Graduates

I started studying at the Department of English Translation and Interpreting at Izmir University of Economics in 2015. Seeing the opportunities provided by my school to develop my competences in different areas, I took courses from different faculties and departments. Meanwhile, I also laid the foundation of my command over the French language, which I now speak fluently. Getting familiar with disciplines other than my major have had a profound impact over my way of thinking as well as my plans for the future. Following my internship at the Directorate of International Relations of Izmir Chamber of Commerce at the end of my junior year, I decided that I wanted to learn more about the European Union and started participating in the EU Studies Certificate Programme offered by the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Owing to the theoretical framework and analytical thinking skills provided by both this programme and my department, I ranked first among Turkish translation and interpretation students in the 9th Young Translators Contest organised by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Directorate for EU Affairs. Furthermore, I was among the 13 Turkish students that were awarded a full scholarship by the same directorate to pursue a master’s degree at the prestigious College of Europe in Belgium. I successfully completed this programme. Apart from my determination, the most vital factors in my success were the strong academic background, connections, and professional competency offered by Izmir University of Economics.

In 2013, I received a full scholarship from Izmir University of Economics and started to study in English Translation and Interpreting Department, which was a great step in my education. The distinguished and well-appointed academic staff of the department and the opportunities offered by the university played a great role in my decision making process. IUE offers the opportunity to do a double major the students who can meet some specific conditions. By using this opportunity, I started to study in Political Science and International Relations Department when I was a sophomore. I had a very busy schedule for four years; however, I also had great time and met many valuable friends and lecturers.

In my remaining time, I tried to develop myself in social areas, too. I participated in TÜÇEB 3rd National Translation Studies Workshop and gave a presentation on “dubbing translation”. Besides, I was the head of IUE Translation Club and we published an online magazine. I also acted as a Project Assistant in ‘Translation through an Ecocritical Lens: A Descriptive Diachronic Approach to “Environmental Literacy” through (Re)translations in Children’s Literature’ Project started and led by Prof. Dr. Neslihan Kansu Yetkiner, Translation and Interpreting Department, Izmir University of Economics. In addition to this, my friends and I took part as simultaneous interpreters in conferences and workshops held in our university.

I received many precious awards throughout my university life. I was considered as a High Honor Student at the end of every term. Besides, I came in first place at 2017 Young Translators Contest held by the Ministry of EU Affairs and, together with the other winners, we visited the EU institutions in Brussels.

One month after my graduation, I started working as an Assistant Specialist in Izmir Chamber of Commerce. I would like to thank to all my lecturers - both in English Translation and Interpreting Department and Political Science&International Relations Department - who contributed to my career and supported me by all means

Izmir University of Economics is my second university adventure. Realizing that studying physics engineering does not make me happy, I decided to retake the university exam and I started studying in Department of English Translation and Interpreting with a full scholarship.  I have never looked back since then.

Izmir University of Economics was the right place for me both in terms of the quality of education and its atmosphere. I have learned a lot in four years, met many people and, most importantly, I had great experiences.

Our academic staff helped me develop in many areas. They guided me both in lessons and in extracurricular activities; they offered me great opportunities. I translated the training materials of Harvard Business School for the MBA program of our university. Besides, in my senior year, I acted as an interpreter in the conferences held by our university where I gained simultaneous and consecutive interpreting experience. In 2014, I participated in Young Translators Workshop held by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.  Ranking the second in Young Translators Contest held by the Ministry of EU Affairs, I was awarded with a 3 day Brussels trip in 2016.

Encouraged by our lecturers, I started working in Dragoman Language Technologies as an intern for 5 weeks in my junior year. A week after my graduation, I started working in the Izmir Office of Dragoman. Now, I am responsible of the training program of the Computer-aided Translation tool and I am the coordinator of subtitling projects. Also, I run the internship program that we offer twice a year and continue to work as an interpreter.

I started the English Translation and Interpreting Department at Izmir University of Economics in 2011. My biggest motivation was that I entered with a 50% success scholarship and my brother Alperen Özen also took lessons from the same teachers at the same department of the same university. Soon as I graduate, one of Europe's largest digital agency is the only company in the office at that time that I started work as an assistant in Izmir Turkey EMAKINA office. I have been promoted three times so far, using the information I have received from my education and the experiences I have gained. Today, I have been working as an Operations and Public Relations Specialist in my company for 3.5 years and I am very happy with what I do. She does not only learn translation strategies, types and fields in the English Translation and Interpreting department; at the same time, you learn to work in coordination and vision, think critically, write creative text, use the language correctly and appeal to the target audience correctly. Today, I am proud to highlight both myself and my company in all the operational corporate communication and media studies I have carried out in my business, using the valuable knowledge and experience I have learned throughout my education. I am happy to still be in contact with my respected teachers. I would recommend Izmir University of Economics and especially English Translation and Interpreting Department with confidence and pride to everyone who plans to study especially in an applied department.

After playing in Efes Pilsen Sports Club for 7 years, I had to continue my career together with my education as I have always done. Getting a sports scholarship from Izmir University of Economics, I moved to Izmir. I have to say that I am very lucky to have the chance to study Izmir University of Economics, and especially into English Translation and Interpreting Department. I have met with people not only giving us academic education but also important values in life. As I had a very busy Schedule while studying, I cannot be regarded as a very skilled and successful translator; but, I have always tried to improve myself. I have always regarded my second foreign language classes at utmost importance and worked at a basketball organization for 3 years in summer.

After graduation, my aim was to move to Barcelona and find a job. I started going to a language course in Spain. As I had a strong network, I started to work as a basketball coach in a sports club named “Unió Esportiva Sant Cugat”. Meanwhile, I also tried to connect with people from every realm in life. Four months later, I started to work as a translator (Spanish-English-Turkish) and a guide for the Turkish students and trainers. Then, I organized “Camp Barcelona” which served as a camp for basketball, English education and tourism. In my second year, I started my master’s degree on International Business Management Master at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. That year, Pınar Karşıyaka, the sports club that I have always wanted to work in, joined the EuroLeague Basketball whose office is in Barcelona. Therefore, I volunteered to work as a Project Manager in One Team, a EuroLeague CSR Project. This experience enabled me to work in the organization’s own CSR Project and “2015 Final Four Berlin” as a volunteer; also, I had the chance to gain experience in the market and to strengthen my network. I decided to move back to Istanbul as it has become hard to find a job in Spain due to the economic crisis.

I have been working as the Digital and Social Media Manager in Anadolu Efes Sports Club for a year and managing the club’s social media accounts, mobile application/website, digital procurement planning and digital sponsorship. In addition to this, I also support the club’s media relations and provide translation support to the players/coaches, when needed.

In 2007, I started to pursue B.A. degree in the Department of  English Translation and Interpreting at İzmir University of Economics, the first choice in my list of universities. This decision I made upon the recommendations of my teachers and many students led to my happiness to greatest extent later on. When I started my education, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to graduate or would soon drop out because I lacked self-confidence and necessary knowledge. I believed that the best period of my school life had to be the one I would spend at the university and that this had to come true in terms of not only social life but also educational life. And that’s what came true. In the first year, I felt incompetent in several subjects. In time, I realized that I was getting more competent and getting better thanks to the feedbacks of my lecturers. I started to be self-confident and do things better with the help this motivation.  A few interpreting practices (which, I thought previously, was beyond my imagination) I got involved in successfully contributed to an increase in my motivation.

A few months after my graduation, I started working as a translator at Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Foreign Relations Department, where I served internship for six weeks. First day, I encountered many events that made me realize the importance of the department I graduated from. I am always fond of graduating from a department which educates better-equipped graduates when compared to other language departments. I became an important employee of the institution especially with my translation and interpreting performances in terms of texts on law, economics and social sciences.

Now, I work at Antalya Metropolitan Municipality City Theatre. I am Foreign Relations Specialist of the theatre and the one holding the door leading to the world. I grabbed the opportunity to meet many people and I work with ever growing enthusiasm and motivation every day. I still exercise my profession through translation and interpretation and never neglect my personal development.

I always considered my lecturers as models and will continue to do so. Being a successful translator is both important and makes one proud.  The most important thing I learnt from my lecturers is always wanting to be better and having an insatiable desire for knowledge. For me, this is nothing that you can learn at an ordinary school. Our lecturers, who thought us to have desire for knowledge and intellectual curiosity, represented a great chance. I owe them a deep gratitude. Everything I have and everything I will have in the future point out their endeavors.

If I had the chance to make a decision once more, I would decide on the same university, the same department but this time, I would graduate as a lot more successful student. If you want to feel self-confident while taking further steps towards your future life, I would recommend the department I graduated from. Endless thanks to my family and my lecturers..

I didn't have Izmir University of Economics in mind when I was making a choice on which university to attend in 2007. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to become an English translator and interpreter. After I received an invitation letter from İzmir University of Economics, I visited the university. Everybody in the university was very warm and kind. Also the activities in the school and the quality of education really attracted me and at that moment I decided to study in Izmir University of Economics. Four years flew by so fast that none of us have noticed. We could also spare time for social activities despite the intensity of the courses. Our lecturers were very understanding in this regard.  After I graduated from the university in 2011, I recognized that we were one step ahead of other translators thanks to the education we received in Izmir University of Economics. I always feel proud of my university and instructors whenever someone tells me that I am one of the most successful translators they have ever met.

I am now working as a translator in a Canadian company. I worked as an interpreter non-stop for two months and I still work as an interpreter and translator in the same company. After beginning to work, I realized that we received an education that allows us to overcome every translation challenge. I am grateful to all my lecturers for being able to do things that I didn’t think I could do.

Despite some hesitations I had when I started studying at the Department of English Translation and Interpreting with full scholarship in 2007, I realized when I was yet a freshman that I did the right thing.  Apart from qualified education, our university offered various opportunities to enable students to graduate as fully qualified and ready for business life. Eager to benefit from these opportunities, I started to study in my second year also at the Department of International Relations and the European Union as part of Double Major Program.

At the end of the third year, having chosen the interpreting module, I started to practice what I learnt through theoretical education and was able to practice interpreting for one-year period in an interpreting laboratory which is available at only a few universities in Turkey. Thanks to our dear professors with an understanding of student-oriented education, I could get involved in business life while I was still a student. Upon their suggestions, I worked as simultaneous interpreter in various conferences and meetings, thereby stepped in the professional life. I also started to work as a professional translator as of my third year thanks to the qualified translation education on law, economics and social sciences. Likewise, I successfully completed the courses I attended at the Department of International Relations and the European Union.

In 2011, I graduated as the third most successful student of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting and high honor student and soon I started to work at an export company as a translator for international commercial correspondence. I could thus realize my long-time willingness for learning export and commerce. I not only made commercial correspondence of the company with the receivers abroad and made international connections but also got used to this new field through practice. Since the company I worked for also had export relations with Spain, I could use Spanish, which I learnt as second foreign language at university, both in written and spoken communication.

The following year, I started to work as assistant specialist at the Mediterranean Exporters Union, which was founded in order to organize the exporters and contribute to the economic development by increasing the export through enhancing collaboration and is operating in the Mediterranean region within the scope of the Exporters Union acting under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy. I still work in this Union.

I participate in international conferences held in order to increase export, bring in new markets for the sector and sustain the existence of Turkish companies in the available markets. I also organize commerce committees to various countries and be present at international fairs in the name of the Union.

I owe special thanks to my dear professors who offered such qualified education, enabled us to get involved in business life confidently and always provided assistance.

İzmir University of Economics. The best decision I have taken as regards education and career since I have been able to make a comprehensive use of the education I received before 2010, when I graduated. I started to pursue B.A. degree in the Department of English Translation and Interpreting in 2006. The university offered various options in terms of education and career. I started to benefit from these options by attending the Department of International Relations and the European Union as part of Double Major Program. The next step enabled me to cross the border of my country. I received language and translation education as part of Erasmus Program at The University of Salford in Manchester, The United Kingdom. I knew, even before leaving Turkey and after coming back, that a tiring period was ahead. However, I never thought of missing or waiving these two opportunities. I completed both major and double major programs as well as Erasmus Program thanks to the belief of my family and the support of my lecturers which continued throughout my four-year education period. It is thanks to the true guidance of my lecturers that I received the opportunity to serve internship at İzmir Development Agency (İZKA-İzmir Kalkınma Ajansı), a successful example of Development Agencies, which represent a new way of contributing to the regional development of our country. It is the education I received at our university that enabled me to start my professional life immediately after the graduation at the Agency where I was once an intern.

I started working at Ekol Logistics (Ekol Lojistik A.Ş.) in İstanbul in 2010. I continued working by getting two promotions in two subsequent years and I am still working at Ekol Logistics as Activity Logistics European Fairs Process Manager.

I still talk affectionately of the comprehensive education the university offered and my lecturers who equipped us in the best way possible for business life and social life. I believe that they will always be proud of us as well. My university was the best decision I have taken in terms of education. I owe a great debt of gratitude to all our lecturers who always provided their full support.

Having graduated from English Translation and Interpreting Department in 2010 and I started my master’s degree in international Trade at Dokuz Eylül University.

As a graduate student, I worked as a translator at an official UK Visa Application Center. Once I graduated, I became a certified translator. I have always been interested in sales and marketing and I wanted to combine these fields with my major; therefore, I wanted to continue my career in overseas sale and export. For nearly 10 years, I have been working as a Key Account Executive in a leading company in medical sector.
Apart from having a good command in English, one of the greatest advantages of studying at IUE has been the courses that we took in different fields. As it is a prerequisite for translators to have background information in various fields, we took courses in economics, law etc. In the long term, these courses and practice-based education have benefited me greatly in terms of management and organization of the countries that I am responsible for. Besides, second language courses offered by IUE make a huge contribution in business life.

The academic staff has always supported us both as students and as graduates. Besides, the Alumni Relations Office and Career Guidance Center continue to offer IUE graduates with new opportunities. For example, working in coordination with IUE Career Guidance Center while we were looking for an intern within our department, one of the students had the opportunity to start in our company upon graduation. I would like to thank all of them.

 

I graduated from the department of English Translation and Interpreting at Izmir University of Economics as a high honor student in 2009. After a while, I moved to Istanbul and I have been working as a translator and interpreter at Denizbank General Directorate for almost four years. I always reap the benefit of the courses I received from the lecturers specialized in their fields. I took several courses from different fields such as economy, medicine, literature and sociology during my education and I now make use of these courses in my career. Before I graduated, I also worked as a simultaneous interpreter in many conferences and meetings thanks to my university. Therefore, it was easy for me to start my career after graduation. A successful university plays a significant role shaping your future. I have a job that I love and I have learned by experience that I made the right choice by becoming a translator. I recommend the same for you.

I graduated from the department of English Translation and Interpreting at Izmir University of Economics. I had already decided to get a master’s degree a year before I graduated. During the translation theory courses, I realized that more research had to be done on translation studies in Turkey so I applied to Aston University in England. It was big opportunity for me that the 8^th International Language, Literature and Stylistics Symposium took place at IEU and Christina Schäffner was invited as a speaker. I worked as an interpreter in this symposium. Thus, I gained experience as an interpreter and I had more information about the studies carried on this field as a result of closely following the presentations and discussions. I also had the chance to talk face to face with Christina Schäffner. Besides knowing me and my lecturers personally, I can say that her observations of my educational environment played a significant role in my acceptance in master’s degree program in Aston University.

I have got  PhD degree in Interlanguage and Intercultural Translation Studies at Yıldız Technical University, Department of Western Languages and Literatures. I had a chance to study with prominent academicians both in Turkey and in England. I have been working as faculty member in the Department of Translation and Interpretation (English) at İstanbul 29 Mayıs University. I also work as a Deputy Director at Institute of Social Sciences in the same university. I owe it all not only to my personal efforts and quality of my education but also to all my lecturers in the department of English Translation and Interpreting at Izmir University of Economics, who always encourage me and support me to further my academic studies.

I graduated as the second most successful student of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting, Izmir University of Economics, in 2008. In my fourth year, I worked as interpreter in International Food, Nourishment and Cancer Symposium Panel.  I interpreted at the 8^th International Language, Literature, Stylistics Symposium and “The Necessary Attitudes in the Face of Accidents and Injuries and First Aid Practices in Daily Life” Seminar organized by Izmir University of Economics. After graduation, I worked as English lecturer at the School of Foreign Languages, Ege University for four years. I lectured on grammar, reading, listening and writing. I also I worked as English lecturer at Gediz University for certain period.  I currently work as translator and interpreter at the Directorate of the European Union and Foreign Relations at Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. I benefit especially from the translation courses on diplomatic texts and the European Union texts I attended at the university. Thanks to the qualified education at the university, I always feel one step ahead. I am deeply grateful to all the professors, who offered this qualified education and always provided their assistance.