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Alumni/ae Profile

Malia Du Mont '95 is specialassistant to the chief of staff in the Office of the AssistantSecretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' SecurityAffairs. Malia majored in Chinese at Bard, and after graduation movedto China, where she spent a year teaching English and a year doinggraduate studies. In 1997 she moved to Beijing to serve as a DefenseIntelligence Agency intern and bilingual research assistant at theUnited States embassy. “At Bard, joining the military never entered mymind,” she says. “But I was interested in service to my country, andliving in China, I gained an appreciation of American freedoms.” Sheenlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1999, and, the same year,entered the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, eventuallyearning a master’s degree in public policy. After several years workingas an Asian security analyst at The CNA Corporation, she decided tovolunteer for deployment with the Army Reserve, and in 2006 was sent toAfghanistan, where she was responsible for providing strategicpolitical-military analysis to the commanding general and other seniorUnited States officials. After a year in Kabul, Malia continued hermilitary service as an Afghanistan analyst at NATO’s Allied CommandOperations in Belgium. She returned to Washington D.C. in 2008, andvolunteered for further military service in the Office of the Secretaryof Defense, where she participated in the Obama Administration’sAfghanistan Strategy Review. She has also worked on the Joint Staff asa China desk officer and as a counterterrorism action officer. Althoughnow working as a civilian again, Malia plans to remain in the ArmyReserve. “I could never have predicted that I would end up where Ihave. Being in the military has enriched my career immeasurably byproviding me with some very unique opportunities.” Malia credits Bardwith giving her the skills and flexibility to succeed in a variety ofdemanding positions, and in particular points to her mentor James Chaceas a wonderful professor who always encouraged her. To honor the memoryof Professor Chace and retain her connection to Bard, Malia has beeninvolved in bringing speakers to the Bard Globalization and International Affairs program in New York City, and is working with theBGIA director to energize alumni/ae involvement in the program.