Growing up in Taiwan, Jill Chang was a baseball fan since the country’s adoption of the sport. Her interest in sports continued as she got older, but Chang never knew she could be involved in anything sports-related.
“I never thought of participating in anything related to pro baseball because there was no role model for me; it was impossible for a girl who doesn’t play baseball to even have a role in the industry.”
After getting her undergraduate degree, Chang’s parents encouraged her to see the world and learn what she was passionate about. Chang’s journey took her to the School of Kinesiology where she could start a career in sports.
Chang chose the sport management MA program to obtain more knowledge about the sports industry and to get her foot in the door. She was drawn to the program’s curriculum, the sports teams in the Twin Cities, and the lower living expenses.
Chang enjoyed her experience within the sport management MA program, particularly how the curriculum involved discussions, group projects, critiques of the materials read, and networking with people in the industry. Chang also felt great support from faculty, advisors, staff, and classmates. While getting her MA degree, Chang wrote a thesis and had an internship. These activities aren’t required of the degree, but doing so allowed her to work with the Minnesota Twins and get hands-on experience with a sports team.
In the end, Chang felt getting her master’s degree was worth it. Chang returned to Taiwan after receiving her degree and was hired by the biggest sports marketing company in the country. She later became one of the founding members of its sports agency department, the first of its kind in Taiwan. Her successes don’t stop there. Chang also helped five Taiwanese players sign contracts with Major League Baseball teams within two years and she was one of the few females in Taiwan’s sport industry during this time.
“None of these [experiences] would have happened if I didn’t have the MA degree and experiences I obtained at the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis.“
Chang’s master’s degree hasn't limited her to the sports industry. She’s also worked in international trading, health and care, and interpretation services. Currently, Chang is an international philanthropy advisor where she connects US-based donors to Asian-based nonprofit organizations. In all of her roles, she's enjoyed "making meaningful connections to make the seemingly impossible happen."
Perhaps her most well known accomplishment is being the author of Quiet is a Superpower, a book to help introverts to survive and thrive in the workplace. While writing the book, Chang enjoyed getting to know people from around the world in the comfort of her own home.
Although Chang has had what many would deem as a successful career, she doesn’t always know what the future holds. For those who may be feeling the same way, she feels that working hard and doing things strategically is a great piece of advice to hold on to.
“Always think about the aspects you can do better- better than last time, better than the others, how to help the team better, how to make sure the world sees the results. Once you excel in a role and people know about it, your road will expand.”
Outside of her career, Chang enjoys reading, going to the gym, and spending time with family. She’s also been enjoying baseball as a fan again, something she hasn’t been able to do in a long time. She welcomes people to connect with her through the channels below:
- X and Instagram: injillchang
- LinkedIn: Jill Chang 張瀞仁
- injill.com
Photo Courtesy of Kai-Yun Wang