Today we’d like to introduce you to Ming Tung
Hi Ming, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Ming, I am a designer and illustrator originally from Taipei, Taiwan.
Creating illustrations, dancing, watching movies, and observing people and the environments around me have always been my hobbies. My parents are very supportive of my talents-learning . I was a ballerina for 8 years after I started walking. I won a national tradition group ballet dancing competition and stopped due to an injury at 11. I took my lessons into different perspectives when I looked at the world, embraced them and turned them into nutrients of my personal growth.
Influenced by the movies and the culture, studying in the States started to be my dream since elementary school. I waited 10 years for an opportunity to come, won the MOE full scholarship and came to ArtCenter College of Design to study Graphic Design.
I am currently a Junior Designer at Apple, Marcom. I continue to find inspiration in my surroundings while cherishing the people I love. “Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead.“ — Philippians 3:13-14
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I graduated a year early!
These past years, I received a national scholarship during the highest peak of Covid in 2020 and didn’t take any breaks for three years after transferring. Each semester, I maxed out my course credits, fulfilled my national scholarship obligations by returning to Taiwan mid-term, and managed three internships and a part-time job. Achieving my goal of graduating early and securing a job was no small feat.
These days haven’t been easy. In 2020, during the pandemic, I received a fully funded scholarship to study abroad for a year. During my national scholarship period, I had discussed with my ACCD professors and department head about transferring schools and continuing my studies, but within a month of completing the scholarship, I was told by the Admission Head that I had to retake all my courses, restart the transfer process, and begin again from the 2nd term (out of 8 terms), despite already having completed 3 terms and an additional 3 years of study prior in Taiwan.
The credit transfer process was mishandled, requiring me to retake Motion Design 1 and other courses I had already completed during my national scholarship period. I remember writing countless emails about retaking courses I had already passed, only to receive a reply from the department chair in bold, red uppercase letters: “THERE’S NO SUCH THING CALLED FREE LUNCH.” The department head, secretary, and lead professor held a meeting with me, stating, “We can’t help you anymore, otherwise we will get fired.” When I reached out to Admissions and copied the professor responsible for my scholarship, the Admission Head replied, saying the school’s policy was to not count credits earned during the national scholarship year and demanded, “I will need you to stop including other professors in the email.” Even though I did nothing wrong, every time I tried to communicate about my credits, it left me emotionally exhausted and questioning myself. Even in my graduation semester, the student experience head emailed, “You were advised against transfer,” which was unprecedented.
After my case, the Ministry of Education added a special note under the ACCD study abroad terms specifying that credits earned during the national scholarship period couldn’t be counted. I became the exception due to an unreasonable system. While I was serving as the Pratt department chair’s TA during the national scholarship, the chair told me that if I had chosen their school, this situation would have never occurred. But for my dreams, I resolutely stayed at ACCD.
What I experienced at school was my most difficult time but also when I became strongest. I would wake up and head straight to work every day. Each semester, I experienced overwork that caused me to fall ill with a fever at least twice. I even had a professor who wouldn’t allow me to leave class despite having severe fever. There were times when I was so overwhelmed by emotions before leaving the house that I couldn’t even step out the door. Diagnosed with mild depression and overwork-related fatigue, I am especially grateful to the professors who, while not fully understanding my situation, still deeply cared about me.
During the time when I couldn’t return home, my grandfather and my dog of 16 years passed away. Life is fleeting and ever-changing. “Of course, we are all human, fragile and weak, and sometimes we push ourselves beyond our limits. In those moments, it’s okay to cry as much as you need.” I made it through, and on the day of graduation, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, knowing that “even the worst memories, once they pass, will eventually become the most beautiful ones.”
The road less traveled is full of thorns, but I’ve never given up on standing up for myself. “The freedom to create allows me to break free from the burdens of the mind.” On the day of my graduation, the professor who once wanted to help me had become the department chair, and he said to me, “You’re feisty in a good way. You never give up on going after what you want.”
Sending deepest gratitude to God, my supportive parents, the professors who guided me and gave me unforgettable praise upon graduation, the friends and church sisters who supported me and flew in for my graduation, the beautiful flowers and heartfelt gifts that moved me to tears, and my boyfriend, who was there for me through countless bouts of anxiety. I did it! I’ll continue to move forward calmly, step by step, constantly evolving.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a graphic designer and illustrator. I currently work at Apple, Marcom as a Junior Designer. I was the graphic design intern at Apple in 2023 and Girls in Film (GiF) in 2021. I was one of the youngest to exhibit work in the 2021 In Progress exhibition and the first Taipei Illustration Fair in 2018. My work has been constantly inspired by cinematic scenes. That’s usually how people resonate with my illustration pieces. I would say I am a hardworking designer that has my own learning pace and ambitions.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is the last night I performed on a city stage for a grand ballet show. My mom helped me with the prettiest snow-themed makeup, and I was complimented on my smile and professionalism in dancing. I have always been a kid who doesn’t experience stage fright and enjoys being on stage.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ming-tung.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ming.le_art/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ming-tung-3876961b8/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK7usO2DHG3F7NYwgcZT7aw
