Sr. Jacqueline Marie Kieslich, RSM

Board Member

Sr. Jacqueline Marie Kieslich was born in Burlington and lived on North Avenue with her parents, Albert and Lucille Kieslich and her two brothers.  The family were parishioners of St. Joseph Church and served actively in parish activities.  Sr. Marie and her brothers attended Nazareth School; she went on to Mount St. Mary’s Academy for high school and graduated from Trinity College where she completed a degree in Social Work and Education.  She subsequently earned a master’s degree in Special Education at the University of Oregon and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration and Policy at the University of Maryland.

About her chosen life path, Sr. Marie says: “The faith lived by my parents and shared with their children and the support and guidance of my teachers and mentors were all influences in the decision to enter religious life.  My choice to enter the Sisters of Mercy was influenced by the Sisters’ focus on education and commitment to social justice.  The spirit of joy and commitment that characterized my relations with the Sisters of Mercy during my high school and college years resonated deeply with me.”

Sr. Marie’s ministries as a Sister of Mercy have included teaching at Mater Christi School, St. Mary’s School in Middlebury and Christ the King School in Burlington. She served in the Diocesan office of Religious Education for several years, as a co-director of Special Religious Education for the Vermont Diocese.  At Trinity College, she served from 1975 until 2003 in various roles: as faculty member, academic administrator and President of the College.

In 2006, when the six New England Mercy Communities merged their geographical structures to become the Sisters of Mercy Northeast Community, Sr. Marie was called to serve in leadership both as a member of the Leadership Team and later as President. Currently she continues to serve Community of Mercy in Vermont.