Partners in Progress

A perfect GPA looks great on paper, but it’s not the thing that opens the biggest doors. We’re talking with Braden Deese, a senior accounting student from Walnut Ridge and a standout in A-State’s College of Business, about what actually moves a career forward: mentors who advocate for you, clubs that put you in the right rooms, and the courage to start conversations before you feel fully “ready.” From honor societies to the Accounting and Finance Club, Braden breaks down how involvement becomes a real professional network you can lean on for years.

We also get practical about work experience. Braden shares what he’s learning as an intern at a hospital, from accounts receivable and insurance payments to asking better questions about costs and efficiency. If you’re aiming for an accounting internship, a healthcare finance role, or a future in leadership, you’ll hear how classroom theory turns into decisions that matter, and why showing up prepared and curious beats trying to look like you already know everything.

Leadership is the thread that ties it together. Braden walks us through the three costs of leadership he heard from Coach Butch Jones: you will make hard calls that affect people you care about, you will be disliked sometimes, and you will be misunderstood without getting to defend yourself. We also talk about a major shift happening right now in business and higher education: AI is no longer a forbidden shortcut; it’s a tool you need to learn if you want to stay competitive, adaptable, and effective.

If you care about Arkansas State University, student success, mentorship, networking, accounting careers, or AI in business, this conversation will hit home. Subscribe for more, share this with a student who needs encouragement, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway: what connection or mentor changed your path? @Arkansasstatemeidanetwork.

0:00 Introduction
1:00 Walnut Ridge Roots
2:22 Why Accounting?
3:11 The Power of Mentorship
4:46 Hospital Internship Insights
6:17 Coach Butch Jones: Three Costs of Leadership
9:49 Future Growth: Shields and White's Vision
11:25 The AI Business Shift
12:40 Redirection: From Baseball to Academics
14:30 Connections You Can't Get Elsewhere
17:10 Adaptive Leadership in Accounting
18:25 Advice for First-Year Students
21:06 Smaller Classes, Closer Bonds
22:02 Only at A-State Moments
23:43 Campus Traditions and Favorites
26:14 High School vs. College Reality
28:02 The Class That Humbled Me
29:14 Career Goals: Path to CFO
29:43 What Alumni Need to Know
31:30 Community and the Food Bank
32:44 A Note of Gratitude
34:04 Defining Progress

Cori Keller’s career story is proof that the “straight line” is overrated. She starts with Arkansas State University, stacks credentials in exercise science, communication, and a doctorate in healthcare administration, and then builds a real-world path that moves from marketing and ESPN freelance sports reporting to healthcare leadership as a physician liaison with the Baptist Health System.

We talk about what actually carries over when your job title changes: communication skills, showing up prepared, and staying connected to the people who helped you grow. Cori shares how being deeply involved on campus as a Red Wolves dancer, in Greek life, as a campus ambassador, and as Miss A-State 2018 built confidence and relationships that still matter today. The thread running through it all is alumni networking with purpose, not just for nostalgia but for references, opportunities, and long-term professional development.

You’ll also hear why she’s excited to launch the Partners in Progress segment as a casual conversation where listeners can be a fly on the wall and learn how A-State continues to support graduates well beyond their student years. If you care about career growth, alumni success stories, leadership development, higher education impact, or building a network in Arkansas that lasts, this conversation brings practical insight and real momentum. Subscribe, share this with a fellow Red Wolf, and leave a review, then tell us who you want to hear on Partners in Progress next.