Finding The Right Direction: How Grad School Guided Me to the Right Profession
Edited by Vismitha Yaji
In this installment, Student Voices connects and highlights, a fellow Media Management Graduate student, Gina Chuang, and her journey with TNS Grad School.
Gina reflects on her university experience, highlighting challenges such as communicating with international peers and adjusting to frequent departmental changes, and expresses a desire for more class engagement and a stronger focus on broadening the curriculum.
The conversation also follows common misconceptions about international graduate students and highlights professional goals and student life.
Reflecting on student life and the importance of student voices, can you share a moment from the past year that challenged you and taught you a valuable lesson or revealed something new?
I work at the CELS office, the Center for English Language Studies, where I communicate with international undergraduates. This role has been both interesting and challenging, particularly in email communication, as many students are located globally. Collaborating with the International Student Services (ISS) and other offices adds complexity. Initially, it was quite overwhelming, but after nearly a year in this position, I’ve gained a better understanding of the process and know how to handle these challenges more effectively. I’ve also learned the importance of continuous learning, as the university changes almost every semester. Departments are restructured frequently, making adaptation a constant challenge in my role.
What’s the one thing you wish more people understood about being a student today?
When people ask what I do, I usually say I’m in grad school. This response helps avoid any potential judgments about my choices. Fortunately, I haven’t encountered any negative perceptions about my studies here, unlike back home. Graduate school in Taiwan is quite different; the expectations and pressures are much higher. Students must begin working on their thesis as soon as they start their programs, leading to a heavy workload and significant stress. In contrast, here in the U.S., the experience feels less intense. Back home, the first question I often receive is, “What will you write for your thesis?” There is a very contrasting cultural difference that highlights the varying pressures we face as international students in our academic journeys.
Is there a particular class, event, or experience here that changed your perspective on something significant to you?
When I started grad school, I was unsure of my career path and considered journalism. However, Professor Mark Walton’s Media Economics class changed everything. During a visit to an ad agency, Mark, a former account executive, invited professionals to share their experiences in a panel discussion. Their insights about daily responsibilities helped me realize my passion for advertising and the potential to become an account executive. Mark also had a unique approach to introductions. Instead of introducing ourselves, we paired up to share about each other, which allowed us to regroup and present our partner. This method resonated with me; I felt more comfortable representing someone else, reflecting the essence of being an account executive—representing the agency and the client.
If you could change one thing about your student experience, what would it be and why?
I feel that everything is interconnected, but I want to connect with my classmates as friends, not just peers in class. Living closer to campus would help facilitate this but it is expensive. While I talk to classmates during class, those interactions often end there, and I struggle to initiate conversations afterward. This reflects my personality as well; I’m not very social, but I would like to see more engagement. The lack of student interaction outside of class limits my involvement and makes it harder to build friendships. I often leave class feeling like I missed opportunities to connect. Building a supportive community is essential for enriching anyone’s academic journey.
Lastly, is there anything else you’d like to share about your university journey or any achievements of yours that you would like to highlight?
I’m happy to have figured out my career path, as I initially felt lost in grad school. Now that I have a clear goal, I can take classes that align with my interests. However, the school lacks sufficient advertising courses; the only one available is Advertising History, which isn’t directly helpful. While I appreciate related topics like branding, they don’t fully address my focus. I believe the curriculum needs to expand beyond film studies to include more diverse media topics relevant to the field. This is something I wasn’t aware of when I started, but it’s essential for a well-rounded education.
If you’d like to share your own stories, we’d love to hear from you! Submit your contributions here or reach out to us at smscommsandevents@newschool.edu.