40 Under 40: Chelsea Badeau ’03

The four years I spent at Arcadia presented the opportunity for me to explore my interests and passions, develop my skills, and hone in on my strengths. I started as a Physical Therapy major, but I graduated with a degree in Video Communications and a double minor in Fine Arts and Theater. Arcadia helped me find the path that worked best for me. This led to opportunities at local TV stations and media companies, ultimately landing me at Comcast, where I have been for the past 15 years. I currently manage editorial production across Xfinity platforms (Xfinity X1 On Demand, Xfinity Stream, Xfinity Flex, and My.Xfinity.com). In addition, Arcadia introduced me to some of my very best friends who continue to be an important part of my life. 

Dr. Shekhar Deshpande was the chair of the Media and Communication Department during my time at Arcadia. He gave me a D on a test early on, and I was initially devastated. After reviewing my answers to the questions, I realized why I received that grade. My answers were shallow, barely touching the surface of the topics. Dr. Deshpande taught me to be a critical thinker, to challenge the status quo, to dig deeper, to look at things from multiple perspectives, and to uncover the real reasons underlying complex issues. He taught me that the medium is often just as important, if not more so than the message. (We studied Marshall McLuhan who notably said, “the medium is the message.”) Dr. Deshpande challenged me and pushed me to be my best. I have carried that critical thinking mindset with me into every aspect of my life since graduation.