Residential Facilities is on its way to being “Stocked for Success” in 2026, thanks to the collaborative efforts of students from the QUEST (Quality Enhancement Systems and Teams) Honors Program.
Patrick Hong, Akhil Sethukarthy, Samantha Frink, Maia Byala and Sayli Limaye partnered with Associate Director of Building Services, Vassie Hollamon, and the housekeeping team to tackle a longstanding challenge: improving the inventory management and delivery process for the housekeeping and logistics unit.
The QUEST team surveyed 64 housekeepers and found that inventory tasks were taking over 30 minutes per shift, largely due to a lack of consumption data. Their solution:
- Housekeepers mark consumed products on building-specific tally sheets.
- Supervisors maintain a live dashboard consolidating inventory across buildings.
- Logistics loads trucks based on past consumption metrics.
This shift moves the point of consumption from the warehouse to stockrooms, streamlining supply flow.
Impact:
- Reduces shortages by eliminating fulfillment bottlenecks.
- Optimizes deliveries, supporting a two-week delivery cycle.
- Improves inventory accuracy across stockrooms.
Thanks to this partnership, Residential Facilities is moving toward a more efficient and organized inventory system, truly a QUEST for success.
The QUEST Honors Program is a three-year initiative for University of Maryland undergraduates studying business, engineering, and/or science. Through hands-on, multidisciplinary projects, students apply classroom learning to real-world challenges.
At the University of Maryland, Terps Learn Everywhere. Residential Facilities promotes co-curricular learning opportunities like QUEST that give students meaningful, hands-on experience while making a real impact on campus operations.