Jay Garneau, BA ’12, was interviewed by Nataleigh Hartman. Nataleigh is a finance student at ONU. She is a member of the Honors Student Advisory Board, Circle K International, the Pre-Law Society, and the Institute for Civics and Public Policy (ICAPP). She plans to attend law school after graduation to pursue a career in corporate law.
Jay Garneau believes the keys to success within the public relations field include “honesty and integrity.” Through his career as a PR professional, he’s been able to make a genuine difference and positive impact on people’s lives.
Garneau, who was a member of ONU’s Honors Program, graduated in 2012 earning his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in sports management and minors in Spanish and journalism.
When I interviewed him, he spoke fondly of his experience at ONU and within the Honors Program. He said the four years he spent at Ohio Northern were some of the most fun and impactful years of his life.
Garneau originally came to ONU for his love for sports, but the moment he stepped foot on campus he felt at home. He said Ohio Northern was a place he truly felt like he belonged and described the lifelong friendships and connections he made while on campus. He even wanted to give a shout out to the roommates he had while living at 515 North Main Street.
One of the most impactful connections he made on campus was during his Introduction to Sports Management class early in his freshman year. It was during this class that Tim Glon, the director of sports information at ONU, gave a presentation as a guest speaker. As Glon described what he did in his field, he told the students that if they were interested in sports and enjoyed writing, to reach out to him after class.
This prompted Garneau to send the email that started his career in sports PR. He began working for ONU’s Sports Information department his freshman year and continued until he graduated. His experiences inspired him to pursue a career in sports after graduation as well.
Garneau spent many years in the sports PR industry. He described the long hours, travel, and demanding schedule that the job required. After meeting his now-wife, Cassie, he decided that while his career in sports PR had been extremely entertaining and rewarding, he wanted to pursue something with less demanding hours while still making an impact on others. This led him to his current career in non-profit PR. Through his current position as a senior marketing and communications manager at Democracy Works, Garneau says he is able to use his PR skills to make an impact on others.
At Democracy Works, he oversees the public and media relations, runs the website, and through this is able to help Americans use their voice and vote. He uses his experience and skills to elevate the profile of the company and has partnered with major organizations like TikTok and Anthropic (an AI organization).
His experiences at ONU and within the Honors program led him to find a career he enjoys and can excel in. His advice to students at ONU is to get involved, meet new people, and to try new things. If he hadn’t introduced himself to the guest speaker his freshman year, his career path and experiences may not have been the same.