The Unsung Pillars of Vienna: Staff Who Shaped the Experience A Family Beyond Work by Doreen Mubiru

Editor’s Note: The Ones Who Stayed

Every Vienna story has familiar faces teachers, classmates, achievements remembered with pride. But there are others who stayed quietly in the background, steady and present, shaping daily life in ways that often went unnoticed at the time.

The Unsung Pillars of Vienna is a tribute to those staff members. The administrators, support staff, and caregivers who knew students by name, carried their worries, kept routines intact, and held the school together through ordinary days and extraordinary moments.

In this reflection, Doreen shares her experience serving at the heart of Vienna’s daily life. Her story reminds us that education is not sustained by classrooms alone, but by care, consistency, and the people who show up day after day, so others can grow.

A Family Beyond Work by Doreen Mubiru

Doreen Mubiru

When people reflect on their school years, they often remember teachers, classmates, and milestones. Less frequently acknowledged are the staff members whose work quietly shaped the daily experience of learning and belonging. My time at Vienna College reveals why those roles matter.

I joined Vienna as a Secretary and Personal Assistant to Mr. Mark, then the Financial Controller. It was my first experience in an international school, and it immediately challenged my understanding of what a workplace could be. Vienna functioned as a community before it functioned as an institution. Students, staff, and families from different cultures interacted daily, negotiating differences through shared routines and mutual responsibility.

As a secretary, I worked at the centre of this ecosystem. My responsibilities ranged from managing the student database and preparing administrative documents to typing examinations, coordinating transport, and escorting international students to departure terminals. I handled daily communication between students, parents, teachers, and administrators, supporting both the Head Teacher and the Financial Controller. The role demanded precision, discretion, and adaptability qualities essential to maintaining trust in a complex school environment.

Vienna’s culture was sustained not only by policies but by habits and traditions. Music, dance, and drama reflected a blend of international and local identities. Beginning-of-term visitations brought together Ugandan and international parents, reinforcing the idea that education at Vienna was a shared undertaking. These moments, though routine, were foundational in shaping a sense of belonging.

School spirit found expression in inter-house sports, staff-versus-student competitions, and inter-school tournaments in basketball, rugby, and football. Debate competitions encouraged confidence and critical thinking. Equally important were the quieter practices: communal cleaning, shared meals in the dining hall, and the deliberate accommodation of religious diversity through Sunday services, Ramadan meals, and Friday Juma prayers. Together, these practices modeled coexistence and mutual respect.

Life at Vienna extended beyond academics. Prom nights, Saturday dances, student tours, and club trips provided space for students to explore identity and community. One defining experience was the end-of-year leavers’ party at Speke Resort Hotel, where I served on the organizing committee chaired by Isaiah Daniel Juuko, alongside Carlos Serwadda, Mr. Michael Musaazi, and Madam Mirian Ndyanabo. Participating in preparations and supporting students through these milestones highlighted the extent to which staff contribute to formative moments that students remember long after graduation.

Pride, for staff, often arrives indirectly. It appeared in strong Cambridge examination results and in trophies won at inter-school competitions. These achievements validated the unseen labour that supports student success.

My role also allowed me to introduce practical innovations. I implemented an electronic student database that reduced reliance on paper records and improved efficiency. I standardized the use of computers for science examination diagrams, ensuring clarity and consistency. Students frequently brought concerns to me before approaching administration; organizing and presenting these issues helped streamline decision-making and reduce institutional strain.

The work was not without difficulty. Tight deadlines, competing priorities, logistical challenges at the end of term, and the emotional burden of disciplinary processes tested resilience. Navigating these moments required patience and emotional intelligence, particularly when students directed frustration toward administrative staff. Over time, I learned that trust is built through presence, fairness, and consistency.

My relationships with students both Ugandan and international were grounded in communication. Many international students relied on staff to maintain contact with families far from home, reinforcing the pastoral dimension of administrative roles.

Today, observing Vienna alumni, I recognized the long arc of this work. Former students are now professionals, parents, and entrepreneurs. I have attended weddings and christenings and followed their journeys with pride.

The enduring lesson from Vienna is that institutions are sustained by relationships. Many alumni still call me “Madam.” I remain connected to former students locally and abroad, showing up in moments of celebration and loss. Some families have welcomed me into their homes, long after my formal role ended.

Vienna’s legacy is often discussed in terms of academic excellence and alumni achievement. Equally important are the staff members whose labour made those outcomes possible. My time at Vienna was not simply employment; it was participation in a collective project one rooted in care, continuity, and the belief that education is ultimately a shared responsibility.