Jacob McGuire, a 2021 graduate of the Clinton School of Public Service, is a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army currently stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, MO.
McGuire completed Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, GA, just months after his graduation from the Clinton School in 2021. He attended the Clinton School, in part, to help himself stand out in an extremely competitive OCS application process.
“It was important for me to have as competitive an application as I could,” McGuire said. “I felt like a master’s degree was going to give me that edge. But it wasn’t the only reason. I grew up in an education family, and education has always been very important. I’d always intended on getting an extra degree, but I wanted to get started.”
As a Clinton School student, McGuire’s field service work was broad and impactful, spanning government relations, grant strategy, and public education in Arkansas.
He completed his Capstone project with WSG consulting, a comprehensive government relations and strategy firm in Little Rock. His work included developing a growth plan for the firm and building a contact list of potential clients and their unique goals for future legislative sessions.
McGuire developed and implemented a grant strategy for Partners in Knowledge, a Little Rock-based nonprofit with a unique emphasis on Haiti, for his International Public Service Project. As a first-year student, he was part of a team that partnered with the Arkansas Department of Education to assess the department’s stakeholder engagement efforts in White County.
His professional career includes time in legislative affairs and journalism. In addition to his service in the U.S. Army, McGuire works for Sagac Public Affairs, a public relations and communications services firm with offices in Oklahoma City and Washington, D.C. He has worked as a legislative coordinator for the Oklahoma Press Association and reporter for the Norman Transcript.
McGuire graduated from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma with a degree in communication.
What inspired you to enroll in Officer Candidate School after graduating from the Clinton School? What do you enjoy most about your career today?
The main reason for pursuing a commission in the U.S. Army was family expectations. Many of my family members served honorably as enlisted Soldiers. I was the first to be commissioned as an officer.
I have always been attracted to a challenge, and simultaneously serving in the U.S. Army and working a full-time civilian job is a challenge. With that said, it has forced me to look at every situation and issue from different perspectives. This has turned what once was a weakness of mine, into one of my biggest strengths.
What does public service mean to you?
I must go back to Fall 2019, when I took Foundations of Public Service with Professor Emeritus of Law, John M.A. DiPippa. One of our assignments was to create our own public service definition. We not only had to advocate for it, but we also had to attack it. Although I could not find the exact wording I used, I know my definition centered around altruism and responsibility.
You should not get involved in public service for you. Being able to set aside your own self interests is very hard, and that’s why it takes a very special person to be a successful public servant. Anyone can get involved in public service, but to make a positive impact, you must be altruistic in your approach.
What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I have a nerdy side. Back in Oklahoma I am a part of a Dungeon’s & Dragon’s group that meets weekly. I have also dabbled in Magic the Gathering, as well as Yu-Gi-Oh!
What was your favorite class in your time as a Clinton School student?
Communication Processes and Social (Ex)Change with Dr. Robert C. Richards, Jr. was my favorite class at the Clinton School. It showed me that communication is important in any profession. If you are not able to effectively communicate, you will have a hard time making a positive impact.
What skills did you learn at the Clinton School that you still put to use in your job or life today?
My critical thinking and communication skills improved tremendously after graduating from the Clinton School. This is not to say that I did not make mistakes or any wrong decisions along the way, but I knew how to learn from them and not make the same ones again.
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