She is originally from Antioch, CA (located in the East Bay in Northern California). She is a second year UCLA graduate student and teaching assistant in the English department. Shirley has done everything from teaching in China to studying abroad and working in a publishing house.
Her Campus: Why did you decide to teach in China?
Shirly Tung: Many factors influenced my decision to teach in China, but my parents
were my main source of inspiration. Both my parents immigrated to
America as young adults (my mother came from the Philippines at 14 and
my dad from Hong Kong at 19) and worked multiple minimum-wage jobs to
support me while I was growing up. Although my parents never had the
opportunity to attend college, they instilled within me a love for
education and the desire to teach others, especially those who, like
my parents, are not as readily able to seek quality education. In May
2005 I had just finished my Masters degree at Oxford University when I
saw an ESL job advertised at a small liberal arts college in an
impoverished area of South East China. I was instantly compelled to
apply, and two months later I was on plane across the Pacific.
HC: How has that experience made you who you are today?
ST: My year in China was a life-changing experience– not only did I have
the pleasure of teaching some of the brightest and most eager learners
I have ever met, I’ve had the opportunity to visit some of the
greatest natural and man-made wonders on the Asia continent, and meet
amazing people. From traversing the Great Wall at Simatai to my first
glimpse of Mount Everest after a three-week journey through Tibet to
living with a family of migrating camel herders in the Gobi Desert, I
feel like I’ve lived more in that year than most people have in a
lifetime. I would definitely recommend the experience to all who are
interested.
HC: What is your advice to students who would like to travel abroad?
ST: I would recommend selecting a program that fits your interests, short
and long-term goals, and personality. Studying abroad, especially in
an English-speaking country is a good way to start. The UC system has
an excellent study abroad program that ranges from summer trips to
London to year-long enrollment in universities across the globe. My
first trip abroad was a semester-long exchange with University
College, London while I was a Junior at UC Berkeley. The experience
lead prepared me for the demands of applying for and successfully
completing a Masters degree program at Oxford University. It also made
me more inclined to want to travel further afield to places like
China. My main advice when it comes to traveling is don’t be afraid to
step out of your comfort zone– you’ll be rewarded greatly for taking
the risk!
HC: How did you decide to start working in New York for a publishing house?
ST: After I finished teaching in China and backpacking through Asia, I
decided to work for a couple of years to pay off my student loans. As
an English major, I thought my skills would be most readily
transferrable to a literary job like publishing. I wanted to continue
living in Oxford, England so I applied for a job as a Export Trade
Sales Assistant at an independent international publishing house in
Oxford. After two years, I was promoted to manager of the sales
department and I was offered the opportunity to help open a new
American branch in New York City.
HC: How have you overcome any obstacles that come with working in the competitive nature of a publishing house?
 ST: I think the biggest obstacle for me was dealing with my own
expectations. I originally planned to get in the ‘door’ through my
Export Trade Sales Assistant role and eventually transfer into the
Editorial department (where I wanted to be, and thought I belonged).
However, as I soon found out, the whole of publishing is far bigger
than just being an author or an editor. As part of the Sales and
Marketing department, I have had the opportunity to get a sense of the
book market, speak with large chains like Barnes and Noble, travel to
international book fairs in places like Frankfurt, Germany, design my
ad campaigns for magazines, and gain a whole new appreciation for the
huge industry at work that provides the world with so much information
and entertainment.
HC: From your New York experience, what are some tips for those aspiring journalists?
ST: The most important thing to remember, especially in New York City, is
to network as much as possible. It’s okay to start of somewhere small,
and perhaps in an area of publishing that is unrelated to your initial
interests, because it will give you an opportunity to meet people that
may set you on a more fruitful path in your career. Shake lots of
hands, make lots of small talk, develop a two-minute, pithy but
engaging spiel about your journalistic ambitions, swap business cards,
and get your name out there, but also be prepared to play the waiting
game and to receive the occasional rejection. I’ve seen several author
proposals circulate throughout my publishing house, and only a few are
ever accepted the first time around, but persistent and resilient
authors eventually do make it into print. In a business like
publishing, it is best not to take any setbacks personally, but
instead, view them as valuable learning experiences. As for my
personal story, things could have worked out for me if I had decided
to stay in publishing. When I announced I was leaving my publishing
house to pursue a PhD at UCLA I was offered the opportunity to take on
Commissioning Editor duties at the New York branch– however, the
siren song of academia and teaching proved too irresistible. The
bottom line is, be patient and persistent, and things will happen for
you.
Photos: (1) Her graduation from Oxford (July 2006) (2) Her students in
China (2005-2006).