Tristan Melton, a junior marketing major, boldly ventured beyond his comfort zone to secure an off-campus internship this summer—while navigating the entire process in Korean.
Meticulously preparing for the interview with Mason Korea’s Career Development Center (CDC), Melton was selected as a marketing intern at 4STEC, a middleware company based in Incheon.
This feat required Melton, a native of the state of Georgia, to obtain approval from the immigration office like all international students seeking paid employment in Korea.
“The prospect of facing an interview in Korean was initially daunting as I had never had to use a second language for an interview,” said Melton. “However, the CDC supported me through the entire process from refining my Korean resume and cover letter to staging mock interviews and teaching me about Korean work etiquette.”
The internship materialized through a global internship matching program operated by Incheon Technopark, designed to pair students with small and medium-sized enterprises with plans for global expansion.
“Tristan’s accomplishments underscore the untapped potential of our international student body,” said Mason Korea CDC Director Sangyong Lee. “I applaud his bold steps and strong work ethic. I hope his journey inspires other international students to reach higher and pursue their passions.”
“This internship has given me a sense of achievement because it showed me that I have the capabilities to work in a company devoid of an established international department,” said Melton. “I have also grown more confident in my Korean writing skills with my constant writing of research reports, which is something I was very nervous about at first.”
Having lived in Korea for over five years, including his service in the US Army, Melton's dedication to learning Korean has remained steadfast. He invested nearly 7 hours daily to his Korean studies during his first year of studies, which has clearly paid off.
“I chose Mason Korea because of its reputation for delivering excellence in education, and because it provides a great gateway for building a solid global network,” said Melton. “There are countless opportunities for students of all backgrounds here, and I recommend all international students to seek out opportunities—there are many out there, and all it takes is that extra step out of your comfort zone.”
August 18, 2023