Recipient of the 2024 MSTI Alumni Impact Award talks about breaking into tech and why she gives back
By Suzanne Lee
Angela Sun (MSTI 2019), recipient of the 2024 Master of Science in Technology Innovation (MSTI) Alumni Impact Award, presented by UW’s Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), was recently recognized for her outstanding contributions to the tech industry and her commitment to mentorship. Nominated by her peers for embodying the spirit of MSTI, Sun has dedicated her time and expertise to mentoring students since graduating from the program in 2019.
Before enrolling in the MSTI program at GIX, which is a joint initiative of UW’s College of Engineering and Foster School of Business, Sun earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Entrepreneurial Leadership studies from Tufts University. She began her career in corporate strategy consulting but realized she needed additional skills and experience to break into tech. She identified the MSTI and the support of GIX as the best path toward gaining hands-on technical expertise and learning to work across business and engineering disciplines.
Sun took a few moments away from her role as a Microsoft Product Manager for the Gaming Platform to share more about her experiences in MSTI and as an alumni mentor. Here’s a snapshot of our conversation.
Strategic career-building
Sun attributes her networking successes to a proactive approach to career-building. Developing an ‘always on’ mindset was key during the MSTI program. “I raised my hand in lectures to engage with guest speakers, attended industry events after school, and even cold-messaged new accelerators when I read about them in press releases,” she explained.
Making networking mutually beneficial became a priority. Sun explained that she offered insights and recommendations to contacts and colleagues she wanted to learn from, creating meaningful connections.
Sun also refined and tailored her approach to specific industries, “As I practiced pitching to venture capitalists and product leaders, I learned what character traits and skill sets interest employers in those fields. For example, I learned that startup experience matters much more than large company experience for venture capitalists. It sounds obvious, but coming from strategy consulting for Fortune 500s, it was news to me. So, I sought internships and hackathons to beef up my resume for certain roles.”
Learning the art of networking
Sun encourages MSTI students to treat networking as an iterative skill that anyone can develop over time.
“If networking intimidates you, think of your first coffee chat as your ‘minimum viable product,’” she advised. “At first, you’ll probably be bad at it—and that’s okay. The key is to gather feedback from each interaction and keep improving.”
She also suggests seeking out experienced networkers for guidance. “If you want to get better at it quickly, find someone great at networking and learn from them. I always welcome people to connect with me on LinkedIn,” she said.
To stand out in a competitive job market, Sun emphasizes thinking strategically. “You need to figure out what matters to your target employers, build those skills through hands-on experience, and then make sure they notice you,” she explained. “If you understand that networking is about solving a pain point for the right employer, you’ll feel more confident knowing that you’re helping them just as much as they’re helping you.”
Two-way learning experiences
Sun sees mentorship as mutually beneficial for mentors and mentees.
“People often focus on how mentorship benefits the mentee, but I think it’s just as valuable for the mentor,” she said. “Not only does mentoring signal that you’ve developed the skills to help others, but mentoring is also rewarding—it boosts mental well-being and provides fresh inspiration.”
She has found that mentorship is a two-way learning experience. “I’m often impressed by the creativity and thoughtfulness of the students I mentor. They bring new perspectives that challenge my thinking. I’m inspired by the gumption and drive of GIX mentees, and I receive inspiration from learning about their strategies for managing their learning and career development,” she affirmed.
For Sun, mentorship extends into social media. She’s also a career and networking influencer on the platform Red Note under the handle “Angela Elle”, where she’s empowering students and working professionals to level up their career skills at scale.
MSTI as a launchpad for Microsoft
Although Sun had strong networking and presentation skills before entering the program, the MSTI challenged her to refine her teamwork and communication skills.
“Before the program, I had mostly worked in business—sales, consulting, etc. But in tech, you must be excellent at pitching ideas to diverse stakeholders, including engineers, product leaders, designers, and data scientists. Each discipline has its own perspective, vernacular, and priorities,” she explained.
Her first attempt at pitching an idea in the program was a wake-up call. “I landed on my face,” she admitted. “Engineers and designers cared less about the business opportunity and more about the feasibility of a product. That experience challenged me to improve my technical knowledge and prepare more thoroughly when making product suggestions.”
Through MSTI’s team-based projects, she practiced working with people from different professional backgrounds and disciplines, which has been invaluable in her current role at Microsoft. “These ‘mini practice rounds’ in the program prepared me well for real-life collaboration,” she said.
Reflecting on her experiences, she shared, “GIX challenged me in ways I never expected. I had to refine how I worked across multiple teams and functions—learning to speak their language and understand what drives them. That lesson has stayed with me in every role since.”
Building relationships that shape success
Sun’s willingness to embrace new challenges and proactively build relationships has shaped her success and positively impacted the MSTI community.
Now, as a mentor, she continues to give back. “I encourage everyone to make mentorship part of their career. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn from the people you guide.”
The Global Innovation Exchange (GIX) is a collaboration between the University of Washington’s College of Engineering and the Foster School of Business. The MSTI program at GIX provides students with interdisciplinary, hands-on experience in technology innovation, preparing them for careers at the intersection of business and engineering.
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