When Jay Arrington found out he’d been named to the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list, he didn’t think about his own success. He thought about the students he supports every day through Poole College.

“I never do the work for the recognition — I do it because every student is me,” Arrington says. “So to be recognized for the impact I’m making here means everything.”

“I never do the work for the recognition — I do it because every student is me.”

Arrington was a first-generation college student when he attended the University of Toledo. Since his parents hadn’t been through the college process, he had to lean on people within his school to navigate the unknowns and succeed in college.

That’s an experience he takes to work with him every day as director of admissions and enrollment for the Jenkins Master of Accounting (MAC) Program at Poole College of Management, helping the next generation of students not just in admissions, but in succeeding at Poole.

That student-first approach was part of what led the Triangle Business Journal to recognize him this year as one of the region’s most promising young business leaders under 40 — an honor that considers not just career achievement, but leadership and community impact.

For Arrington, the road to Poole wasn’t a straight line from his own time as a student to leading an admissions office. His undergraduate degrees are in psychology and counseling, and he went on to earn a master’s degree so that he could become a therapist.

But there are common threads through his life experience and his education that tie in to what he does today.

Growing up in a small town in Ohio, Arrington watched his dad work in a factory — a stable path, but not the one he wanted for himself. He quickly came to understand the importance of education.

“Education opened up my world and let me go anywhere.”

“Education opened up my world and let me go anywhere,” he says.

Following his master’s degree, Arrington’s early career spanned time working with children, running an after-school program and serving as a vice principal.

Arrington broke into admissions counseling 16 years ago, working at private schools and then moving to UNC-Chapel Hill before coming to NC State.

Even though his graduate training was in therapy rather than higher education, Arrington says the transition made more sense than it might appear.

“I had to realize I was still counseling people, still helping people,” he says. “I know my purpose regardless of my title.”

Being the first in his family to attend college brought his parents a lot of pride, but it also meant he didn’t have past family experience to draw on. Having been through those times of uncertainty means Arrington can put on that therapist hat to relate to the hopes — and fears — of the students he sees today.

“The admissions process can be the scariest part — there’s a lot of self-doubt,” he says. “My job isn’t just to get people in the door, but to focus on getting them through the program.”

When Arrington arrived at Poole, the Jenkins MAC Program was already successful, but Scott Showalter, new himself to the role as director of the MAC Program, wanted to take it further. One of Arrington’s first major projects was helping launch the program’s online option, something he had done previously at Chapel Hill.

“The program had just gotten approved, and Scott wanted me to build it,” Arrington says.

His goal was not just program success, but a sense of community.

“I didn’t want online students to feel disconnected,” he says. “We wanted a flexible format, but one where students still felt like part of the on-campus community.”

The first online cohort exceeded expectations, growing well beyond the 10 to 15 students the MAC team initially anticipated. But he says the team was intentional about keeping the experience personal as the program grew. They mailed welcome gifts and t-shirts to online students that on-campus students received in person, invited them to campus social events and built in the same kind of connection, regardless of the program’s format.

The program has also expanded the career tracks available to students, allowing them to pursue public accounting or business and industry paths, and has widened its reach far beyond traditional accounting majors. The approach has created a demand that’s reflected in the applicant pool each year.

“This past year, we had 52 different university undergraduate programs represented in our applications, and not all of them were accounting majors,” Arrington says. “Over the years we’ve had everyone from a career-switching Broadway makeup artist to an animal science undergrad — we provide opportunities to people who may never have thought about accounting.”

Showalter says the program’s expansion and success are a direct reflection of Arrington’s contributions.

“He is instrumental in attracting top talent to the MAC Program,” Showalter says. “He helps students with their transition into the MAC Program and is always there to help them along the way with relevant advice and, sometimes, tough love.

“He always puts the interests of the students first — a key component of being part of the MAC Program family.”

Arrington is quick to share credit with his colleagues. He describes the culture the team has built as more than a marketing slogan.

“When we say family, it’s not a marketing phrase,” he says. “We’ve been invited to weddings.”

Under Arrington, the MAC Program has continued to grow, celebrating its largest cohorts to date, both on campus and online. The team has worked hard to demonstrate the relevance of accounting in today’s world.

“As long as there’s money, there are jobs for accountants,” Arrington says.

As Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure requirements have evolved, the MAC team has succeeded in demonstrating how the program develops each individual not just as a student, but also as a well-rounded professional ready for the workplace.

“We’re making sure we’re developing these students with both the soft skills and technical skills so they know how to navigate any room,” he says.

Poole’s new 3+1 program is one answer: it lets students take graduate-level courses as undergraduates, earning a bachelor’s degree in three years and a master’s in a fourth, while still preparing for CPA licensure.

For Arrington, Showalter’s leadership and the broader Poole culture have played a large role in his own success and satisfaction in the job.

“Scott and I run the MAC Program together,” he says. “We’re different people with different backgrounds, but he allows me to be exactly who I am because there’s a thread that connects us — he and our entire team care about the students.”

Showalter, in turn, says Arrington embodies exactly what the 40 Under 40 recognition is meant to honor.

“When reflecting on the criteria for the 40 Under 40 award, Jay has definitively excelled in his performance wherever he has been,” Showalter says. “Jay’s talents have helped lead the Jenkins Master of Accounting Program to record heights when other programs have struggled.”

“It is clear the Jenkins MAC Program is where it is today due to Jay’s contributions.”

The 40 Under 40 process itself unfolded over several months, but two moments stood out to Arrington. In June, ahead of the awards ceremony, honorees took part in a Habitat for Humanity build, where Arrington — self-described “baseboard captain” — helped construct the organization’s 1,000th and 1,001st houses.

“To have that type of impact and help people was a great joy,” he says.

At the ceremony itself, honorees were asked to bring a prop that represented something meaningful to them, then take the stage for photos and a short speech. Arrington chose three stuffed animals, representing his three children.

“My speech was about how different my three kids are, and that’s what makes them amazing,” he says. “What we do at State is work with young people, and each is unique in their own way.”

“It’s my job to help them be successful regardless of what they bring to the table.”

Arrington brought his children and his 90-year-old grandmother to the ceremony — a woman who left school at 16 in a small town where, he says, simply getting that far in her education was a major accomplishment.

“Who you are will truly shine through, and you’ll be successful if you bring your true self to the table.”

“It was so impactful to be in that room, to see the other people in my peer group who are making an impact,” he says. “It made me feel very excited about the future.”

Outside of Poole, Arrington stays busy with community service, volunteering with a number of organizations. He previously served on the board of the Youth Ambassadors of Service. He also works as a professional life coach and author through his own side venture. But most of his time outside the office, he says, belongs to his three children.

Asked what advice he’d give to someone who hopes to follow a similar path, Arrington thinks about the transitions he made throughout his career and how those led him to today.

“You’re not your job or your title — you’re your impact,” he says. “We can make an impact regardless of our title.”

“Who you are will truly shine through, and you’ll be successful if you bring your true self to the table.”