Amy Abdou’s Extraordinary Path from Music to Academia

With a unique background as a musician, entrepreneur, academic and activist, Amy Abdou brings a lot of experience and a fresh perspective to her role as Senior Lecturer at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences. Hailing from Utica, a small town in upstate New York, Abdou's journey from the music scene to academia has been extraordinary.

After graduating from the University of Albany at the age of 19 with a degree in political science, Abdou embarked on a life-changing adventure through Europe. While travelling through northern Europe, she stumbled upon the enchanting city of Amsterdam and fell in love with its vibrant atmosphere. Inspired by her travels, after returning to the United States, Abdou decided to pursue a career in music and formed a band, initially playing exclusively in local clubs. However, she soon discovered the challenges of keeping a band together. "We were soon a local favourite," she says. "But keeping a band together was hard work. The money we made had to go back into renting rehearsal space, recording and travelling to gigs."

To make ends meet, Abdou started selling futons during the day and eventually dived into the world of entrepreneurship, with great success. Within three years, she seized an opportunity and bought out the owners of the futon shop: "I became a full-time entrepreneur with a working band," she explains. "We practised in the warehouse at night. After a few years, the business was running well and didn't need much attention."

Metal health will NOT drive you mad

Still, she felt a calling to return to academia because she realised how much she missed the academic environment. "I decided to go back to school to get my master's in Sociology. Once I started the programme, I realised how much I missed being in an academic setting. I also realised that being a full-time musician wouldn't pay the bills, so I started thinking of an exit strategy that involved Amsterdam." In 2001, she embarked on a month-long tour of Europe with her bassist, and six months later she made the life-changing decision to move to Amsterdam permanently. 

In Amsterdam, Abdou earned her second master's degree in Migration and Ethnic Studies at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). She co-founded the Summer School on Black Europe and worked as a programme manager for the UvA's Summer Institute and the National Institute for the Study of Dutch Slavery and its Legacy (NiNsee). These experiences rekindled her love for teaching, which eventually led her to a position at Nyenrode New Business School, where she taught courses in Sociology, Cross Cultural Communication, Leadership, and Transformative Business.

"At that time, I had put music aside a bit. I had a lot of fun performing when I first came to Amsterdam, but as my academic career took off, I felt I couldn't spend as much time being a rock star," she says. Although Abdou had put her music career on hold for a bit, a colleague at Nyenrode offered her a chance to combine her passions for music, entrepreneurship and academia. "This was the beginning of the workshop Metal Health will NOT Drive You Mad, a wonderful synthesis of all my interests; music, entrepreneurship and academia."

Empowering the Least Powerful

Today, Abdou works at Wittenborg's Amsterdam study location where she teaches Entrepreneurship & Society, Entrepreneurial Behaviour, Sociology and Organisational Behaviour and Family Business. She also shared her workshop with the students.

"In my courses, students are encouraged to challenge the myths and ideologies underlying popular views on entrepreneurship and organisational behaviour," she says. "I also like to make them active participants in their own learning. I invite them to help define entrepreneurship in a way that feels right for them." 

In her music workshop, students learn how to be present, positive and focused so they are confident, take control and hold space. "This is not an easy task for someone who, for cultural reasons, may not have been given permission to be bold," she explains. "My role as a teacher is to create an environment where everyone feels invited to be their most powerful self in front of their peers. This prepares students for real-world situations where they have to pitch or interview. A rock and roll mantra can calm the mind and evoke the right positive energy."

Reflecting on her own journey, Abdou acknowledges that worrying about the future is futile. She encourages students to focus on doing good work and building a strong network, combining these skills with an entrepreneurial spirit to pave their own way. This mindset has been her guiding principle throughout her career, enabling her to navigate the complexities of academia and achieve success. "I hope that when students see me, they realise that it is okay to be different. If you are different, you spend most of your life feeling like there is a target on your back and one day you realise it is your superpower. I want to empower the least powerful people in the room and let them know there is room for them at the table."

WUP 07/07/2023
by Niels Otterman
©WUAS Press