Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus is a podcast dedicated to the design, planning and management of educational facilities and campuses. Listen in as we chat with industry experts, facility managers, architects, security and safety professionals, and other thought leaders. Catch up on previous episodes here.

In this special episode of Schools in Focus, Security Today and Campus Security & Life Safety Editor Ralph Jensen discusses securing a campus with President of M2 Consulting Mitch McKinley. Listen along as Ralph and Mitch talk about security from the outside in.

Schools In Focus, Episode 11: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus, Episode 11: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Far too many deadly security incidents have taken place on U.S. campuses. Mitch McKinley, president of M2 Consulting in Houston, talks about the campus assessment that begins at the property line, then moves to the front door of the facility. This Podcast defines where security measures should be implemented and what a security assessment looks like. The conversation also touches on COVID-19, and the security implications from this pandemic. Mitch also is a member of the Federal Task Force on School Violence.

Where to Listen

Schools In Focus is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher. Subscribe today, or listen below!

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is editor-in-chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • TCU Marks Campus Expansion Milestone

    Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a topping-out ceremony to mark progress on a major campus expansion effort including four new residential facilities and a five-story parking garage, according to a news release.

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.