Built With A-State
Hosted by Todd Shields, Built with A-State is the definitive tactical guide for industry leaders looking to partner with Arkansas State University. This series provides a transparent "user manual" for engagement, detailing everything from the CREST program to faculty collaboration models. By removing academic jargon, we simplify the process for organizations to access university resources and scale their regional impact.
Episodes
9 episodes
From Flagship to System: Dr. Todd Shields and Dr. Calvin White on Leading the Next Era
Top-down mandates and command-central edicts rarely survive contact with the real world, especially in institutions where trust is the currency of progress. At a time when higher education faces shifting enrollment landscapes, athletic restruct...
Aligning Higher Ed: What Employers Actually Need Today
Traditional degree pipelines are failing to keep pace with rapid industrial expansion and technological disruption. With billions of dollars in capital investment flooding into regional markets right now, organizations cannot afford to rely on ...
Policy Meets Progress: Navigating the Politics of Workforce Funding with Shane Broadway
Traditional higher education models face a significant talent leak when they fail to adapt to rapid regional economic shifts. With changing student demographics and immediate economic pressures, educational institutions must look past rigid fou...
Best of Built with A-State: Better, Not Bigger for Sustainable Growth
The disconnect between corporate expectations and workforce readiness remains the single greatest bottleneck to localized economic growth. When major industrial operations, retail empires, and manufacturing plants cannot find talent aligned...
Better on Purpose: Why Scale Matters More Than Growth with Ted and Amanda Herget
Gearhead Outfitters didn’t start with a polished business plan or a big investor pitch. It started with a feel for community, a love of the outdoors, and a willingness to sell bike racks out of a living room until the next door opened. I’m join...
Issue 3: Rescuing the Arkansas Delta With Randy Zook
If you’ve ever wondered why smart, capable people still struggle to land or keep good jobs, the answer often isn’t technical knowledge. It’s the basics employers can’t hire without: showing up, communicating clearly, listening, following instru...
Workforce Continuum: How Nucor Partners with A-State With Zach Moon
Northeast Arkansas didn’t just attract a few big employers; it quietly became one of the most important steel corridors in the country. I’m Todd Shields, Chancellor at Arkansas State University, and I sit down with Zach Moon, Vice President at ...
Leadership Through Involvement: From Campus to C-Suite with Phillip Poston
Seventy-five percent of the journey from “Add to Cart” to your front door can run through conveyor and material handling systems built in Arkansas, and that single fact opens up a much bigger conversation about jobs, skills, and the future of a...