Alumni Profiles Series: Gabi Wurmitzer

Gabi Wurmitzer received her B.A. in German, history, and biochemistry and M.A. in German languages and literatures at the University of Vermont before receiving her Ph.D. in German from Duke University in 2012. She worked as a foreign language instructor at the Humboldt-Institut in Berlin, Germany, before returning to Duke to work as project coordinator for the Reader Project developed through the Thompson Writing Program. She served as academic programs coordinator for the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy until 2023 and, most recently, transitioned into the role of assistant director for regional and international engagement with Duke Alumni Engagement and Development. In each of her positions, Dr. Wurmitzer has utilized her expertise in teaching, mentorship, and project management.

Tell me about your doctoral studies at Duke.

In my dissertation research, I explored the radical experimentation of Austrian postwar authors and filmmakers with materiality, visuality, and performativity. I was interested in the intersections and implicit critique of language, culture and society in the context of grand narratives and “invisible structurations” that seemed to underpin narratives in a post-World War II Austria that aimed to separate itself historically and culturally from Germany. But aside from research, a large part of my doctoral experience was teaching German as a foreign language, which provided me with invaluable skills and experience(s).

How much of your Ph.D. work translated into work opportunities after graduation?

That’s a question that I could answer only after a few years of just doing. There wasn't a period where I thought, “Okay, now I have all these skills. I know how to write, how to formulate a coherent and cogent argument, how to conduct research and find sources. Now I can apply them.” Those were skills I had acquired through the Ph.D. But I knew that academia wasn't going to be where I would thrive. Academia can be a lonely place; you tend to be on your own or in a very specific group of academics spending much of your time researching and writing. And I knew that long term, that wouldn’t work with my personality—I wanted to work with people.

At that time, I was only aware of one skill that I could immediately apply outside academia: I knew I could teach. Over the years, I realized how much pedagogical knowledge and expertise I had. I had the ability to get to the bottom of a concept and build it up so that it’s understandable—particularly in the context of foreign language acquisition. So much of teaching a language requires contextualization and breaking down larger topics into simpler concepts. Combining that with my dissertation training, which involved constructing an argument and presenting material in a graspable and engaging way, made me realize that I have the versatility to present complex material to a variety of audiences and at different levels. Teaching, in particular, is about being mentally agile, and I was constantly adjusting my methods based on the learners’ aptitude, progression, and modes of learning.

For example, I worked with clients from many different industries—high-level executives, government administrators, and business managers—and one of those was the global head of marketing at a perfume company. I had to have the mental acumen and curiosity to learn about the fragrance industry to best prepare this person to communicate with industry peers and with consumers. That experience really showed me that while I’m the one formally teaching, I’m also learning specific language alongside the client—particular terminology or conventions and communication practices. That intellectual agility and being adaptable, that is a skill. Effectively communicating, that is a skill. Being proactive and able to anticipate what’s going to happen—all this needs to be learned and practiced.

To sum up, gaining teaching experience, having the sheer luxury of time to think about complex questions, as well as researching and breaking down concepts during my Ph.D. studies allowed me to cultivate critical thinking skills, develop mental agility and improve my ability to communicate with diverse audiences. Even though I did not stay on the traditional track of pursuing academia, those skills have been essential in the positions I’ve held up to this point.

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What was the transition like from teaching to taking on jobs in project and program coordination?

Teaching in Berlin was a wonderful and enriching experience, but I did not have that same feeling of scholarly community that I had at Duke.  I knew I wanted to go back to Durham, specifically to Duke, so I really limited my job search. I began looking at a number of administrative positions in various fields and departments at Duke. I knew that wherever I would land—whether that be in the humanities, social sciences or STEM realm—that I had the skills to pick up the specific background knowledge needed to be successful in the position.

So, when I saw the job posting for a project coordinator with the Duke Reader project, I was immediately drawn to the job. It may sound cliché, but the position opened up at the perfect moment for me, and I was a very good fit. Essentially, I was running a mentorship program for undergraduate students in classes where they had substantial writing projects. I would connect students with alums with expertise who could support them as neutral but interested and knowledgeable readers in their given discipline.

It was a wonderful experience getting to be back in an intellectual environment as well as working closely with a variety of constituents. The transition was also made more seamless because of how familiar I was with academic structures and expectations. Having had the opportunity to sharpen communication abilities and connecting with professionals at different stages in their development. And again, having so much hands-on experience in foreign language education really prepared me for the position, because I was used to being sort of a “life coach” or mentor, as well as a team leader, which I think is inherent to any sort of teaching position. You have to be good with people; part of that is understanding their needs and where they might be coming from. That ability made my transition into project coordination much smoother. Because, in reality you are not just coordinating a project—you are coordinating and collaborating with humans.

A few years after that, I moved to a program coordinator position with the Duke-Margolis Center. I was building a certificate program in health policy as well as a postdoc program, and I supported faculty with the writing of a research paper on health policy core competencies. This involved putting together strategy and protocols for running the programs and collaborating with various constituents across campus, as well as research and editing. And although I enjoyed the research and strategy aspect of the work, I wasn’t utilizing my people management skills in that role as much as I would have liked. What that position did, however, teach me, is how to be more strategic in planning, constructing five- to ten-year plans for the future development of both programs, and how to be resilient and resourceful in the face of major changes that come with the launch of new initiatives.

What do you enjoy most about your current position?

I’ll start with some background: Duke alums in many regions have regional directors who support them with building the alumni community in their area. We have regional directors in large cities in the U.S., but the position to manage alumni volunteers in smaller domestic markets and in Asia is a new role. So, I get to have a lot of say regarding how to shape the programming, what the outcomes should be, and how to get more alumni—particularly the ever-growing international alumni body—involved with Duke after graduating. I’m very lucky because this position really unites the types of responsibilities I enjoy having with my strengths: team and project management, strategic thinking, breaking down and thinking through short- and long-term goals, and fostering transcultural connections by continuing to learn more about different cultures myself.  For example, I have to be very aware of the context from which the alum I’m speaking with is coming; even though our international alumni are familiar with Western culture and values, those same principles may differ in their home country or in the country where they find a job. I get to navigate those dynamics, broaden my own cultural knowledge by learning from alumni, and find ways to navigate communication puzzles.

To answer the question: my favorite part of my current position is that I am challenged to find creative solutions, start a project from the ground up and build it out with a particular vision in mind, and help alums and colleagues maximize their strengths every day. I also very much enjoy being able to “translate” initiatives or ideas proposed by leadership into concrete and attainable goals and work with different teams to make things happen. I have amazing colleagues, and working with them is so rewarding. Duke, as an organization, is also extremely appreciative and supportive of its employees; that kind of environment really fosters growth and intrinsic motivation, which makes all the difference in job satisfaction, retention and productivity.

As a side note, I have a few colleagues who speak German, so it’s always fun getting to speak with them—and there are many who are incredibly well-versed in travel and other cultures, so that makes interactions even more engaging and brings me back to my roots both with regard to growing up in Austria and to my research, which was so interdisciplinary. 

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Author

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Natasza Gardner

Ph.D. student, German Studies

Natasza Gardner is a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in German Studies and the Graduate Student Affairs Intern in The Graduate School for 2024-25. Her dissertation explores the way twenty-first-century Roma and Sinti literature, theater and film facilitate the creation of non-territorial communities through their distinct formal and structural elements, as well as their theoretical commitments to queer studies, intersectional feminism, and Critical Race Theory.