Jacquelyn Stirn is an independent higher education consultant and has
served as the Achieving the Dream Data Coach for 14 colleges in
seven states. She is continuing to work with several Achieving the
Dream colleges, all of which have become Leader Colleges. Two of
her colleges received the Leah Meyer Austin Award, the highest
accolade from Achieving the Dream.
Her other work includes external evaluation for student success projects as well as providing
guidance for the reorganization of the institutional research function. She was also the consultant
for two colleges in Texas for Student Success by the Numbers.
Prior to her role with Achieving the Dream, Ms. Stirn was the Director of Institutional Research for
the Community College of Denver and the University of Colorado System Office. She also held
research positions at Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Regis
University, Colorado Commission on Higher Education and Penn State.
Ms. Stirn has managed many longitudinal databases and was instrumental in producing two
editions of the WICHE high school graduate projections as well as the regional fact book. She
served as a trainer for the IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) web
system for over ten years. She continues to be active in state, regional and national institutional
research associations.
Ms. Stirn received her Bachelor’s in Government and Politics with Honors and with High Honors
in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her
Master’s in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University, University Park. She also
holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Arapahoe Community College.