Partners in Progress

J Jagriti
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Partners in Progress is hosted by HEI Program Coordinator, A-State Graduate School, J Jagriti, a testimonial-driven series featuring conversations with CEOs and industry leaders who have successfully collaborated with Arkansas State. Moving beyond abstract innovation, the show focuses on the specific strategic dividends and ROI achieved through the university’s pipeline. This program serves as a transparent risk-mitigation tool for potential sponsors, proving through peer testimony that a partnership with A-State is a high-yield investment rather than a philanthropic gesture.

Episodes

  1. 22h ago

    Cross-Discipline Growth: The Future of University Innovation

    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

  2. Jul 24

    Rural Roots, Global Reach: Growing Higher Ed in the Delta

    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

  3. Jul 10

    Leading with Intention: The Power of Approachable Leadership

    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

  4. Jun 26

    Graduate Degree ROI: Is a Master's Worth the Investment?

    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

  5. May 29

    Building Businesses Early: How an Ambitious Undergraduate Runs Multiple Companies While Leading on Campus

    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

  6. May 15

    Community First: Why Your Connections Matter Most with Logan Locke

    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

  7. May 8

    The AI Pivot: Essential Tools for New Grads

    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

  8. Apr 21

    First Look into: Partners in 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.

  • 8 Episodes

About

Partners in Progress is hosted by HEI Program Coordinator, A-State Graduate School, J Jagriti, a testimonial-driven series featuring conversations with CEOs and industry leaders who have successfully collaborated with Arkansas State. Moving beyond abstract innovation, the show focuses on the specific strategic dividends and ROI achieved through the university’s pipeline. This program serves as a transparent risk-mitigation tool for potential sponsors, proving through peer testimony that a partnership with A-State is a high-yield investment rather than a philanthropic gesture.

Information

  • Creator
    J Jagriti
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Partners in Progress
  • Show Website
    Partners in Progress