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QUEST Celebrates 15 Years of Excellence at
Annual Brumberger Innovation & Consulting Conference

More than 250 people packed Van Munching Hall’s Frank Auditorium to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Smith School’s undergraduate Quality Enhancement Systems and Teams (QUEST) Honors Fellows Program and take part in the program’s annual Brumberger Innovation and Consulting Conference, held the evening of Dec. 4, 2008. Named for 2007 alumnus Matthew Brumberger whose financial support sustains conference, the event showcases student consulting projects for corporate and nonprofit clients, faculty, parents and peers.

15th Anniversary
QUEST Conference Highlights

QSO, So far this semester...

QUEST started off the fall 2008 semester just the way we like it at Maryland: with food! On September 5, the QUEST community gathered on the newly renovated Washington Quad and QSO started the grill for hot dogs and burgers. It was a great way to head into the first weekend of the semester. This casual community gathering had a great turnout, most notably from the newest cohort (cohort 16) who started their quest this past August. Faculty, staff, and senior QUEST students were all impressed to see the newest additions to the program so excited about becoming a part of the community. The barbecue was a huge success, from the weather to the number of people who came out, and was definitely a signal of more good to come throughout the semester.

The QSO Major League Baseball Outing on September 17 was the first ever QSO event of its kind. The students in attendance thoroughly enjoyed the experience despite the Nationals losing 7 - 9 to the Mets. QSO President Joel Liebman (a die hard Yankees fan) had a great trip to the ballpark, even after having to see a most despised rival victorious. Attendees suggested that the convenience of Washington DC via the Metro system is underutilized by student groups and recommended that in the future QSO arrange DC excursions of different kinds to connect students with our nation’s capital.

Early in the semester, QSO created a new position to support the executive board: Intramural Sports Liaison. Bobby Petrini gladly accepted the post, and got straight to work forming a co-ed soccer team. The team met with some success, closing the season with a record of 1-1-1. A co-ed basketball team that will showcase the true athletic dominance of QUEST is in the works for the near future.

By far the most successful event in QSO history, the QSO Halloween festival was a testament to the potential of the QUEST community as far more than an academic program. Seventy-five QUEST’ees, a number in costume, showed up to Washington Quad in the chill of the October 29th evening for an unforgettable event. From a pumpkin carving contest to a relay race that rivals some Olympic events, this was the kind of event that all student groups aspire to put together. The Halloween Festival gave the Executive Board an excellent springboard for the remainder of the semester, as well as the spring semester when a new board will take the reins.

Student Spotlight QUEST Student Heather Bradshaw Named Winner of Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship Junior, Heather Bradshaw, a mechanical engineering major and QUEST student has been named a 2008-09 recipient of a national Goldwater Scholarship. The award recognizes Heather's engagement with a team of student and faculty researchers who are working to develop the next generation of space suits. QUEST is proud to help highlight Heather's remarkable achievement! READ MORE.

Borrowed from UMD Newsdesk: Heather Bradshaw, demonstrates robotics device she is researching in the university's Space Systems Lab