MGS Alum Jaime Kirsch, MA
MA in Conflict Resolution, 2010
Current position:
Assessments, Planning, and Measurements Officer, Bureau of Conflict Stability Operations; U.S. Department of State
Raised in Pringle, SD, Jamie Kirsch joined the United States Army in November of 2000 and was deployed shortly after September 11. She spent just over a year in Kuwait and Iraq where she conducted operations in checkpoint and base security.
Upon return to the U.S., Ms. Kirsch began her academic career at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota where she studied political science and criminal justice. Just before graduating, she was deployed again to Iraq in 2007 to fulfill the role of battle non-commissioned officer in charge of night flight operations in Balad, Iraq. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree while on deployment and received three Army commendation medals, two achievement medals, and two unit citations for excellence.
After 18 months on active duty, Jamie Kirsch returned to the U.S. to start her master’s studies at UMass Boston’s Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance. In January 2011, Jamie traveled to Afghanistan where she conducted research on the successes associated with and challenges faced by provincial reconstruction teams – an effort on the part of the U.S. military to partner with civilian agencies to win over the support of the Afghan populace - and looked closely at some of the dilemmas of trying to bring about rapid social change within rural Afghan communities.
Throughout her life, Kirsch has spent a significant amount of her time working with various charities and non-profit organizations. She served with AmeriCorps for a year where she worked with children who had experienced physical and emotional abuse. She worked for a refugee collaborative where she helped Somali refugees find employment and housing, taught English language classes, and worked on community education and cultural awareness. She also spent four years working with the Red Cross as an HIV/AIDS educator.
Jamie graduated with her master’s degree in conflict resolution with an emphasis on addressing international conflict. After graduation, she served at the U.S. State Department as a presidential management fellow. This fellowship award includes a two-year leadership development program designed to develop a cadre of potential government leaders.
At McCormack Graduate School, we congratulate Jaime Kirsch on her success to date and offer her best wishes for a bright future.
