Alumni Spotlight
John Arledge
by: Reagan Young, student PR intern
John Arledge received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations in 1990 from Mississippi State University.
Arledge, a native of Gautier, Miss., currently resides in Brandon, Miss., and works as Vice President of Public Affairs at Entergy in Jackson, Miss.
Arledge’s daily responsibilities include overseeing the department that handles the federal and state governmental affairs in Mississippi, lobbies the Mississippi Legislature on key issues, manages the Entergy’s philanthropic efforts in the state, and directs the companies outreach efforts on various policy issues with key stakeholder and interest groups in Mississippi.
Arledge shared that the education he received at MSU and the internship he participating in during college prepared him well for his current job.
“The PR emphasis at MSU was great training for what I do now. In addition to that, I had worked as an intern in Washington, DC and as an aide on a political campaign that helped me prepare for this line of work.”
When searching for a job, Arledge recommends setting up meetings and calls with companies you have interest in even if there are no job openings available at the time. He shares this is a great way to network.
Arledge put emphasis on the importance of internships as well.
“Internships and/or some job experience (even if unrelated to your chosen field) are huge advantages - these are the first things most employers will gravitate to on your resume.”
Being well-informed on local, state and national business publications helps in interviews as well as asking the question, “What would you do if you were me?” Arledge says this is a great way to solicit help from those you encounter in the job hunt.
“It puts the other person in your shoes and encourages honest feedback.”
For Arledge, the three most important things to employers during the interview process are internships and job experience, work products of any kind, and education (in that order).
Favorite memory as a communication student?
Being "advised" by the late, great Dr. Hank Flick is something I will never forget. I'm not sure I remember what exactly he advised me to do, but I do know I've never laughed harder than during my sessions with him listening to his thoughts on life.
Favorite communication class you took and why?
Dr. John Forde's class was always interesting to me. Dr. Forde had a great way of explaining exactly how we would one day use in the working world what we were learning in class. And it turned out he was right!
Most valuable lesson learned from the communication department?
I learned to be prepared...for everything you want to do. It sound simplistic...and it is...but you would be surprised how many people are not.
Any funny stories from your time in McComas?
I don't think I can share any Hank Flick stories!
Favorite communication professor and why?
I would say Dr. John Forde. To me, he made PR seem more like a profession than a job. That is probably one of the most important things a professor can do.