Alumna Sam McGuire, a proud TMCC Emergency Management Program graduate, pursued a career in public service that elevated her sense of duty to her community and country.
Alongside her education, McGuire’s career as a combat medic in the Army prepared her for a role as a former intelligence analyst at the Nevada Threat Analysis Center (NTAC). Inhabiting this discreet, essential position are specialists pledged to protect our citizens by promoting safety through fundamentals like prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, education, and enforcement. With a strong foundation in security operations, McGuire spends each day striving for success.
The Power of Unity is Greater Than Division
A self-portrait of Sam McGuire.
Hailing from Las Vegas, McGuire’s time in the military opened prudent academic and vocational pathways. As a criminal justice major at Western Nevada College (WNC), she studied law enforcement’s demanding obligation to maintain the peace and how collective authorities delicately work to ensure civic well-being. Fascinated by the content but seeking a more schedule-friendly curriculum, the online flexibility of the Emergency Management Program at TMCC sparked her interest.
“I was fortunate. There were different age groups in the program I took. The best takeaway I’d share with people deciding on this degree or higher education is to utilize networking opportunities. Ask professors who take the time to offer outreach because that’s what will get you somewhere in your career. What you learn in the books is great, but the real-world experience matters most,” said McGuire.
Upon graduation, McGuire landed a job at the NTAC, was required to undergo a top-secret clearance background check, and was eager to contribute to local, state, federal, tribal, and international cases. In her work, she often “gauged the temperature” to discern perceived dangers at an event, which dictated statistical evaluation of what could occur. Her writing skills were handy, too, when comparing and reporting analytical problem products on active threats. Otherwise, she says her work included monitoring individuals at congressional hearings, presidential visits, celebrity appearances, protests, and social gatherings.
“There’s an emergency response unit in a room the size of a choir auditorium, and they’ll have every agency, including the National Guard, dispatch and organize. My job entailed helping them communicate with one another through bulletins. They gave us the information they needed to send, and we disseminated it. You come in, do your shift, and know your phone will ring even when you’re not there. It’s what you signed up for and are passionate about,” said McGuire.
Nobody’s mentally invulnerable. Feeling burnt out happens. A healthy balance between McGuire’s efforts and personal life exists through subtlety. Managing stress involves remembering there’s an end to her day, and privacy is a means to focus on the two teenagers she married into – trusting she aided in preserving their safety. There’s a reason she doesn’t discuss her activities with family and friends. It’s easier this way.
She expressed gratitude for Emergency Management Program Coordinator Jeff Whitesides’s phenomenal leadership and acceptance into the course. She’s continuously growing, learning, and preserving.
“It’s forever evolving. There’s never a dull moment. That’s the most rewarding part. I don’t let the bad days get to me. We’ve supported amazing cases where we helped solve some horrible crimes,” said McGuire.
“Come in, do the work, and push the products out. No one knows what you accomplish or how until you get that email or see on the news that they caught the bad guy or someone was convicted. Then you know your diligence was worth it because 95% of the time, you don’t get told what happens, but once you notice it, it’s worthwhile,” continued McGuire.
For more information, please visit the Emergency Management website or call 775-284-2509.