Blake Arnold
Blake Arnold
Class Year
’21
Current home
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
Major(s)
Finance
Current Position
District Manager at Sunrun
In 2022, Blake Arnold ’21 started out in an entry-level sales role at Sunrun, a leading residential solar provider. He was able to progress quickly — being promoted to account executive and then to district manager. In 2023, he received the High Achievement Award for his regional sales territory.
His ultimate career goal is to build a high-level sales organization that helps former students and athletes grow into successful, confident, and skillful entrepreneurs.
Mr. Arnold frequently helps out the Carthage men’s volleyball team, mentors students through summer sales internships, and assists students with their post-grad plans at alumni panel events. “Giving back feels good. It feels right to pass on knowledge, opportunities, and time to the Carthage community.”
What have you enjoyed most about your career?
“The growth of my peers and myself. To be able to come into an industry, progress quickly, and see others succeed along side you is priceless. What keeps me continuing to improve myself is the way I have had a positive influence on others.”
How did Carthage prepare you?
“Being a student-athlete helped prepare me for my professional development. Time management, hard work, and goal setting are all skills I learned by being a student-athlete. Also, the leadership qualities I gained by being a captain helped me progress more quickly in my career.”
How has your liberal arts education benefitted you?
“Learning a language. Carthage is a school that requires you take 2 credits of another language. It wasn’t until Carthage that I found a passion for Spanish. I applied myself, trusted my professors, and went out of my way to become more immersed in the language. The choice to do so has blessed my life unimaginably. I have been able to travel the world and connect with different cultures, advance faster in my career by being bilingual, and also be ready for future opportunities that have yet to come by knowing another language.”
Why did you choose Carthage?
“I chose Carthage because I wanted to be part of a tight-knit community. I wanted to get the most out of my classes and learn as much as possible. I felt that smaller classes, lower student/professor ratios, would be best. I also wanted to compete at a high level in volleyball.”
What opportunities were made possible because of your Carthage experience?
“The confidence and intelligence I built from being at Carthage allowed me to see opportunities and take them as they come. You can really do anything after college if you apply yourself and make the right connections. For me, with my business knowledge and leadership skills as a national champion, building a sales team fit my skillset.”
What Carthage professors played a part in your success and how?
“Professor JJ Shields inspired me to learn sales. Professor Mimi Yang created a fun and challenging learning environment to learn a language. And Coach JW Kieckhefer was an amazing volleyball coach who taught the game and life lessons at the same time.”
What role have the values in Carthage's mission, "Seeking Truth, Building Strength, Inspiring Service — Together" played in your life?
“These values are all something we can strive to live by. Honesty, strength, and inspiring others is what is most fulfilling. The ultimate goal is to live a happy, fulfilling, and positive life. If we all keep these values in the back of our mind, it can become very attainable.”
What's your favorite Carthage memory?
“My favorite memory was winning the National Championship in 2021. Years of hard work led up to that moment. Growing pains as an underclassman, heartbreak playoff losses, and seasons cut short from pandemics all paid off in one moment. The journey to that moment taught me this: ‘Hard times create strong men. Strong men create great times. Great times create weak men.’”
“Embrace challenge. Always look for ways to step outside of your comfort zone. If you do, you’ll always be learning and creating opportunities with what you have in front of you.“
Tips for current Carthage students?
“I would recommend getting as involved as you can. Build your network and connect with people you can build with and do great things together. I would also applaud developing skills outside of the classroom. Weightlifting, learning a language, playing an instrument, public speaking, reading, or any other hobby. You will never regret learning a new skill with the free time you have.”