Michaela Hausbacher: Committed to students

What do graduates of Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) do for a living? In order to introduce students to different perspectives, Michaela Thiel and her team from the central alumni network "Uni Würzburg Community" regularly interview selected alumni.

Today: Michaela Hausbacher. She studied special education at JMU and started her traineeship in Schwandorf in September 2025. She can't say much about the job yet - except that she really likes it at the school and the staff are nice and helpful.

We therefore talk about the commitment she has shown in the Council of Student Representatives and its "Events & Culture" department.

Michaela, how were you able to reconcile your studies with your commitment to the Speakers' Council?

I was lucky that I didn't have to complete my degree in the standard nine semesters, but was able to take two semesters more. This took a lot of pressure off me and gave me the freedom to get more involved in the student's representation, the Stuv, on the side. The secretaries of the Stuv, Pia Grimm and Christine Vierheilig, were an enormous support. Without them, many things would not have been possible.

Why did you decide to specialise in special education?

When I was at school, I was unsure for a long time which career path I wanted to take. It was only towards the end of sixth form that I developed the desire to become a primary school teacher. Through a friend and my mum, I finally thought about special needs education. Unfortunately, as I had hardly had any contact with a special needs centre up to that point, I decided to do some work experience after my Abitur - to find out what I liked better. This made me realise how wonderful and important it is to be able to meet children individually. That ultimately convinced me to go into special education.

How did your voluntary work come about?

I was pupil representative at school for three years. During this time, I realised how much I enjoyed being actively involved in processes, taking on responsibility and organising things. I was able to organise many events, such as the lower school carnival, Valentine's Day activities or a charity run. I initially lacked this level of commitment during my studies. That's why I first joined the Special Education Student Council, then the Human Sciences Student Council. Over time, I got to know more and more people who were involved across the university. That inspired me. At the beginning of 2024, I finally took over the Events & Culture Department and was elected to the Council of Student Representatives.

What did you love about studying and working in the Events & Culture department?

During my studies, I particularly appreciated the teamwork. There is an incredibly benevolent and supportive atmosphere in special education. I rarely had the feeling of competition. In the "Events & Culture" department, I was able to share my enjoyment of events with other people. We were able to realise our own ideas together and offer many students great events.

Why should students get involved in the Council of Student Representatives?

I can recommend this kind of involvement to anyone who wants to gain an insight into the structures of the university and would like to play an active role in making studying a formative and enjoyable phase of life. The Stuv has already changed a lot of things for the benefit of students - and that's only because people have got involved on a voluntary basis.

Thank you very much for the interview!

Are you not yet a member of the alumni network "Uni Wü Community" or Alumni & Friends e.V.? Then you are cordially invited to register! You can do so on the Community website. There you will also find the interviews with JMU alumni and alumnae published so far.