The impact of the legendary Razorback football coach Frank Broyles in helping Northwest Arkansas grow is undeniable. Broyles’s grandson, Jacob Arnold, is continuing that legacy today.
Arnold, who lives in Fayetteville, is the Director of Philanthropy at Hope Cancer Resources, a position that he’s had for nearly a year. Arnold credited his family for instilling in him a spirit of public service. For Arnold, it’s in his blood.
“My interest in public service is absolutely rooted in my maternal grandparents’ examples. I’m obviously biased, but I consider my grandfather as one of our state’s greatest-known fundraisers and the impact he had on the University of Arkansas is profound and unparalleled,” Arnold said. “My grandmother wasn’t just the ‘Head Coach of the Home Team,’ she was involved with multiple initiatives and organizations, including as a charter member of the Ozark Literacy Council in 1964, where I currently serve on their Board of Directors some 60 years later.
“For both of them, it was always about the outcome and never about the credit, which may be my favorite aspect of their legacies. Even though they’ve both been gone for years now, our family is still learning about ways my grandparents impacted others’ lives and that’s the type of legacy I’d love to leave for my family as well,” Arnold said.
But Arnold’s public service extends beyond philanthropy — wherever help is needed, Arnold is eager to lend a hand.
“Public service work found me in my late 20s, so my career choices since then have been guided by seeking opportunities to learn from people and organizations who know what they’re doing and who do it for the right reasons,” Arnold said.
Arnold was motivated to continue his growth in public service to serve his community better and is currently enrolled in the Clinton School of Public Service’s Online Program.
As the Director of Philanthropy for Hope Cancer Resources, Arnold is dedicated to keeping the well-being of patients at the center of his work.
“Hope Cancer Resources has a stellar reputation for the unique support we provide to cancer patients and their loved ones, as well as leadership that always keeps the people we serve at the center of our strategic process,” Arnold said.
Each day is different for Arnold, but there is one constant: the importance of working with your community.
“I’m sure everyone says this, but there’s not much of a normal day in my world. However, I do like to start the day early and be in the office to catch up on emails and any operational tasks,” Arnold said. “If I’m sitting at my desk all day, I’m not doing my job very well, so I try to get out into the community as much as possible for meetings, events, working sessions at a cafe or what-have-you.”
Arnold shared some of the skills that a philanthropist and public servant working in his area needs.
“The most important skills might be honesty and integrity, which you owe to everyone involved — from the people you serve to colleagues and vendors or any potential donors you may work with. From there, you will need great interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and foster authentic relationships, storytelling and being a great active listener,” Arnold said. “Hard skills would include time management, conducting research, writing and maintaining thorough records, and facilitation skills.”
Arnold has learned several valuable lessons throughout his public service career.
“One life lesson that has been continuously reinforced in my career is that human capital is the most valuable asset of any organization. As public servant leaders, we must do more for the people who come together to serve our shared missions if we ever hope to deliver on the organizational goals and objectives,” Arnold said.
Arnold also offered a word of advice to readers who might be interested in pursuing philanthropy and public service themselves.
“Build a team to help you succeed. The best way to build a team for yourself is to start by joining other people’s teams,” Arnold said. “You’ll be amazed by what serving others can do for you.”
After reflecting on a career of serving others, Arnold looks ahead to what the future holds for himself and for the public service field in general.
“In five years, I see myself still serving the people. I hope to be part of teams that really deliver a positive impact,” Arnold said. “Public service, nonprofit work – or whatever you’d like to call it – is such a fulfilling career path. If anyone reading this is interested in pursuing this field of work, I encourage you to look me up and reach out. We need all the help we can get.”
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