QUEST Electives

In addition to the required courses, QUEST students can choose from several elective courses with topics ranging from scoping experiential learning projects to mentoring multidisciplinary teams to design and innovation in Spain. These courses complement the curriculum and allow students to meet and work on teams with students from other cohorts.

Mentors Scoping

In Mentors, BMGT/ENES 397, QUEST students practice essential skills for mentoring and coaching multidisciplinary teams, including effective communications, facilitation, conflict resolution, and the ability to motivate. Mentors are older QUEST students who work with student teams in the introductory course, BMGT/ENES 190H, and in the process, strengthen their knowledge of design and quality techniques. This spring, amidst the shift to online learning, the mentors continued working with their 190H teams through Zoom breakout rooms during 190H lab. In Scoping, BMGT/ENES 491, QUEST students cultivate relationships with new and current corporate partners and prepare project scopes for QUEST courses. Students practice networking and professional etiquette skills and learn how to write and present clear and technically-precise project scopes. This fall, students were able to visit various companies to build relationships and explore potential projects. In the spring, site visits went virtual, and students met with several corporate partners through Zoom to learn about their challenges and provide input on project ideas.

Mentors at Cohort 34 Orientation in January 2020

Scoping students visit the Fjord office in Washington, D.C.

“I loved the Mentors class and the team of lively mentors I was with! My two biggest takeaways from this class were how to be an effective leader and how to create a high-functioning, collaborative team atmosphere.”

Anthony Jones

Mechanical Engineering ‘21 Cohort 31 “Creativity’ and ‘empathy’ weren’t words I associated with corporate networking before—in scoping, I got to learn that they’re both front and center, as we practiced creative communication and navigated the nuances of empathizing with clients and students alike. Getting to practice skills outside of my major with students outside of my cohort was a stellar learning experience.”

Lydia Hu

Computer Science ‘21 Cohort 32

QUEST ELECTIVES

QUEST TO SPAIN

For ten amazing days in January, QUEST students immersed themselves in Spanish culture and learned about its influence on design and innovation in Spain. In Barcelona, they experienced the works of the famous architect Antoni Gaudí and discovered how he drew inspiration from nature. The students also explored how landmarks such as Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau were designed with deep intention. A new addition to this year’s trip was a visit to the mountaintop monastery of Monserrat. The site was shrouded in clouds and mist during the visit, which made for a truly spiritual and inspirational experience. In Toledo, the ancient capital of Spain, students witnessed how Christian, Jewish, and Muslim cultures influenced Spanish design. The last stop of the trip was Madrid, where students engaged with locals to learn about the city’s historic El Rastro market, rode bicycles through Madrid Rio with an architect to see how the city transformed its riverfront, and learned how to make paella. An unplanned stop at the Royal Palace was another highlight.

While the group visited many places, the journey was not about places but thoughtful experiences. The lessons about design and innovation were not just heard but discovered and felt. Everyone came away with fresh perspectives and insights, not only about design, but also about life.

“QUEST to Spain was a unique experience that taught me to slow down, enhance my design skills, and learn about how Spanish culture approaches design while exploring Barcelona and Madrid outside of the traditional classroom setting.”

Ben Miller

Mechanical Engineering ‘20 Cohort 29 “The trip to Spain was a very enjoyable and impactful experience. It led me to develop a contextual mindfulness of how culture can affect the businesses and general systems of an area. The trip made me understand that you must understand the past to create the future and that it is important to take time to see the mundane in order to think the uncommon.”

Tori Miske

Civil and Environmental Engineering ‘22 Cohort 33

QUEST ELECTIVES

QUEST TO SILICON VALLEY

The QUEST to Silicon Valley course (BMGT 438G/ENES 489Q) looked a bit different this year. Just as 15 students were getting ready to depart for San Francisco and Silicon Valley, the university suspended all travel due to COVID-19. However, QUEST remained committed to providing these students with the opportunity to learn about design and innovation in the Bay Area. Thanks to the generous help of QUEST alumni, the students gained knowledge about product design and development, emerging technologies, and company cultures through virtual discussions. Students completed the course by working in teams to “pitch” a new product or service to one of the firms they had met with.

Special thanks to the following Bay Area alumni for participating in this year’s course from afar:

Mickey Alemayehu, Cohort 20 Ryan Atkinson, Cohort 17 Benjamin Graney Green, Cohort 26 Bryan Huang, Cohort 18 Andrew Katz, Cohort 24 Jeremy Krach, Cohort 25 Chul Kwon, Cohort 18 Amy Liang, Cohort 24 Varun Mohan, Cohort 28 Bernard Ng, Cohort 10 Ishaan Parikh, Cohort 28 Benita Poon, Cohort 19

Linda Rassenti, Cohort 17 Melanie Turlington, Cohort 16 Malcolm Wells, Cohort 13 Erica Yingling, Cohort 20 Jeffrey Zhao, Cohort 28

“QUEST to Silicon Valley is a class that not only explores the Silicon Valley mindset through our interactions with QUEST alumni in the area, but also helps us build meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals pursuing a career within tech, either through casual coffee-chats or indepth presentations during these trying times.”

Shivanee Arun

Computer Science ‘21 Cohort 32 “Despite the circumstances due to COVID-19, QUEST to Silicon Valley gave me an opportunity to create connections with companies in the Bay Area and exposed me to career opportunities I didn’t know were possible.”

Michael Jones

Mechanical Engineering ‘22 Cohort 33