Language Education

Grace Under Fire – A Rewarding Career as Medical Interpreter

photo Alison Rives

According to the latest industry survey conducted by the Association of Language Companies (ALC), the biggest revenue-generating sector for U.S. LSPs is the hospital and medical offices.  (See slide courtesy of the ALC below)  This is clearly a sector that will continue to need talents.  I sat down with MIIS alumna Alison Rives (MATI ’08) to learn more about her path to her current role.  Her heartfelt words of wisdom also came through clearly in this conversation.  Enjoy!

 

ALC Survey 052316

 

  1. What does your typical day look like as a medical interpreter at Mt. Sinai Health Systems?

My first priority as a medical interpreter is to respond to interpreting requests from hospital providers. The provider could be a doctor, physician assistant, nurse, social worker, physical or occupational therapist, nutritionist and others. These providers are requesting an in-person interpreter to speak to patients in outpatient and inpatient units as well as the Emergency Department including the Psychiatric Emergency Department. Medical interpreters mainly use short consecutive mode during an interpreting session although there are some situations when simultaneous is more appropriate. Interpreting sessions cover a wide variety of topics such as explaining a diagnosis, informing a patient about and obtaining consent for a medical procedure, physical and occupational therapy sessions, admissions and discharge instructions, nutritional evaluations, and social work assessments, among others.

Medical interpreters at Mt. Sinai Health Systems also conduct patient rounds. This means we visit limited English proficient (LEP) patients and educate them on their right to a medical interpreter and inform them of the service we provide. We also round on all hospital units to educate staff and providers about the proper use and documentation of interpreter services.

Furthermore, my interpreter colleagues and I are responsible for maintaining a daily log of all interpreted encounters and entering that data into a computer system for statistical purposes. Other administrative duties include monthly Quality Improvement data collection to monitor the use and documentation of interpreters in the hospital. We also request and manage contract interpreters for other languages such as ASL, Mandarin, Russian, etc. On occasion we do translations of hospital documents, as well as editing and revision of these documents.

Our Language Services department also provides several medical interpreter trainings a year. We test the language proficiency of potential medical interpreter candidates, interview them, and then train them in the classroom and in the field.

  1. What aspects of your education at MIIS do you feel prepared you well for your current work?

Apart from the obvious improvement I experienced in my language skills, MIIS prepared me to stay calm under pressure! In the classroom at MIIS you feel a certain pressure to perform in front of the professors and your classmates. Practicing in the MIIS environment taught me to keep calm. As a result, I’m able to maintain my composure (or at least display a calm composure) when the situation is tense during a medical interpretation. For example, patients or their family members may be emotional, I may have to interpret a serious diagnosis to a patient, or during a family meeting everyone may try to talk at once without waiting to hear my interpretation before speaking. It’s important in these situations to exude self-control in order to interpret accurately, manage the flow of communication, and ensure all parties feel confident in your interpretation.

At MIIS I also learned how invaluable one’s colleagues and their experience are. My graduating class at MIIS built a strong relationship of support. We constantly relied on each other for feedback to improve our translations and interpretations. I experience and try to foster the same relationship with my fellow medical interpreters to support each other and exchange information for continuing education.

  1. What are the useful tips you would like to share with our students on how to prepare themselves to be medical interpreters?

The most valuable preparation to be a medical interpreter is internships. I interned at two hospitals while I was a student at MIIS and had amazing mentors guiding me. Once I started working as a medical interpreter I also sought out the mentorship of senior interpreters whom I trusted. Beyond that, becoming a member of professional medical interpreter associations has helped me to stay abreast of what’s happening in the field of medical interpreting across the country and to maintain connections with my colleagues.

  1. What are the things that you know now that you wish you had known when you were a student at MIIS?

I wish I hadn’t been quite so sensitive to constructive criticism while at MIIS. The feedback from my MIIS professors and classmates made me a better interpreter and translator. Instead of taking the constructive criticism personally today, I use it to improve my skills.

 

Winnie Heh
Career & Academic Advisor
wheh@miis.edu

Career Management is a Process of Self-Discovery – Three Takeaways from My First Semester at MIIS

Blog 7 Gayane Saghatelyan

My first semester at MIIS has been one of the most rewarding experiences both professionally and personally. Alongside rigorous professional training, I was fortunate enough to have worked closely with Career and Academic Advisor, Winnie Heh. I learned a great deal through her Career Management classes and the projects we worked on together, while working at the Center for Advising and Career Services.

I would like to share with you the 3 major takeaways that inspired me to redefine how I approach my career path.

1.Know yourself.

Start with the basics. Discover what matters to you, what you enjoy doing and be open to new possibilities. There are so many places your language skills can take you; it may seem overwhelming at first, but the key to career success is in knowing yourself and what you want to be doing. Keep in mind that your career is not static; it’s going to constantly change in ways you would have never imagined.

Here is an example from my personal experience. I came to MIIS thinking I wanted to work as an interpreter for the EU or the UN. What I didn’t realize at the time was that Localization was such a promising field and could truly help me leverage both my language skills and management experience. As I got involved in various projects, I realized that the TLM profession is a window into the larger picture. This program may not be for everyone, but it is merely an example of how your career goals can change and why you should be open to new ideas.

2. Be intentional.

Whatever journey you embark on, always have a goal and build you decisions around it. Ask yourself: Where do I want to be in 5 years? This isn’t just a question someone asks you at an interview. It really matters that you know this for yourself.

Think about the following things when looking for a job or internship:

  1. What am I good at? What do I like doing?
  2. What are companies looking for? It is useful to look at job descriptions for the field you’d like to work in.
  3. What company would I want to work for? Come up with a hit list!

This all ties into knowing yourself. By answering these questions, you will identify your marketable skills and be able to position yourself by articulating what value you are bringing to the team.

3. Create long-lasting relationships.

Try to take advantage of every opportunity while you’re at MIIS (and after you graduate) to create long-lasting relationships with alumni, students, faculty, etc. They will be your windows into new opportunities. Most importantly, keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and be active!

These 3 major lessons have helped me shape a “career-driven employment” mentality that goes way beyond finding a simple job after you graduate. Every resource you are given here at MIIS will go toward your long-term career goals. Take advantage of it!

 

Gayané ‘Gaya’ Saghatelyan

MA Translation & Localization Management – French, 2017

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

 

 

 

 

Working as a U.N. Translator – an Interview of Sabela Avion-Martinez

Sabela Avion-Martinez (MATI ‘01) is currently a Spanish Translator at the United Nations based in New York City. She came back to MIIS during an Alumni Reunion in October, 2015 and made a presentation to current students on career opportunities at the UN.  I was impressed by her warmth, openness and her commitment to the growth of our future colleagues.  I made a mental note that she is someone I want to interview when my blog is up.  Here is our conversation.

 

Blog 6 Sabela2 Photo

1. What aspects of your work experience prior to joining the UN do you feel prepared you well for your current work?

I had always wanted to work at the United Nations, but I also knew I had to get experience in other fields. After graduating from MIIS, I worked for a large localization company between 2002 and 2006. I learned about translation processes, tools, budgeting and scheduling, client-provider relations… I’ve found myself applying all these skills at the UN at different stages.

Meanwhile, I kept an eye on any developments regarding careers at the United Nations. This has become increasingly easier over the years, as interested candidates have now access to a great deal of information on working at the UN in different language positions (editors, verbatim reporters, interpreters…), and exams or working opportunities.

 

2. What does your typical day look like at the UN?

If I don’t have an assignment to finish, I let the Programming Officer know I’m available. As soon as a document comes in, she’ll evaluate it and assign it.

We have our own CAT tool, called eLUNa – a translation interface specifically developed for the translation of United Nations documents. It provides access to previously translated documents (bitexts), terminology records and machine translations. As a longtime user of CAT tools, I’ve run the gamut from traditional to proprietary. This new system is web-based, and it’s been developed and adapted according to the specifications and requests of UN translators from all duty stations.

During the translation process, sometimes we find new terms without a set equivalent in Spanish. In those cases, we work together with our terminologists to improve our UNTERM Portal.

We also perform QC tasks on translations done externally. We provide them with an evaluation of their translation. Both internally and externally, translators are expected to have excellent translation skills, a perfect command of Spanish and a wide knowledge of the topics at hand.

The Spanish Translation Service has a strong online presence, and our blog and our Twitter account have hundreds of visits every day.

 

3.  What aspects of your education at MIIS do you feel prepared you well for your current work?

Language awareness. It’s an odd thing to say to speakers of other languages, but Spanish is the official language in 21 countries, and has a large number of speakers in many others. At MIIS, I learned Spanish from my Mexican, Colombian and Argentinean classmates.

 

4. What are the things that you know now that you wish you had known when you were a student at MIIS?

Try to make room for classes in other programs.

Find a language partner in your foreign language.

Don’t forget about your mother tongue.

Live in a foreign country!

 

Winnie Heh
Career & Academic Advisor
wheh@miis.edu

Language Skills as a Gateway Into an International Career – a Conversation with Nataly Kelly

Nataly Kelly International Operations and Strategy Hubspot
Nataly Kelly
VP of International Operations and Strategy
Hubspot

Nataly Kelly and I worked together at Language Line close to 20 years ago. She went on to become a language consultant, an author and a marketer.  When our paths recently crossed again, she is now an employer who is very interested in hiring graduates from the MIIS TILM program.  She is the VP of International Operations and Strategy at HubSpot, a company recognized by Inc., Forbes, and Deloitte as one of the world’s fastest-growing companies. HubSpot was also voted as the #1 company to work for in Boston by the Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal, and the #4 company to work for in the United States according to Bloomberg. I sat down with her recently to interview her because she is someone who can impart great wisdom for our students and graduates.

WH: Nataly, you were a Fulbright Scholar in Sociolinguistics.  Tell me how you ended up in a leadership position in one of the world’s fastest growing companies?  What role has your language skills played, if any?

NK:  The common thread in my career has been an interest in communication, and overcoming communication barriers. My first job out of college was at Language Line, but I left to pursue a Fulbright grant in Ecuador. When I returned from Ecuador, I co-founded my own business to do research and consulting within the translation industry. From there, I went to work at another translation company, where I developed new services and products, such as language testing and cultural competence training. After that, I joined translation industry research firm Common Sense Advisory, first as an analyst, then as their Chief Research Officer. Later, I moved to a translation technology start-up working in market development, developing a partner channel with translation agencies. That was my first foray into the world of B2B software-as-a-service (SaaS), which is a space I really love. Having dabbled in marketing in most of my prior jobs, I became their VP of Marketing, for which clear communication is an absolute must. And from there, I moved to HubSpot, also as a VP of Marketing. Initially, I led the Latin American Marketing group at HubSpot while also building out a localization program within marketing team. Recently, I moved into another exciting role here at HubSpot, and now I focus on international operations and strategy.

The role my language skills have played has been tremendous. I can’t imagine doing any of the jobs I’ve had without them. Granted, I haven’t needed interpreting and translation skills for each and every job, but those skills definitely enhanced my ability to carry out my work and to speak credibly to language issues. For example, at Common Sense Advisory, I was able to provide the viewpoint of a translator to ensure this perspective was reflected in the research. And in my current role, where HubSpot is a buyer of localization and translation services, I’m able to provide the perspective of the translator to ensure that we are the best possible client we can be, and that we make life enjoyable for the freelancers who work with us through our agencies.

WH: You are no stranger to the TILM programs at MIIS.  What are the job titles that you see our students take up?

NK:  There are so many important job opportunities available for graduates of the TILM programs at MIIS! The language services market is enormous, worth billions of dollars per year. There are many exciting (and well-paying) jobs within that industry, both on the suppliers side with translation and interpreting agencies, as well as on the buyer side, at companies like HubSpot, Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and so many more.

Here at HubSpot, we have roles in every single department that support our international business. On our support team, for example, several of our team members are in charge of our international support sites. On the marketing team, we now have a full-time person in Dublin who manages localized campaigns in multiple languages, and we have many international marketers who work with the localization team. On the localization side, we have a full-time person in charge of our software internationalization, and many of our engineers are involved in this work as well. And today, we have a localization manager, Chris Englund, who works with me, and we’re hiring for three full-time localization specialists out of our Cambridge, Dublin, and forthcoming Tokyo office set to open in 2016. This is just the very beginning for us in terms of international expansion. We have a long way to go from here!

WH: Something that will be of great interest to our students is what you look for when you hire? And what you look for when you hire language professionals specifically?

Life at Hubspot
Life at Hubspot

NK: HubSpot looks for some very specific things when we hire. This is outlined extensively in our Culture Code, which really encapsulates how we think, act, and work at HubSpot. I encourage everyone to check it out, even if you don’t plan to work at HubSpot, because to me, it outlines a lot of things that I believe every great employer should prioritize for a healthy and enjoyable work environment. We look for people who have a clear track record of growth, a bias for action over inaction, and importantly, humility. One thing you consistently notice about people at HubSpot is that they’re all very nice people. That is definitely not something you see at every company. So, we hire for cultural fit very intentionally here.

As for language professionals, we’re looking for individuals who will play somewhat of an “editor-in-chief” role for the languages in question. This person will own the brand voice and style and help us stay on track with that, but will also be an expert in translation and editing for their language. It’s also very important for this individual to be a digital native who loves learning new tools, including learning how to use HubSpot products. This person needs to have the “final say” on matters of language, but they also need to be very open to the fact that language evolves, so they need to be in touch with the latest terminology and techie speak that marketers are using – or they have to show a strong willingness and aptitude for learning this particular domain. It’s very important that this individual strike the right balance between prescriptivism and descriptivism where language is concerned. That is, they need to be able to come up with clear guidelines to ensure a consistent and clear voice for the brand in their language, but they also need to know when to be flexible and creative with language too.

WH: It seems that how translation/interpretation services are provided and consumed are changing rapidly.  What role do you see language professionals play in the future economy and how can our graduates “future proof” themselves? 

NK: I think graduates should pay attention to all of the many roles that are emerging for people with localization knowledge and skills, because there are so many great things happening right now. Today, roles like “community translation manager” and “localization director” are popping up in a lot of great tech companies. I would definitely encourage graduates to view their language skills as a gateway into international business, which extends far beyond just the translation and interpreting industry, which is very large in its own right. There are so many interesting career options out there, and language increasingly touches so many of them. Remember too that these are niche skills that are in high demand. Often, companies hire people who don’t have a background in these areas because they can’t find talent locally.

WH: If your favorite cousin were one of our students graduating in May 2016, what advice would you give her?

NK:  Well, I can’t pick a favorite cousin since I love them all equally!  (Laugh!)  However, here are the two pieces of advice I would give to my daughter if she were lucky enough to graduate from one of your programs.

First, follow your passion, even if you’re not sure exactly where it will lead. Look for a job that will align with what you enjoy doing most, and if that includes language, consider positions that will enable you to work in international areas. On my first international flight, I explained that I was traveling to Ecuador to perfect my Spanish, and she told me that every language you learn is like another college degree. So of course I went and studied every language I could possibly get access to! I have always followed my passions for language and international business, and that is where I am truly at home, especially in the world of B2B SaaS.

Second, choose your employers and coworkers very carefully. It might sound severe, but I really mean it. Work only with teams of people you truly admire, from whom you can learn a lot, and to whom you can also contribute something meaningful. Find a place that offers you a lot of room to grow. Look for managers who not only take pride in helping employees move forward in their careers, but who realize that this is actually a huge part of their job to ensure employee retention and overall growth of the company. Most importantly, work only in places with a mission you can truly identify with. At HubSpot, I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had in any job, because I work with extremely talented people who also happen to be very kind, every single day, and I learn at least as much from others as I contribute. Surrounding yourself with great people is a recipe for success in business as well as for personal happiness. As simple as it sounds, it’s perhaps the most important career advice I can give!

 

Winnie Heh
Career & Academic Advisor
wheh@miis.edu

Six MIIS T & I Students Share Internship Learnings

Immersive Learning through Summer Internship

As a professional graduate school, the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey places great emphasis on immersive learning which is defined as “intensive, authentic, and contextualized learning that is active, applied, and hands-on and that is related to a specific professional career path.”  One of the best ways for our students to maximize their immersive learning is through internships.  Six of our 2nd year T, TI, CI students recently shared their internship learnings with the first year students in  TED-style presentations.  I posed the following questions to them after their presentations.

Erin Compton (MATI, 2016. English/Spanish. delsurtranslations, Argentina.)
 Erin Compton
WH:  What was the #1 selection criterion as you looked for an organization to intern?

EC: I sought hands-on technical training and exposure to real-world translation and/or interpretation work in a Spanish-language environment.

WH:  What insights did you gain about yourself and your professional future thanks to the internship?

EC: I learned what contexts best foster my ability to produce good work and identified ways to overcome my weaknesses as a translator. I also gained more clarity regarding sector niches to consider moving forward; developing specialized expertise is one of my foremost professional goals.

WH:  From the employers’ perspective, what does a good intern look like while working for them?

EC: In addition to demonstrating an eye for detail and dedication to high quality, my employers appreciated a positive and collaborative attitude. Flexibility is also important, as projects, schedules and plans can change.

WH:  Any other words of wisdom to share with the 1st year students?

EC: Don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand something or need further explanation; this is your chance to ask all the questions you can in a safe and supportive professional environment before venturing out on your own. You will be interning amidst professionals who are in positions similar to those that you aspire to fill. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by!

 

Anelix Diaz Quinones (MATI, 2016.  Spanish/English. Organization of American States, U.S.A.)

Anelix Diaz QuinonesWH:  What was the #1 selection criterion as you looked for an organization to intern?

AD: I wanted to have the experience of both translating high register documents in an organization using a CAT tool I’ve never used before and interpreting in a mute booth in high profile and confidential meetings.

WH:  What insights did you gain about yourself and your professional future thanks to the internship?

AD: In very simple words, I challenged myself and realized I’m capable of doing so many things that I thought I couldn’t do. I learned to believe in myself. Most importantly, I realized that I still do have a passion for conference interpreting and that this is the type of setting where I would love to work in the near future.

WH:  From the employers’ perspective, what does a good intern look like while working for them?

AD: From the employer’s perspective, a good intern:

  • Follows specific translation guidelines given by the reviser
  • Is able to meet very tight translation deadlines
  • Is able to learn how to use a tool without needing constant assistance
  • Gets along with the T&I team

WH:  Any other words of wisdom to share with the 1st year students?

AD: Even though they don’t expect you to know how to use Trados Studio 2014 perfectly, it would be best if you could be already be familiarized with some of its basic features. Otherwise, you would have to study the guide on your own and then maybe ask specific questions. Also, it’s a good idea if you could visit their website and take a look at their thorough glossary and other useful resources available for OAS translators. These sources can be helpful for interpreting too. Lastly, since you won’t be too overloaded with work, take advantage of your free time and observe meetings of the Permanent Council, which are open to everyone who works at the OAS, and listen to the interpretations. Be willing to learn at all times!

 

Katrin Larsen (MATI, 2016.  Japanese/English.  WIPO, Switzerland)

Katrin LarsenWH:  What was the #1 selection criterion as you looked for an organization to intern?

KL: Useful career experience

WH:  What insights did you gain about yourself and your professional future thanks to the internship?

KL: I originally wanted to see whether I liked patent translation and the possibilities in this area for my future career, and through this internship I learned about what patent translation entailed and was able to develop skills that will help me in this area in the future.

WH:  From the employers’ perspective, what does a good intern look like while working for them?

KL: I believe that WIPO wants an intern who is curious and open to learning, who will be able to quickly learn about a very difficult and technical area of translation while also keeping their intrinsic writing skills in English to produce a translation that is both accurate and readable.

WH:  Any other words of wisdom to share with the 1st year students?

KL: Everything that you do can be an experience, so what is most important is to determine what you can learn from a given experience and to get the most out of it. Don’t worry that you might be wasting time on the wrong thing—rather determine what insights you can gain and focus on applying them towards your future.

  

Anna Suades Vall (MATI, 2016.  Spanish/English.  DA Office New York County, U.S.A.) 

Anna Suades ValWH:  What was the #1 selection criterion as you looked for an organization to intern?

AS: The possibility of gaining interpreting experience.

WH:  What insights did you gain about yourself and your professional future thanks to the internship?

AS: The internship made me realize that I am ready to and capable of translating and interpreting in the professional world. It also confirmed what I suspected; I love interpreting in court settings and I would like to combine conference interpreting with this other modality.

WH:  From the employers’ perspective, what does a good intern look like while working for them?

AS: Someone who is eager to learn, proactive and hard working.

WH:  Any other words of wisdom to share with the 1st year students?

AS: The main advice I can give them is to be patient and to keep their mind open to different possibilities. They might not know where they will intern until the very last month of the semester. I would also say that it is important to keep in mind that no matter where they go, they will be there to learn, they don’t need to know everything beforehand. Accepting this will help them enjoy the experience even more.

 

Lijuan (Delia) Wang (MACI, 2016.  Chinese/English.  Workday, U.S.A.)

Lijuan (Delia) WangWH:  What was the #1 selection criterion as you looked for an organization to intern?

DW:  Does it offer a position that challenges me and makes my summer worthwhile?

WH:  What insights did you gain about yourself and your professional future thanks to the internship?

DW: I discovered the fact that I can be very tech-savvy, if not everything else I want to be, as long as I put my mind to it. The internship also put localization PM on my radar as a potential future career path.

WH:  From the employers’ perspective, what does a good intern look like while working for them?

DW: I have a long list of adjectives to describe an ideal intern, but all of them truly boils down to some basic qualities: a good intern knows how to carry himself/herself in a professional setting and think like a business owner on a daily basis.

WH:  Any other words of wisdom to share with the 1st year students?

DW: Think as if you own the business (not the part of bossing people around)!

 

Kimberley Hunt (MAT, 2016.  English/French.  Technicis, France)

Kimberly HuntWH:  What was the #1 selection criterion as you looked for an organization to intern?

KH:  I was looking for an internship, preferably paid, in a French-speaking country to improve my language skills.

WH:  What insights did you gain about yourself and your professional future thanks to the internship?

KH: I learned that I loved translating and that I definitely chose the right career path for me.

WH:  From the employers’ perspective, what does a good intern look like while working for them?

KH: I produced quality work and asked questions when I didn’t know how to do something, instead of just sitting around having no idea what to do.

WH:  Any other words of wisdom to share with the 1st year students?

KH: You will be pleasantly surprised by how professional your training at MIIS is, and how prepared you are to do real-world work during your internship.

Winnie Heh
Career & Academic Advisor
wheh@miis.edu

Is there a “Monterey Method of Teaching”?

Renee Jourdenais Dean of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation and Education Management
Renee Jourdenais
Dean of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation and Education Management

 

After attending the American Translators Association (ATA) Annual Conferences for 20-plus years as an interpreter and an LSP executive, ATA 2015 was the first one that I attended as the Career and Academic Advisor for the Translation, Translation & Interpretation, and Conference Interpretation MA Programs at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS).  I was scheduled to be at our booth on the first day of the conference with Dean Renee Jourdenais of the Graduate School of Translation, Interpretation and Language Education at MIIS.  It turned out to be an extremely gratifying day for me hearing from the employers.

The day started with Celeste Bergold of the U.S. Department of State stopping by to tell us how much she valued our graduates.  She said she was particularly impressed by how they “hit the ground running” and didn’t need to be told things more than once.  She also noted their strong professional ethics and collaborative skills.  Unsolicited, several other employers came by to praise our graduates.  Some key phrases used were:

“The best”

“Dedicated and quick learners”

“Fabulous”

“Great project managers”

“Best professional knowledge, skills and ethics”

“Focus on quality”

An educator told our students at our alumni reception:  “You are in the right program.  It is tough, but rigorous.  Anyone who wants to do anything with languages should go to Monterey.”

Another educator said to Dean Jourdenais:  “You are the standard and we aspire to be you.”

I sat down with Dean Jourdenais after returning from the conference to review the feedback that we had received.

WH:  Renee, thank you for making the time to meet with me for this short interview.

RJ:  My pleasure.

WH:  Tell me about how you felt when you heard all those unsolicited compliments?

RJ:  It’s really gratifying to hear how employers feel about our graduates, and particularly notable that they feel this so strongly that they seek us out to tell us!  It certainly leads me to return to the Institute with a renewed sense of purpose and the comforting feeling that we’re on the right track and training people appropriately for their careers.

WH:  I have heard the term “the Monterey method of teaching”.  Could you please explain that and how much do you think it contributes to the great performance of our graduates?

RJ:  This is an intriguing term because I don’t think there’s any one particular way of teaching here.  Different faculty certainly have different approaches to training, but I do believe that what unites them is their commitment to ensuring that our graduates are people that they’ll want to work with.  After all, our students become our colleagues very quickly!  The faculty are all active in the field, they KNOW what skills are needed and are able to share this real world, real time knowledge with the students.  They’re also exceptional instructors.  It’s quite a gift to have talented practitioners who are also talented teachers and are able to share their skills and knowledge as they train the next generation.   We’re really fortunate and this leads us to be able to offer exceptional professional training to our students.

WH:  Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with me.  I am sure our students and alumni appreciate your insights.

Winnie Heh
Career & Academic Advisor
wheh@miis.edu