The University of Maryland applied for and was one of eight universities to win a grant from the IBM Corporation in the IBM-TQ competition. Maryland was the only school to include an undergraduate program in their total quality initiative, founding what is now the QUEST (Quality, Enhancement, Systems and Teams) Honors Fellows Program. Engaging students from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, the A. James Clark School of Engineering, and the College of Computer, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the QUEST program offers a student-centered experience founded on the idea that real-life situations facilitate learning that transcends classroom education.

The Maryland Association for Higher Education recognized this student-centered excellence with the Distinguished Program Award in 1996, and the growing number of involved alumni and professional partners reaffirms this distinction each year. When students reflect on their experiences with QUEST, what comes to mind is quality, community, innovation, opportunity, and impact. In the words of Maggie Boniecka of Cohort 14, "Its history proves that no matter what opportunities the program chooses to pursue, QUEST's approach to learning, dedicated faculty and staff, and talented students will ensure a meaningful experience and academically successful results."