Partners in Progress

Higher ed faces an enrollment cliff, yet some regional universities are breaking growth records. Leaders from Arkansas State University break down how they achieved a 78% jump in MBA students and secured $47 million in research funding.

This conversation cuts past traditional academic talking points to explore the operational mechanics of university expansion. The panel explains how STEM-designated programs secure three-year OPT extensions for international talent and why authentic mentorship drives retention. They also outline the logistical framework behind Epicenter U, detailing how graduates secure $40,000 fellowships to build startups instead of taking entry-level jobs just to pay bills.

For academic administrators navigating stalled enrollment, this episode provides a blueprint to structure degree programs that actually drive campus growth. Subscribe and share this episode with a peer in higher ed leadership. What operational changes have generated the highest student retention on your campus this year?

0:00 - Stepping into Higher Ed Administration
4:39 - The International Student Journey
8:43 - Building Authentic Mentor Relationships
11:30 - Driving a $47 Million Research Boom
17:48 - Business School Enrollment and STEM Visas
20:19 - Epicenter U and $40K Startup Fellowships

A diploma alone is no longer enough to secure top-tier placements. Dr. Kari Harris and Jennifer Salo share how Arkansas State transforms students through competitive scholarships and undergraduate research.

Applying for national fellowships involves extensive rejection and administrative friction. Mentoring students means building their resilience to fail, pivot, and try again on a global stage. Securing study abroad grants requires navigating dense requirements and proving demonstrated interest early.

We explore the logistics of managing massive research symposiums and aligning co-curricular programming across campus silos. The conversation breaks down the career competencies employers demand and the tactical steps to fund these experiences.

For higher ed administrators consolidating isolated campus programs into a unified pipeline, this discussion outlines a functional framework. Subscribe and share this episode with a colleague in student affairs. What is the biggest hurdle your institution faces when securing funding for undergraduate research?

0:00 - Introduction to Student Research and Scholarships
3:12 - Demystifying National Competitive Scholarships
5:25 - "Create at State" and Undergraduate Research
14:38 - Career Competencies and Post-Graduate Success
34:17 - Securing Funding for Study Abroad
44:17 - Building Internal and External Support Networks

Navigating student bureaucracy demands grit and a clear strategy to actually make a difference on campus. A-State SGA President Kate Malone breaks down her progression from freshman senator to the executive branch.

Operating student governance involves more than just holding meetings; it requires balancing administration policies with genuine student grievances. Kate maps out the operational mechanics of the Senate floor and the logistics behind executing her platform pillars. She outlines the behind-the-scenes negotiations and strategic planning required to manage diverse student representatives effectively.

For student leaders struggling to translate campaign promises into actionable campus reform, this conversation provides a blueprint to bypass red tape and build administrative alliances. Subscribe and share this episode with a fellow representative who needs to streamline their outreach strategy. What is the biggest hurdle your organization faces when implementing campus-wide initiatives?

0:00 - Introduction and Kate's A-State Journey
2:20 - Climbing the SGA Leadership Ladder
4:12 - The Daily Operations of Student Government
6:50 - Platform Pillars: Unity, Visibility, Impact
8:24 - How Students Can Get Involved
13:43 - Final Advice for Future Leaders

The corporate landscape is shifting too fast for traditional textbooks, and employers are demanding new hires be completely AI-literate on day one. As universities nationwide face steep enrollment cliffs, adapting curriculum to meet immediate industry needs is the only way to keep degree programs relevant and valuable. Dr. Washam, Dean of the Neil Griffin College of Business at Arkansas State University, shares how he is rewiring business education to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world execution.

We get into how higher education is evolving to meet these rigorous employer demands. We explore the tactical integration of machine learning into traditional fields like finance and accounting, the critical advantage of STEM-designated business degrees, and a new Epicenter U partnership offering $40,000 fellowships to student entrepreneurs. The core philosophy driving this shift is Dr. Washam’s push for systems thinking, ensuring graduates understand exactly how a decision in marketing creates ripples in finance, rather than operating in isolated departmental silos.

Innovation rarely happens without friction, and building a startup or mastering new enterprise tech requires a willingness to fail fast and learn even faster. Students are currently facing intense pressure to balance complex technical upskilling with essential soft skills like executive presence, financial literacy, and team management. You will walk away with a clear blueprint on how to leverage industry certifications like Coursera and the Corporate Finance Institute, strategies for navigating early startup development, and actionable advice for cultivating the lifelong curiosity required to adapt to rapidly changing enterprise environments.

If you care about curriculum innovation, practical entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness, you’ll get a lot from this. Please subscribe to the channel and share this episode with educators, founders, or business leaders looking to stay ahead of the curve. What core soft skill do you believe new graduates are currently missing in your industry?

@Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 - A 37-Year Legacy at Arkansas State
3:33 - Defying Enrollment Declines and Global Expansion
7:04 - Integrating AI into Traditional Business Fields
16:07 - Why STEM Designation Matters for Graduates
18:23 - Epicenter U and $40k Startup Fellowships
23:45 - Building Soft Skills and Financial Literacy

Stagnant funding limits institutional growth and stifles student potential. As academic budgets tighten across the board, scaling internal research operations is critical for long-term university survival and providing students with competitive, hands-on experience. Dr. Travis Marsico, Vice Provost for Research, Innovation, and Discovery at Arkansas State University, joins us to break down how his team successfully tripled research expenditures in just two years.

We sit down to unpack the exact mechanics of moving a university from $7.2 million to over $22 million in research funding. The conversation covers how to strategically allocate seed funds, navigate strict research compliance protocols, manage pre-award proposal development, and push innovations through the technology transfer pipeline. The driving force behind this massive growth relies heavily on getting the right people in the right seats on the bus, ultimately turning a historically quiet summer campus into a record-breaking grant submission machine.

Navigating federal grant rejections is brutal, and assembling a 100-page narrative with strict facility statements and collaborative documents demands immense operational stamina. Scaling this fast requires pushing through frequent failures without internalizing the rejection or sacrificing work-life balance. Listeners will walk away with a clear system for keeping staff motivated through heavy administrative friction, proving that empowering faculty to get back on the horse yields far better results than fostering a high-stress environment.

If you care about institutional growth, research commercialization, and cultivating a healthy team culture, you’ll get a lot from this. Please subscribe and share this episode with anyone looking to optimize their organization's operational output. What is the biggest hurdle your organization faces when trying to scale funding or foster interdisciplinary collaboration?

@Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 - Guest Introduction and Academic Background
3:11 - Tripling Research Expenditures and Team Realignment
11:08 - University Investment and Student Impact
25:57 - Grant Writing Workshops and Building Resilience
35:48 - Technology Transfer and Innovation Centers
48:51 - The Future of Interdisciplinary Research

Institutional momentum stalls the moment academic leadership loses sight of its core identity. With regional universities facing shifting demographic cliffs and intense competition for resources, understanding how to scale infrastructure while serving local communities is critical right now, especially as institutions prepare for massive fall enrollment shifts and infrastructure launches. We sit down with Dr. Will McLean, A-State alumnus and Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research, who brings decades of rural Delta research and faculty experience to the executive leadership table.

We get into the operational reality of managing unprecedented campus growth while keeping teaching at the center of the university's mission. The conversation covers the mechanics behind Arkansas State's record-breaking $47 million research award, the cross-pollination of artificial intelligence and engineering within the new Windgate Art and Innovation Center, and the accelerated timeline of building the state's first College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. McLean shares his leadership philosophy that institutional continuity is only valuable when the existing vision is actually driving results, emphasizing that long-term faculty support is the true engine behind sustainable institutional growth.

Opening two major flagship complexes simultaneously while building out new professional doctoral programs presents immense logistical, financial, and operational challenges that require precise alignment with regional industry needs. Managing this level of expansion means making hard decisions about resource allocation without diluting the quality of undergraduate instruction or raising costs beyond the reach of local families. Viewers will walk away with a clear blueprint for how regional universities can balance high-level research aspirations with affordable education, along with practical advice on how emerging leaders can navigate transitional roles by learning the internal budgeting and personnel realities of executive management.

If you care about higher education strategy, rural community development, and sustainable institutional scaling, you’ll get a lot from this. Make sure to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with your network of educators, founders, and leaders. What is the most critical professional or workforce development program your local region needs built out right now? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

@arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 - From Delta Alum to Interim Provost
5:03 - The Value of Academic Leadership Continuity
7:59 - What Drives a Record $47M Research Boom
10:04 - Launching Vet Med and the Art & Innovation Center
14:38 - Strategic Growth in Graduate and Doctoral Programs
15:58 - Anchoring in the Delta While Expanding Globally

Navigating the transition from high school to college, or from a familiar hometown to a brand-new state, can be an isolating and overwhelming experience without the right support system. With higher education evolving rapidly and students facing entirely new academic and social pressures, understanding how to find mentorship and build a supportive community is critical for long-term success. Today, we sit down with Dr. Carlitta M. Moore, Vice Chancellor for Access and Institutional Engagement at Arkansas State University, to discuss her personal journey from North Carolina to Jonesboro and the philosophy behind her work in student and faculty engagement.

We get into the mechanics of effective mentorship, exploring why one mentor is rarely enough and how different guidance is needed for personal life, career growth, and day-to-day challenges. Our conversation covers the practical substance behind programs like A-State Inspire, which helps incoming students master time management and campus resources before classes even start. We also examine the importance of faculty innovation, sharing a compelling alumni success story of a student who built the confidence to present internationally and achieve a tenure-track professorship. At the core of Dr. Moore’s approach is a simple secret sauce: true leadership requires intention, vulnerability, and remaining genuinely accessible to meet people exactly where they are.

The reality of university life is that students often struggle with the unglamorous hurdles of adulthood, such as managing shifting daily schedules, dealing with academic setbacks, and learning how to navigate complex institutional ladders without feeling dismissed. We discuss the importance of listening to understand rather than simply responding and the necessity of building reciprocal mentoring relationships where both parties actively contribute. Viewers will walk away with a practical framework for seeking out constructive critique, advocating for themselves when they need help, and utilizing campus networks to avoid dead-end frustration.

If you care about higher education leadership, student development, and building meaningful mentorship networks, you’ll get a lot from this. Make sure to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with students, educators, or leaders who want to create more supportive institutions. What has been the most impactful piece of advice a mentor has ever given you? Share your experience in the comments below.

@arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 - From North Carolina to A-State
4:56 - Why You Need More Than One Mentor
8:54 - A-State Inspire and the High School to College Transition
16:44 - Faculty Innovation and Building Campus Community
20:00 - An Alumni Success Story: From Arkansas to France
32:36 - What Leading with Intention Actually Looks Like

Measuring the value of higher education purely through entry-level salary statistics is a shortsighted strategy that compromises long-term workforce capability. As regional economies face severe structural shortages in critical sectors like healthcare and education, institutions must rapidly optimize how they train mid-level managers and expert personnel to drive real-world economic expansion. We sit down with Dr. Steven Beaupre, Dean of the Graduate School at Arkansas State University, to discuss the high-stakes responsibility of running the largest graduate infrastructure in the state and aligning advanced degrees with systemic regional demands.

We get into the tactical architecture required to manage advanced programs serving thousands of students across 60 distinct areas of study. Our conversation maps out the logistics of feeding critical healthcare pipelines in rural environments, expanding department staff to handle post-pandemic enrollment surges, and the strategic milestones necessary to elevate the campus from R2 to R1 research status. Dr. Beaupre shares his unique perspective on viewing academic leadership not as a bureaucratic constraint, but as a genuine impact multiplier that takes specialized field data and uses it to transform foundational institutional frameworks.

The harsh reality of expanding a competitive graduate framework involves entering a brutal national market where regional institutions must actively fight to attract elite talent. Leadership must confront glaring structural deficits in graduate assistantships, specifically regarding tuition breaks, health insurance accessibility, and competitive baseline stipends. Viewers will walk away with a functional understanding of how to audit internal budgets, reject vanity academic metrics, and successfully reallocate surplus funds directly back into student-level talent assets.

If you care about regional workforce development, institutional scaling, and the real-world economics of higher education, you’ll get a lot from this. Please subscribe to the channel and share this episode with an industry or education leader looking to scale their impact. What is the most critical benefit or structural adjustment needed to retain top-tier talent in your local workforce? Let us know in the comments below.

@Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 - Academic Background & Reptile Energetics

3:23 - Leading Arkansas's Largest Graduate School

6:47 - Evaluating the True ROI of Graduate Degrees

12:17 - Addressing Rural Arkansas Workforce Shortages

17:47 - The R1 Roadmap: GAs, Stipends, and Tuition Benefits

22:44 - Future Vision for Institutional Potential

You can hear it in Harrison Herget’s voice: he’s busy on purpose. Harrison is an Arkansas State University business administration student with a theater minor who also leads Phi Delta Theta and has served in IFC, all while building real ventures in construction, real estate work, and vending. We talk honestly about what it looks like to juggle leadership and entrepreneurship without pretending it’s effortless and without buying into the myth that your college path has to be linear.

We get into the moments that changed his trajectory: starting college, unsure it was necessary, signing up for rush at the last minute, and realizing that community is not a “nice to have” when you’re trying to grow. Harrison shares practical time management habits like weekly planning and using a strict to-do list, plus the leadership skills he’s gaining fast as a fraternity president: managing people, resolving conflict, and learning how to stay accountable when everyone is watching.

The conversation also goes beyond campus. Harrison reflects on studying abroad in Italy, how travel broadened his perspective, and why it made him appreciate the pace and opportunity back home in Northeast Arkansas. We also unpack what actually earns trust in business and student organizations, how mentors shape early growth, and why A-State’s access to alumni and local leaders can be a real advantage if you show up and ask.

If you got something from this, subscribe to Partners in Progress, share the episode with a student who’s trying to find their people, and leave a review. What’s one commitment you should say yes to this semester? @Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:09 - Welcome And Guest Introduction

1:04 - Choosing College When You Doubt It

2:44 - Finding Your People Through Rush

4:05 - Changing Majors Without Panic

5:16 - Time Management For Ambitious Students

7:05 - Leading A Fraternity While Building Businesses

10:48 - Campus Involvement And Sense Of Belonging

17:37 - Study Abroad In Italy And Perspective

22:44 - A State Access And NEA Support

27:24 - Earning Trust And Learning From Mentors

32:26 - Staying Connected As An Alum

34:11 - Rapid Fire Favorites And A State Trivia

41:52 - Final Thanks And Closing

Transferring colleges sounds like a clean new start until you’re living it. The credits have to line up, the social circles feel sealed, and you’re trying to make big career decisions on a shorter clock. We sit down with Logan Locke, a senior finance student in the Honors College at Arkansas State University, to talk honestly about what it takes to regain your footing and build momentum fast.

Logan shares what pushed him to transfer, why the “extension of high school” fear often isn’t real, and how community becomes a serious career advantage when you treat it like part of the work. We dig into Greek life at a smaller university, leadership lessons from managing chapter finances, and the underrated value of showing up consistently in class, student organizations, and campus programs.

We also get practical about career prep: how Logan landed a role at Centennial Bank, what his Corporate Finance Institute fintech certification covers (think financial technology, regulations, and modern banking, not get-rich crypto hype), and why networking still beats a perfect resume in an AI-shaped job market. The mindset that ties it together is “learn, adapt, lead,” and it’s a reminder that progress is built through steady reps, not one flawless choice.

If you’re a transfer student, a new student, or just feeling behind, this conversation will help you rethink the timeline and focus on what you can control. Subscribe for more stories like this, share the episode with a student who needs it, and leave a quick review with the best advice you’ve ever gotten about college. @Arkansasstatemedianetwork.

0:00 Welcome and Logan’s Resume 1:27 What is Alpha Lambda Delta? 1:50 Exploring Fintech and CFI Certifications 2:52 Why Transferring Feels So Awkward 4:39 Choosing A-State After the U of A 6:32 The Myth of "High School Extension" 7:50 Finding Community Through Greek Life 10:40 Mentors and the Power of Effort 12:59 Life Advice: Try Your Best 14:10 Advice for Future Transfers 16:06 Working at Centennial Bank 17:49 Why You Must Stand Out 21:29 Learn, Adapt, Lead as a Mindset 23:30 Rapid Fire Campus Favorites 26:20 Best Study Spots and Snacks 28:44 A-State Athletics and Campus Vibes 33:34 Staying Connected as an Alumni 35:49 Defining Progress at A-State