Universities are universal. Though colleges have (and continue to) reinvent themselves to meet the challenges of their times, the idea of a university as a hub for community development endures in Jonesboro. Through Arkansas State University’s Catalyst NEA Economic Development and Leadership Forum, educating and empowering students goes hand in hand with strengthening the northeast Arkansas region as a whole – and it’s just getting started.
“Number one, Catalyst allows us to convene different thought leaders, different industry leaders, to come together around a centralized theme,” said Arkansas State Chancellor Calvin White.
So it will be on Nov. 5 when Arkansas State hosts Catalyst 3.0 at the Embassy Suites and Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro. This year’s forum looks to build on the 600-plus attendance figures from the previous two forums, with panel discussions on everything from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to rural health to workforce readiness for college students.
This is not an event where Arkansas State students will be on the outside looking in. All proceeds from Catalyst 3.0 will go to student scholarships, and attendees are encouraged to bring professional work clothing for the university’s Career Closet program. Located within Arkansas State’s Neil Griffin College of Business, the Career Closet eliminates the financial barrier of needing to purchase formal attire for job fairs, interviews and networking events. This campus-wide resource reinforces Arkansas State University’s commitment to student success, ensuring that wardrobe limitations never stand between a student and their career goals.
It all harkens back to when universities played a central role in regional development, and for northeast Arkansas, the timing could not be better. The region is in the midst of an industrial resurgence thanks to the growth of the steel industry, agriculture and other enterprises in the area. With growth and development comes new sets of challenges and new ways to do business.
That goes for colleges as well. News about a nationwide enrollment cliff has dominated education headlines, and across the country, colleges are working to redefine themselves for rapidly changing times. Yet, Arkansas State has been riding a wave of innovation, and as a result, the university is stronger than ever.
“It has grown tremendously because I think it was needed,” White said of the Catalyst program, adding that university enrollment has gone up 33%.
None of these things has been easy. Creating an environment where entrepreneurial leadership meets evolving industries, technology and student interests requires intensive organization, a well of enthusiasm and unflagging industry.
Meet Heather Nelson.
“There’s a narrative out there that higher ed isn’t worth what it once was, and the value’s not there and it’s too expensive,” said Nelson, vice chancellor for external affairs and strategic initiatives at Arkansas State. “I do think that narrative is real and out there somewhere. That’s not real in the state of Arkansas.”
Saying that Nelson is committed to Arkansas State’s role as a regional epicenter is like saying water is wet. A lifelong banker, entrepreneur and manager, Nelson began her relationship with Arkansas State as an “executive in residence” in 2024, creating a lecture series for Arkansas State students to bring them closer to entrepreneurs and C-suite executives. The idea went beyond networking, giving students real-time connection and mentorship. Yes, job placement is covered, but so are various “soft skills” like communication. Rather than graduating with little more than a diploma and a wish for good luck, Arkansas State students leave the school equipped with a base of entrepreneurial and interpersonal skills.
“It has grown tremendously because I think it was needed,” Nelson said. “That’s where it gets its name. It’s a catalyst for those conversations. And I think those conversations were already happening across the state, but they were not happening in Northeast Arkansas in a concentrated or organized effort.”
A born entrepreneur, Nelson has worked to create a connection between Arkansas State and the surrounding businesses. Unlike some who have spent their entire careers in higher education, Nelson does not mind working in an era where the value of a college education is actively questioned.
“That’s what Catalyst was born out of,” Nelson said. “What’s the fastest, best way to elevate A-State as the hub that it already is?”
The result is a three-way conversation between the university, its students and leaders in business and industry – one of the core ideas upon which the entire concept of a university was founded.
“I really do believe it allows us to show the people of Northeast Arkansas, and the state, the importance of what we do here,” White said. “Catalyst allows us to deliver that message.”
For more information about the forum, click here.
