QUEST Students Win GEICO Awards

Smith School senior John Kim and sophomore Mary Rosa Connolly were surprised with a scholarship from the GEICO 2004 Achievement Awards on December 6. Shannon Hatfield, GEICO college relations manager, presented the oversize checks for $500 to the delighted students at a mechanical engineering class on Monday afternoon.

Kim and Connolly were chosen to receive the awards based on their outstanding academic records, their contributions to the community and recommendations from faculty. The awards objectives are to encourage student achievement in major fields related to the operations of an insurance company, and help students recognize GEICO as an employer of choice for post-graduation career opportunities.

Both students are involved in QUEST, a joint program between the Smith School and the A. James Clark School of Engineering that gives talented undergraduates a chance to work in a team-based environment focused on quality management issues. Kim is a mentor of the QUEST program and president of the QUEST Student Organization. He is also very involved with his church. Connolly is a QUEST ambassador, vice president of administration for Smith Women's Society, and editor of a student newsletter.

The Smith School offers congratulations to Kim and Connolly on their achievement.