their capstone 490 projects. Two small teams were created to work with the QUEST staff and corporate partners to form small businesses. QUEST senior John Walsh (Q17) praised the program: “the Incubator has been great, especially as a practical application of the QUEST ideals.” Linda Rassenti (Q17) also valued the program and the insight it has given her in terms of what it means to start a company (“it’s a lot harder than I imagined”).

Dr. Bailey explained that the students have been taking advantage of the corporate partners as a source of input and feedback as they develop business plans and develop into full-time companies. However, it is the students themselves who are largely creating these business ideas. And of course, Dr. Bailey and Nicole are always there to help. Linda said that it has been great getting to know them outside of the classroom—on a different level.

So this sounds pretty cool, right? How do you get involved? The QUEST staff has decided to keep the Incubator open to students who have completed the capstone 490 project. Students have hopefully developed some innovative solutions throughout their 490 projects. It is, at this point, when the Incubator seeks to grab hold and transform these ideas into actual businesses. Unfortunately, there were more applicants than spots open in this test year of the Incubator, for reasons that are certainly understandable. Dr. Bailey has mentioned that the staff has taken some chances with the Incubator, and already learned things to do and not to do in the future.

As a rising senior in the QUEST program, I have to say that I am incredibly excited by the idea of the Incubator! Every QUEST project I have seen has had some “real life” context and impact. That being said, many of these projects unfortunately stop at the end of the semester (there are definitely some great exceptions!). The Incubator seems to be an excellent platform within QUEST to take an idea and develop it into the foundation of a successful business. Linda praised “Qinc.” as an incredibly fun and exciting learning service that has opened her eyes to the world of business. Of course, no one would discount the ideas, methodologies, and fundamentals we learn every day in class. However, I think John Walsh said it best: “the Incubator allowed me to think outside the box and worry not about a grade but investors, industry connections, and prototypes.”

Alumni Profile: Ransford Addei (Q3)

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Interviewed by: Sophia Wu (Q18)

Ransford Addei, Cohort 3

1)      Please tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Ghana, West Africa. I migrated to the United States in 1992 at the age of 15 to be with my parents and also pursue my education. I graduated from High Point High School, Beltsville, MD in 1996. I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering (2001) and a Master of Engineering Degree in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering (2011), both from the University of Maryland at College Park. I work full-time at KCI Technologies, Inc. as a Project Manager within the Geotechnical Engineering Practice. I have worked on numerous civil engineering projects in Maryland. Some of my projects include the University of Maryland Football Practice Fields, MD 355 Bridge at Montrose Road (Rockville), MD-I70 Welcome Center (Frederick) and University of Maryland New Prince Frederick Hall. In addition, I work part-time as a US Army Reservist with the US Army Corps of Engineers. I am married to my beautiful wife, Linda and we have two children, Joshua and Joseph (4 and 2 years old, respectively). I enjoy playing soccer, ping-pong, basketball and watching sports on TV. My family and I currently live in the City of Laurel, Prince George’s County, MD.

 

2)  I understand that you are currently serving in Afghanistan as a part of the US Army Reserve. How has being a part of the QUEST Program helped you prepare for this career path?

One of the key skills I learned as a QUEST student is teamwork. I remember for my class capstone project, my QUEST team was tasked to work for a company called ARINC located in Annapolis, MD. The company manufactures airplane modification kits. Our task was to examine the company’s manufacturing process from the receipt of work order from the client to the acquisition of bill of materials to the manufacturing and final inspections of the parts, and provide recommendations to improve efficiency. This required teamwork and my QUEST team worked hard as a team to accomplish the task successfully. As the officer-in-charge of a team of soldiers and airmen, I rely heavily on the teamwork skills I developed as a QUEST student to accomplish my mission. My team is tasked to advise and train Afghanistan National Army Engineers to operate, maintain and sustain the facilities at their bases.  This mission requires working as a team with the Afghans to be successful.

 

3)    If you were to go back in time and retake a QUEST class, which one would it be and why?

I would retake “Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Quality”. This was an interesting class. My work in Afghanistan involves working with NATO (Coalition) forces from different countries. A refresher course on cross-cultural perspectives on quality would enhance my working relationship with Coalition forces.

 

4)      What is your favorite QUEST memory? 

My favorite QUEST memory is the horseback ride at Camp Horizons in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  It was my first horseback ride and I will never forget that.

 

5)      What advice would you give current QUEST students?

My advice to current QUEST students is first of all, to put God first in everything. Second, don’t be afraid to take risks. Third, set goals and work hard to achieve those goals. When you fail at something, it is not the end of the world. Learn from your mistakes and keep trying until you get it right. Remember, engineers and businessmen and businesswomen for that matter, are not paid to say “I don’t know”. Work on your problem-solving skills. You will be surprised how much you know. GO QUEST!

 

Student Profile- QSO Special Edition

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Article by Dathan Scott (Q18)

Cohort 19 Champion- MEENU SINGH (Q19)

Meenu was one of four people on QSO to go to Brazil this past winter, which included taking lots of pictures and going hang-gliding! Ask and she would be happy to tell you about her adventures in the favelas of Brazil and shopping spree in Rio.

Around UMD, Meenu is involved with several organizations; she is a Public Relations Officer for RHA, a campus tour guide for Maryland Images, and a trip leader for alternative breaks. Important facts to note about her are that her favorite color is turquoise and she despises odd numbers, but her favorite number is 9, oddly enough. Meenu always keeps things fun for the rest of the board, and works extra hard to make everything that she does successful. Some might be wondering what Meenu loves the most. Well I asked and her answer was, “I love running, reading, field hockey, writing, and terrible puns. In fact, I once submitted ten puns to a pun contest, hoping one would win…but unfortunately, no pun in ten did.”

A Civil Engineering major minoring in Philosophy here at the university, she aspires to unite the entire QUEST community. Her primary goal for this year as Cohort 19 Champion is to make this year exciting, fun, and full of memories that will enhance everyone’s experience involved with QUEST.

 

Engineering School Champion- ADITYA SRIDHAR (Q19)

Born and raised in India until the age of 13, Aditya is very involved in the campus community: he is a double major in Mechanical and Fire Protection Engineering and works as an Office Assistant, Teaching Assistant, and a Clark Ambassador for the Clark Engineering School. When describing himself, Aditya said, “I used to love playing cricket, but in the last 5 years I have been playing a lot of golf. I also have aspirations to one day play for the Maryland Terrapins Basketball Team, but I hate going to the gym. It’s a nice thought to have, though.” Getting to know him, you quickly figure out that he is a great person to have conversations with. In fact, Aditya usually calls upon his past experience of being chased by a wild elephant to break the ice to start a conversation. Want to know more about Aditya? Well, he’s also a great cook!

His experience in QUEST has been amazing so far, and he has many bright ideas for QSO 2012. He is working on strengthening the presence of the Engineering School within QUEST, hoping to develop a mentoring system to help other engineering students during Keystone hours. I recommend just talking to him because he is a pretty cool guy with a promising future. He has built a great network from interning at BGE during the summer and winter. Be on the lookout, world!

 

Student-Alumni Networking Dinner

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Article by Alex Bansleban (Q18)

Free dinner? Sign me up! This was what went through my mind when I saw an email about the QUEST Student-Alumni Networking dinner, which took place on February 15th. I was a little stressed out on this particular Wednesday due to classes, projects, meetings, and the semester kicking off in full force. I didn’t know how many current QUEST students would be going. I didn’t know how many alumni there would be. And best of all, I was reminded that I lost my QUEST name tag a year ago and never bothered to get a replacement. I felt nice and awkward.

I showed up a bit early to Ledo’s Restaurant and was comforted to see a friend and brand-new alumnus, Ross Westermeier (Q16). As we waited for more people to arrive, we spoke about life after graduation and his current job. I had lost touch and forgot that he began working in DC; I guess he couldn’t find it in his heart to travel too far away from QUEST!

In due time, Kylie Goodell—who organized the night’s event—and Dr. Bailey arrived. We began filling two large tables in the back of the restaurant. The alumni who were present at the dinner were Sasha Petrenko (Q15), Rob Seweryniak (Q4), and Russell Lyons (Q16). The current students who were in attendance included: Angela Wu, Prateek Kukreja, Jessica O’Keefe, Santiago Miret, Sara Bleistein, and Linda Rassenti. It was great to see so many current students interested in meeting our graduates!

Of course, many of us current students were interested in what life is like after graduation. Russell described walking around campus: “New freshman look like they are middle school aged, and the stress radiating from students walking around campus is palpable. Luckily, Ledo’s pizza has not changed.” And luckily for me, my fellow table-mates were not particularly big eaters; I got to take home an entire box of pizza. Some students—like Angela Wu—were woefully unprepared for the large salad appetizer.

Rob, sitting at my table, described when he was a part of the program just recently after its change of name from IBM-TQ to QUEST. Prateek (Q17) was eagerly asking questions about work after graduation with GE, since Rob had similar work experience. Jessica O’Keefe also described her conversation with Sasha, who currently works at KPMG. Jessica, with a KPMG internship lined up for this summer, noted that “it was a great opportunity to hear more about the company from someone with a similar background and first-hand experience working there.”

Overall the alumni dinner was a great event. I think Russell sums it up excellently: “I am always impressed by the activities QUEST students are involved in and know that the program is in good hands.” Make sure you come out to the next alumni networking event!

QUEST Turns 20!

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A letter from the Executive Director of QUEST, Dr. Joseph Bailey

20 years is a significant milestone for our community.  This milestone has given me an opportunity to reflect on where we came from, where we are now, and where we are going in the future.  This occasion has also given me a greater appreciation for the contributions made by our predecessors.

In 1992 when the IBM-TQ Program (now QUEST) launched, it may not have been possible to forecast future success.  In retrospect, however, hindsight is 20/20.  How could the IBM-TQ program not succeed?

QUEST began with a few innovative principles that became a foundation for future success.  First, undergraduate student learning is not contained within the span of the semester.  From the first cohort of students, the IBM-TQ program had a rigorous curriculum that spanned the sophomore, junior, and senior years of an undergraduate student.  As students progressed in their business and engineering majors (the science majors were added later), they progressed as a cohort of students until they graduated.  I’m pleased to add that for many QUEST alumni, cohort learning continues beyond graduation to the present time.  Second, faculty performance should be tied to student learning.  Instead of instructors delivering content in their subject areas, faculty were encouraged to collaborate, innovate, and focus on student learning.  This shift from faculty-centric to student-centric instruction allowed QUEST students to learn by doing (i.e. action learning) and do so in teams across disciplines.  Third, the QUEST concepts of quality management and process improvement were applied to the program’s design and not just the content of the instruction.  This last element meant that the QUEST program always strove to improve.  While many things in QUEST have changed to improve the program, I’m pleased to see that these three foundational elements are still at the core of our QUEST mission.

I’m very happy that the occasion of QUEST’s 20th Anniversary has propelled us to focus on improving our community.  Over the past several months we have reconnected with many QUEST alumni.  Through cohort representatives, a very active QUEST Alumni Board, and great QUEST program staff, we have updated our alumni records and have rekindled QUEST ties.  Through additional alumni events and opportunities for current students and alumni to connect, our QUEST community continues to improve in breadth and depth.  Our current students are helping with all of efforts as well from our QUEST Student Organization, our recruiting and selections teams, and the many volunteers and students leader we have on campus.  I often reflect how many in our community do their part to improve QUEST.  It is very inspiring and I’m very thankful to everyone who contributes.  Thank you!

To live up to the ideals set forth in 1992, QUEST must continue to improve going forward.  No matter how good our curriculum, students, and program is, it could always be better.  Within QUEST, we always want to be open to new ideas and innovate.  Additionally, we want our current students to look upon QUEST as their defining undergraduate experience at the University of Maryland.  Some of our current initiatives reflect these goals.  This includes incubating student ideas beyond their coursework, involving students in the development and scoping of capstone projects, and strengthening our QUEST community through events like the 20th Anniversary Celebration on April 26, 2012.

As we move forward, I want to thank all those in our community who have contributed so much already.  Our success today is a reflection of your hard work and dedication.  Thank you and we hope to see you at the celebration in April!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twenty Years of Quality- By the Numbers

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Article by Kathryn Weiland (QUEST GA)

Twenty years is a long time for anything, much less an academic program such as QUEST. With this in mind, let’s take a look back at some fun facts about the history of this program and how it has evolved through the years.

Fun facts:

  • For the first five years, QUEST was originally called the IBM-TQ (Total Quality) program after winning a $1 million grant from IBM
  • QUEST is the longest-running honors program at UMD, aside from the Honors College
  • The IBM-TQ Teaching Theater was built in 1993 and was only the second state-of-the-art teaching lab in the country
  • All students had to take 190 as sophomores in the fall, 290 in the spring, 390 in their junior year, and 490 in their senior year
  • The first several cohorts applied by writing an essay and completing a one-on-one interview
  • The original QUESTPress from 1993 was called “The Quality Quill” (stop by Van Munching 3332 if you want to see a few issues!)
  • The QUEST Senior Conference became an official capstone event for the program in 2005

Number of…

  • Students who have part of IBM-TQ/QUEST: 1,007
  • Schools who applied for the IBM grant: 120
  • Schools who received the IBM grant: 10
  • Original grant programs still in existence today: 1 (Wow!)
  • Schools/colleges involved in QUEST in 1992-93: 2
  • Schools/colleges involved in QUEST in 2011-12: 3
  • Students who were in Cohort 1: 40
  • Female engineers in Cohort 1: 2 (5%)
  • Students who are in Cohort 19: 65
  • Female engineers in Cohort 19: 12 (18%)
  • Students who applied to Cohort 20: 147
  • Students who participated in study abroad with QUEST: 48
  • Countries visited by QUEST: 3
  • Members of the QUEST Alumni Board (QAB): 18
  • Corporate sponsors of the 2011 Senior Conference: 21
  • Current QUEST electives: 22
  • QUEST graduates who played in the NBA: 1
  • QUEST babies: 4 (if there are more, update your contact info!)
  • Roles Debbie (Gordon) Feinberg has had with the program: 6 (ask her about them on April 26!)
  • Shades of purple in the current QUEST logo: 2

Alumni Profile: William and Jennifer Layton, (Q1)

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In light of Valentine’s Day this month, the editors of QUESTPress wanted to highlight the unique story of William and Jennifer Layton, who met while they were students in Cohort 1 of QUEST (formerly referred to as the IBM-TQ program). They were gracious enough to share their unique story and their experiences in the program in order to reconnect with alumni, staff, and current students.

 

1)  Please tell us a little about yourselves!

Jen and I run both a 1300 acre grain farm (corn, soybeans and wheat) and a vineyard and winery (Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery).  We have two children, 8 & 10.  Since we just opened the winery less than two years ago, it consumes most of our lives.  In addition to the winery, Jennifer is on the Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Salisbury University, Perdue School of Business Career Advisory Board.  I am the President of the Dorchester County Farm Bureau, a member of the Maryland Soybean Board, and Treasurer of my local Ruritan club.

 

2)      What have you been doing since your graduation from QUEST and University of Maryland?

Upon our graduation from the QUEST program (IBM-TQ at that time), we immediately got married (five days after we graduated).  Then 20 days later we moved halfway across the country to Kansas City for my job.  I got a job as a management trainee for Toyota Motor Sales.  I was training to be a warehouse supervisor.  Six months later, I got a position as a warehouse supervisor with Toyota, but it meant a move to Los Angeles.  We stayed there for three years before I was again transferred to Cincinnati.  Here, I helped with the design and construction of a new warehouse for Toyota.  During these eight years, Jen had to switch jobs several times because of my reassignments.  She was a collections agent with Toyota Motor Credit, a quality control supervisor for a clean room laundry, and a procurement manager for a forklift company.  She also ran their continuous improvement teams.  But about the time of the birth of my first child, I decided that I would like to go back and run my family farm that I grew up on.  After eight years of moving around the country, we moved one more time back to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to live on a farm.  At first, it was just a grain farm, but we quickly decided that we needed to diversify, and made the decision to move into grapes and wine.  We spent two years preparing before planting the first grapes, then waited another couple of years for the grapes to mature.  We then built a winery and started our new business.  At first, Jen worked off the farm.  She worked first as a training coordinator for the Small Business Development Center.  Then, after getting her master’s degree (MBA), she got a job as a project manager for a defense contractor.  But a year into our winery opening up, we quickly saw that we would need her to work there full time, and so she quit her job and came back to be the “Jen”eral Manager. Jen has never held the same type of job twice, which once seemed to be a curse but she now sees it as a blessing as it was great preparation for running the winery. We are now working together to make our business a success.

 

 3)      Has being a part of QUEST helped your career? If yes, how?

William: The program definitely helped my career, as Toyota was a very Total Quality oriented organization.  My training in the program came in particularly handy when I worked on a project to design a warehouse for Toyota in Cincinnati.  In this job, I worked hand in hand with engineers to design a building that was practical for the work being done, and also efficient, sturdy, and sound.

Jen: I have had several positions that directly utilized the practices learned in the program such as the quality control supervisor and running the continuous improvements teams. However, I have used the skills in almost every position I have had because they have all involved creation of new processes and refinement of old ones.

 

 4)      If you could turn back time and take one QUEST class over again, which one would it be and why?

William: If I could go back and take one class, it would be the one that dealt with Design of Experiments.  In my winemaking, there are a lot of variables to be dealt with in deciding how to make a wine.  I think that I would get a lot of relearning Design of Experiments and applying that to my wine trials.

Jen: I would like to take the first class where we had design the hair dryer as it was so challenging; I think I would get so much more out of it if I took it again.
 5)      What is your favorite QUEST memory?

William: I remember many things from my time in the program.  Probably my best memories are from our first group project.  We had to design a hair dryer.  Since we were the first group, in the first year of the program, the professors were learning just as much as we were.  We were given a fairly loose set of parameters, and we had a lot of fun trying to figure out what we were doing.  It was a lot of late night group work, but we really bonded as a team, and it was a lot of fun.  For me, as somewhat of a loner, it was the first time I had really worked as part of a team, and I found it very frustrating and also rewarding.

Jen: I would agree with William, the group meetings were the best memory. We had many late nights and accomplished things together that in the beginning we did not think were possible.

 

6)     What advice would you give current QUEST students?

William: To current QUEST students, I would say to enjoy your time in the program while you have it.  Remember all of the tools that you are taught in class.  They are the things that will give you a leg up on competition in the workplace.

Jen: I would say to really immerse yourself in the program and make the concepts part of everything you do as it will make you tremendously valuable to society.

 

Want to learn more about Layton’s Chance Vineyard and Winery? View their website here!

Reflections on an Epic QUEST

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Article by Meenu Singh (Q19)

As I sit here pondering the necessity of Differential Equations in the grander scheme of my existence, it is all too easy for my mind to drift to thoughts of sunny skies, shimmery sand, sultry samba, and savory steak (ironically, we learned that in the land of Brazilian barbeque, the Outback Steakhouse franchise is becoming quite popular….go figure).  It is almost unfathomable that a mere month ago, I was approximately 5,000 miles away in Brazil, immersed in a world of such distinct culture and awesomeness.

QUESTers enjoy the Brazilian beach

As a civil engineering major with absolutely no experience in the realm of business, my time in Brazil was for me was one of firsts:  Never in my life had I sat in a company’s board room, toured production facilities, seen quality-management tools put to large-scale use, or met with company executives.  Nor had I ever had hands-on experience with a business-focused project:  My project team’s particular focus was on marketing a product to the Brazilian market.  In our time doing fieldwork, conducting interviews, interacting with Brazilian locals, and creating presentations, I was able to learn about the connections between culture and the consumer, marketing strategies, and everything in between.

Looking back, however, I realize that perhaps the most meaningful lessons I learned were those about Jeitinho, or “the Brazilian way”—In Brazil, business is relationship-centered, based on the meaningful connections one makes with others.  This human-centric approach to business is very unique, especially considering our common conception of the cold impersonality of corporate life.  As we learned from our company representatives, it is common for staff and clients to know each other on a personal level, right down to knowing the birthdays of each other’s children.

Students gather in a company board room

We experienced this phenomenon first-hand.  At each company visit, our group was showered with hospitality and care.  Company representatives made concerted efforts to meet each one of us, and we were able to solidify bonds with individuals that will hopefully remain for many years to come.

Jeitinho is attained when one lives passionately, and this passion is manifested in all aspects of Brazil, including its impressive monuments, playful beaches, and delicious food. Everything and everyone in Brazil brims with creativity and vibrancy.  Thus, the beauty of Brazil is in its culture:  It is one based on the notion that kindness, compassion, and a positive outlook on life will lead you to success.

So, as I examine my notes on Euler Method Approximations before my next class, I recognize that though my tan lines have since faded, I hope that I have been able to bring back a bit of the Brazilian vivacity for life back to the States, for it was this cultural element that made this trip, for me, much less of a mere “study abroad experience” and much more of an epic QUEST.

Enjoying the sights in Brazil

(A special thank you to all of my fellow Brazil trip-goers and organizers for making my time “Doing Business in Brazil” such an unforgettable experience!  You are the best!)

Student Profile: Special QSO Edition

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Article by Dathan Scott (Q18)

Editor’s Note:  Over the next few issues, QUESTPress will be having a special Student Profile column. Each month, we will be highlighting 1-2 new members of the QSO board. Enjoy! 

 

Alumni Chair

DULANY WAGNER – Cohort 18

Dulany is a Finance and Accounting major, minoring in Environmental Economics and Policy whose ambition and motivation have driven her to be very successful inside and outside of the classroom. She was a great help in organizing and assisting with the QUEST alumni dinner last year.

Dulany was an active member in the Peer Leadership Council for two years, where she developed and practiced those intangible leadership skills and qualities that great leaders possess. She was also a great teammate and initiator as a member of our BMGT190 team, the Q-Tips! Being the great student that she is, Dulany loves to read textbooks and receiving excellent grades. With that being said, she is an outdoors person, having done fantastic things like biking the coast of Nova Scotia and hiking in the Alaskan backcountry!

As for her new position as alumni chair, Dulany has already brought great ideas for activities and events. Her main goal as alumni chair is to expand the QUEST brand and reputation to make the name of QUEST a stronger selling point for QUEST students during interviews and networking opportunities.  In her campaign speech last semester during elections, she expressed, “I want the QUEST name to speak for itself and I want students to be recognized for the contributions they make to such a highly-regarded student program.”

 

Cohort 18 Champion

MANAS KULKARNI – Cohort 18

President of the American Marketing Association, Pledge Educator for Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, and member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Manas offers a significant amount of knowledge and familiarity about the campus community. He is the only returning member from QSO 2011. He is active and involved in a lot of organizations and also performs very well in the classroom. It is a marvelous spectacle seeing him give a presentation.

Manas is a Marketing and Operations double major who loves food and participates in badminton matches in his spare time. He also has a passion for playing the ukulele, putting this talent to action by posting a “happy birthday” video on Facebook for all his friends on their special day. When asked about QUEST and his goals for QSO this year, he responded, “I think QUEST is the best decision I’ve made as a Terp! I want to make QSO more than just an event-planning organization. We need to be active in the community at community events.”

QUEST Love

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Article by Reeta Francis (Q17)

It is not unusual to think about love during the month of February. This article isn’t about a significant other, though; it’s about significant others. I’m not talking plural marriage here; I’m talking about QUEST love. I’m referring to the 185 people who are in the best honors program at the University of Maryland. The community of students from 3 different schools who have gone from being the random people I’m holding in a peanut butter pit at QUEST camp to some of my closest friends. But I’m not the only one feeling all the love. I’m certainly not the first to get QUEST fever. The strong sense of community has set QUEST apart from its counterparts.

Article writer Reeta Francis acting silly with some QUEST friends

“I love QUEST because it gives us the opportunity to actually bring ideas to life and actively solve problems rather than just talking about what we would do. It let me meet, work with, and forge relationships with people I wouldn’t have had the chance to, otherwise.” ~Julian Bryan, Q18

“I didn’t know anyone on the China study abroad trip except for Masha, and I feel like I walked away from the trip with a group of really close friends; it definitely created a lot of lasting bonds from ten days in China.” ~Liz Blankenhorn, Q18

“I got to know people by going to QUEST-sponsored events and hanging out with QUEST members outside of class. Going on trips to DC, organizing movies and potlucks, just spending quality time with quality people.” ~Artem Shvadskiy, Q18

QUEST students work on their team-building skills outside of the classroom

“There’s too many things to say!” ~Brady O’Connell , Q18

“I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started QUEST but between singing karaoke with JPB (Joe P. Bailey) in China, helping name Melanie’s baby, and some serious soul bonding with my 490 team, I have come to appreciate the program so much more than just a line on my transcript.” ~Mariya Sitnova, Q17

“I see college as a desert and QUEST as my oasis. The program has truly taught me important life lessons, provided me with great real world experience and the skills necessary to succeed. On top of it all, it’s through QUEST that I’ve made friendships for life. Love QUEST.” ~Prateek Kukreja, Q17

A Recipe for QUESTLove

1. Add each of the following:

  • Team based curriculum involving reality-based projects
  • Amazingly supportive faculty and staff
  • Fun QSO events
  • Talented students

2. Mix well.

3. Cook on high pressure for 3 years.

4. Let sit for a few minutes before serving to the Real World.

If you’re left feeling warm and fuzzy after reading this, yay! For anyone who’s feeling a little nauseous, forgive us. We’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more QUEST!

Students celebrate QUEST Love!