Middlebury Institute graduates discuss where they are working today, how the Institute helped them get there, and what advice they’d give to current and future MIIS students.
My name is Colleen Feng and I graduated with an MA in Translation and Localization Management from the Middlebury Institute in 2018. My language of study was Simplified Chinese. I interned with Sony Interactive Entertainment in San Mateo, California, and now I am a senior product manager with Adobe in San Jose, California.
I first saw the internship with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s PlayStation group posted on LinkedIn and later on the Institute’s career management platform. Through going to events like WIL (Women in Leadership) and LocWorld, I got to know the person who was then the head of localization at PlayStation. Having the chance to connect with her really helped me build an impression. Later when I applied and interviewed with them, it seemed to be a mutual fit.
MIIS is a great place to meet people from all over the world, and it was rewarding for me to not simply focus on the coursework but also to meet new friends and attend industry events.
My courses in translation and localization management helped me to gain basic knowledge of localization project management, CAT tools, and Python. The networking opportunities were very helpful in connecting me with industry practitioners who have real-life insights with tons of hands-on experience.
Besides the coursework, having individual meetings with my career advisor was the biggest help for me in securing my internship position. I was able to figure out what position I was interested in, conduct mock interviews, get connected with alumni, and have my résumé revised.
My internship at Sony led to building my own localization program from the ground up at a startup and later helped me transition into product management with a focus on international growth, leading to my current position at Adobe.
The most important lesson I learned during my time at the Institute was to always be open to different opportunities and never stop stepping out of my comfort zone. I personally think MIIS is a great place to meet people from all over the world, and it was rewarding for me to not simply focus on the coursework but also to meet new friends and attend industry events.
Translation and Localization Management student Wei-San Chiang shares how career advice and the Institute’s alumni network helped her launch a career in localization before she graduated.
Translation and Localization Management graduate Jihong Zhou shares how a focused and strategic approach to her job search helped her launch a career in localization working on the Xbox product.
| by Gaya Saghatelyan MATLM ’17
Translation and Localization Management (TLM) graduate Gaya Saghatelyan describes how internships, networking, and Middlebury Institute faculty and staff helped her launch a career in localization.
