Alumni
Graduates from the Obama Institute for Transnational American Studies have gone on to create a variety of fascinating and rewarding careers. Scroll down to see some of the promising futures available to our graduates and check the News & Events section for upcoming networking events or subscribe to our mailing list.
The Obama Institute is supported by numerous alumni and friends associations which seek to uphold university traditions in networking between friends and former students of faculty or the institute. The cross-faculty “Friends of Mainz University Society” is open to anyone who supports research and teaching at JGU. You can find an overview of the alumni works and services on the support and donations page.
My time in the American Studies program in Mainz provided me with a vital foundation for my current career, introducing me to key concepts and methodologies in cultural and literary studies with a strong focus on intercultural and transnational perspectives. I especially profited from direct exchange programs with California State University (Sacramento) and Columbia University, which offered many exceptional learning and teaching experiences as well as wonderful encounter with American scholars and writers, some of whom have become dear friends and colleagues.
Dr. Christine Marks
As an Associate Professor of English, Dr. Marks has the unique opportunity to work with one of the most diverse student populations in the United States as part of the nation’s largest urban public university system. She teaches composition and literature classes in the English Department, advises Liberal Arts students, serves on departmental and college-wide committees, co-coordinates professional development opportunities for faculty teaching first-year college students and learning communities, and presents and publishes her research in national and international venues.
New York City, NY, USA
As the American Studies Programme bas been taught in English throughout all levels and courses (also taught by various native speakers), this constant “exercise” of speaking and writing in English contributed to honing and perfecting my English language skills that have been called on in the communication with colleages from other European countries within the ERASMUS+ Programme (the Programme I worked for at PAD between 2000 and 2015) or, among other instances, when welcoming international delegations at the Secretariat. No doubt also my times spent abroad – e.g., at Rutgers University, New Jersey – helped me achieve my current position.
Cora Oepen, M.A.
As head of her unit for the Educational Exchange Service of the Secretariat of Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, Core Oepen is responsible for a “Premium Programme” that has been financed by the Foreign Office for 60 years (starting in 1959) and comprises the “Internationales Preisträgerprogramm” and “Deutschland Plus.” Every summer, these programs allow for about 950 pupils from over 90 countries to be invited to Germany where they spend two to four weeks visiting Germany’s major cities (Bonn, Berlin, Munich or Hamburg) and spending a fortnight in host schools located all over Germany. The pupils are awarded these scholarships on the strength of their excellent performance in learning German at school.
Bonn, Germany
Before moving to New Zealand to oversee science investment five years ago, I spent 17 years working in the philanthropic and non-for-profit sector in the U.S.; I also spent a short while in the Middle East helping develop a national RS&I strategy for one of the Gulf States. Whether working in the humanities, social science, or natural sciences, I have never strayed far from research. The American Studies program equipped me with the skills to think critically, to gather and analyze information efficiently, and to present arguments clearly and persuasively. The guest lecturers and exchange programs were invaluable in broadening my horizon and, ultimately, providing me with a stepping-stone to the U.S. Most importantly, the multi- and interdiscipinary-nature of the program prepared me to tackle new fields and disciplines with an open mind and an appreciation of methodological and theoretical differences. Little did I know that a course I took on New Zealand Short Stories in 1995/96 would prove to be immensely useful almost twenty years later!
Dr. Nicole Stahlmann
On behalf of the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, Dr. Stahlmann is responsible for some of New Zealand’s large and long-term strategic investments in research. For example, the National Science Challenges, established in 2014 after a public consultation, tackle the biggest issues and opportunities facing New Zealand: from preservation of our bioheritage and resilience to natural disasters to sustainable management of our seas. The eleven National Science Challenges bring together researchers and stakeholders to work collaboratively to achieve their objectives. Dr. Stahlmann sits on governance boards, reviews outputs and outcomes, and keeps the Minister informed on progress.
Wellington, New Zealand