Shoot Your Shot: Building Meaningful Relationships That Open Doors

In this episode of the For College for Life Podcast, host Casey J. Cornelius sits down with ESPN anchor and keynote speaker Jay Harris to discuss his newest program, Shoot Your Shot: Guaranteed Ways to Build Your Network, Get in the Room, and Develop Meaningful Relationships.

Jay shares the real story behind his 20+ year career at ESPN, including how preparation, patience, and authentic relationship-building helped him meet life-changing opportunities when they arrived. Together, Casey and Jay explore what it truly means to “shoot your shot,” why meaningful relationships take time, and how low-stakes interactions can lead to high-impact moments.

Jay also opens up about his recent health journey following a prostate cancer diagnosis, offering an important reminder about the power of early screening, self-advocacy, and using your platform to help others.

Whether you’re a student, professional, or leader looking to grow your network and step into bigger opportunities, this conversation will challenge you to prepare for the moment, trust the process, and be ready when the ball is in your hands.

Learn more about Jay’s programs at:
 forcollegeforlife.com/jay

A new year brings fresh energy, big goals, and, for many people, New Year’s resolutions that don’t quite stick. In this episode of the For College for Life podcast, leading voice and speaker Jaclyn Gallo kicks off the season with a powerful conversation about visioning, goal-setting, and how to actually follow through in 2026.

Jaclyn breaks down why so many resolutions fail by “Quitter’s Day” in early January and introduces a game-changing concept: the relationship between intensity and consistency. Through relatable examples, she explains why starting smaller often leads to greater long-term success, stronger habits, and a clearer sense of identity.

The conversation goes beyond vision boards as a craft or exercise and explores vision as a living, evolving guide. Jacqueline shares how to balance dreaming big with pacing yourself, when it makes sense to pivot, and how to stay aligned with who you want to be, even as your life and circumstances change. She also reflects personally on entering a new season of life and what it has taught her about flexibility, intuition, and redefining success.

Whether you love New Year’s resolutions or roll your eyes at them, this episode offers practical, grounded advice for turning goals into sustainable action and creating a vision that grows with you.

If you’re ready to plan for the future with clarity, momentum, and intention, this episode is for you.

Website: https://forcollegeforlife.com/jaclyn/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyntgallo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaclyntgallo/

The highly anticipated introduction episode of the ForCollegeForLife founder is here!

Casey J. Cornelius is the founder and president of ForCollegeForLife and one of the nation’s leading voices on personal development and healthy masculinity. A first-generation college graduate with a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees, Casey has spent more than a decade traveling the country to help campuses and organizations aim toward the extraordinary. He is known for his ability to connect quickly and meaningfully with audiences, his commitment to service, and his deep belief in the power of relationships. His proudest roles are father, husband, son, and uncle, and he brings that spirit of care into every room he enters.


Casey's Programs: https://forcollegeforlife.com/casey
Casey's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseycornelius/
Casey's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyjfcfl/

Matt Kovatchis shares his powerful journey from the high-pressure world of corporate banking to becoming a mental health and self-compassion speaker who empowers students to lead with heart. Matt opens up about ignoring his inner voice, confronting shame, and ultimately finding freedom through vulnerability and acceptance. His story reveals why true leadership begins with self-love and how shifting from critic to coach can transform not only our own lives but the way we show up for others.

Matt's Programs: http://forcollegeforlife.com/matt

Matt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kovatchis-cpcc-1b74b3aa/

Matt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mkovatchis23/

Gavin Bell is a speaker and storyteller who creatively incorporates the art of both narrative and humor into his speaking endeavors. Professionally, he has worked in Higher Education as a student affairs practitioner for close to 6 years in a variety of different capacities. Ultimately, he strives to center relational student mentorship at the core of all his roles and aspires to create spaces where students have the ability to authentically achieve their goals and dreams.

His speaking revolves around promoting student well-being while utilizing creative and cultural frameworks in order to both categorize and specifically define what well-being can look like for the busy college student. Much of his framework has roots in Indigenous ways of thinking, as a way to honor his heritage of being a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Gavin brings a charisma and humor to the stage, while simultaneously incorporating aspects from his culture, which center on passion and reverence for relationship and healing. He brings a multitude of dynamic speaking experiences including, (but not limited to), college student workshops, symposium keynotes, and national conference presentations.

Gavin's Programs: https://forcollegeforlife.com/gavin/

Gavin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gav_bell95/

Gavin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-bell-m-ed-70a31812b/

Have you ever ordered something online because the pictures look perfect, but when you open the package it’s nothing like what you were expecting? Have you ever found someone on a dating app, but when you met them in person they were basically a different human being?

Have you ever watched a student leader promoting their organization in a way that didn’t seem authentic? Does your campus have a fraternity or sorority house that looks amazing on the outside, but the inside is disgusting and falling apart? (…You know the one)

Catfishing – creating a false identity with the intent of deception –  isn’t new but it’s reaching unhealthy levels among student organizations.  

We’ve started to lie to potential members. It has become commonplace to say one thing during recruitment while doing another throughout the rest of the year. We spend so much time, energy and even money on how our organizations look. But when was the last time we spent any on how our organizations feel?

In their new session, Jasmine and Chris guide audiences to a place of true transparency. This transformational program equips organizations to learn to rethink the connection between what they say they do (public relations and external communications) and what they’re actually doing (internal operations).

This is the place where we finally put an end to catfishing culture and get real.

Jasmine's Information:
https://forcollegeforlife.com/jasmine/

https://www.instagram.com/msjasminecwilliams

Chris' Information

https://forcollegeforlife.com/chris

https://www.instagram.com/sgt.molina

Jaclyn Gallo is a nationally-recognized Speaker and 2x best-selling Author inspiring audiences to embrace optimism and never give up. She’s the host of the Spark Your Light podcast, which ranks in the top 1.5% of all podcasts globally, with listeners in 96 countries. Jaclyn’s work has been featured by Forbes, Business Insider, and Good Morning Washington.

Jaclyn’s entrepreneurial dreams were born in her college dorm room at Georgetown University, where she took a leap of faith and pursued her first business idea. It was a total failure, but applying the lessons she learned, Jaclyn built a thriving company helping others use their failures as a springboard to achieve their goals, just like she did. 

Jaclyn has spoken on hundreds of stages at conferences, corporations, and universities. She has delivered keynotes to top organizations including TEDx, Princeton University, Deloitte, and Comcast NBCUniversal. She is also certified as a Life & Success Coach and Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner.

Website: https://forcollegeforlife.com/jaclyn/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyntgallo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaclyntgallo/

Qy'Darrius Z. McEachern is a Black, able-bodied, cisgender man from a low-income background who has committed himself to researching & educating people on the systemic oppressions impacting us every single day through an antiracist lens.

He earned his Bachelors’ degree in Psychology with minors in Social and Economic Justice and Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and attended Texas State University to earn his Master’s degree in Higher Education.  He is also a PROUD member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated.  

Qy’Darrius is a national speaker + consultant who strives to support offices, organizations, workplaces, schools, and more in an effort to create equitable spaces and innovate justice for individuals of color. 

He aims to move people from “listening & learning” to ACTION & CHANGE.

Website: https://forcollegeforlife.com/qydarrius/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qzm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mceachernspeaks/

Connect with Jasmine
Website: https://forcollegeforlife.com/jasmine/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminecwilliams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjasminecwilliams/

This episode explores the question of what Dr. King and Malcolm X would teach today's leaders. Odell Bizzell and Casey J. Cornelius explore the dynamic between the two iconic figures, challenging the common perception that Dr. King was the safe, peaceful leader while Malcolm X sought confrontation. He argues that both leaders embodied elements of each other, emphasizing the importance of understanding the system, effective communication, and collaboration toward a common goal.

Odell draws on his personal experiences and encounters with stereotypes, encouraging listeners to move beyond performative actions, such as sharing quotes, and to delve deeper into the context of the messages they share. The conversation navigates through the complexities of leadership, diversity, and inclusion, offering valuable insights for individuals and organizations seeking to make a positive impact in their communities.

Casey and Odell discuss the significance of getting to know individuals beyond the surface, urging listeners to seek context before sharing content. They also touch on the misuse of quotes by organizations and the importance of genuine understanding. 

Tune in to this insightful episode as Casey and Odell engage in a thought-provoking conversation that goes beyond the surface, encouraging listeners to embrace the complexities of leadership and social change.