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Student Achievement Award Alumnus Combines the Army, Law, and Ministry

Outstanding Student Achievement Award

Each year the School of Business faculty select one student to receive the Outstanding Student Achievement Award at commencement. The certificate reads, “[This award] offers distinctive recognition of an exceptional Business graduating senior at ����ԭ��. The recipient has exhibited excellence in academic and spiritual leadership and holds great promise as a future Christian business professional.”

Since the first award given in 2007, the business faculty have never struggled to find candidates. In fact, Professor Tracy Foster, Director for the School of Business, attests to the difficulty of selecting just one student. “We put pictures of the graduating class on a wall and throw darts at them while blind-folded,” he joked.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the award, the School of Business has decided to catch up with their Outstanding Student Achievement Award alumni.

Education Life

Paul Shirk, 2008 business graduate and recipient of the Outstanding Student Achievement Award, currently resides in Colorado with his wife, Cindy, and his two daughters, Elyse (5) and Evelyn (3).

Shirk works for the Army as a Judge Advocate (lawyer) Officer at Fort Carson. Before Fort Carson, however, Shirk traveled a road full of amazing work experiences and fascinating places.

Shirk graduated from MBU in 2008 with a B.B.A. in Accounting Management. As an ROTC graduate in Charlie Company, he participated in society, jail ministry, intramural sports, and church ministries. Charlie Company came full circle on May 18, 2008, when Shirk became the first-ever commissioned officer to graduate from the program. He also earned the Sterling Award, the highest honor for a Battalion senior. After graduation, Shirk attended Marquette University Law School. He earned his law degree in 2011 along with a Master of Business Administration degree.

Military Life

After college, Shirk worked at the Supreme Court of Wisconsin Clerkship. Then, in 2011, he moved to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas where his experience with the Army began.

Shirk first worked as a legal assistance attorney in the 1^st Armored Division for eight months. After that, he was called to be the Trial Counsel (primary prosecuting attorney) for one of the 1^st Armored Division’s Brigades.

Throughout the next two and a half years, Shirk tried more than thirty cases and handled hundreds of disciplinary cases. He quickly made his way from the most junior prosecutor to the most senior. During this time period, Shirk was involved in cases that most civilian prosecutors do not experience until later in their careers, including the largest drug bust in the Criminal Investigative Division’s Drug Suppression Team’s history.

Then, Fort Bliss’ senior attorney selected Shirk to fill the roles of Senior Trial Counsel and Chief of Justice. Shirk was grateful that his time filling these positions was short. He explains, “Attempting to do the two busiest military justice jobs just about killed me.”

Shirk’s next position as a fiscal law attorney sent him to the Middle East. In this position, he was responsible for large amounts of U.S. government spending money. In addition, he filled the role of primary legal advisor to a one-star commander and dealt with many of the legal tasks involved in military life.

When Shirk returned to the states, he was nominated to become an attorney for the 10^th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson. He currently fills this position, advising the group in legal matters from operational to military justice.

Shirk sees a continuing future in the Army, though he has no idea what roles he will fill as time marches on. For now, he is content in his current position.

Colorado Life

Shirk and his family certainly enjoy life in Colorado. They attend Vista Grande Baptist Church in Colorado Springs. Cindy, Shirk’s wife, works in children’s ministry on Wednesday evenings, and the family is active in other programs throughout the week.

Shirk also assists with the development of a military-focused ministry targeting Army Special Forces Soldiers with whom Shirk interacts often. He testifies to God’s hand and blessing in the ministry, which has grown rapidly over the past few months.

Overall, Shirk exemplifies the ����ԭ��’s goal of preparing leaders for ministry in the local church and the world. He has used what he learned at MBU to succeed in various positions in the Army. Shirk has also contributed to his local church, expanding its ministry to a realm of unbelievers that he has the opportunity to interact with.