DALLAS, Pa. — After 34 years of service to the campus community, Penn State Wilkes-Barre Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Lynda Goldstein is retiring June 30.
"Dr. Goldstein has been an extraordinary leader whose dedication and vision have left a lasting impact on Penn State Wilkes-Barre and northeastern Pennsylvania,” Regional Chancellor Elizabeth Wright said. “We are deeply grateful for her decades of commitment to excellence in education."
Goldstein has served Penn State Wilkes-Barre since 1991, first joining the campus as an instructor in the English department. She was promoted to assistant professor of English in 1992 and associate professor of English in 1998. In addition to teaching classes at the campus in English and American literature, she has taught interdisciplinary courses in American studies, literature and film, integrative arts and women’s studies. She was named associate chief academic officer in 2018 and chancellor and chief academic officer in 2022.
Goldstein earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Rutgers University-Camden and master’s and doctoral degrees in English from Temple University. She has received awards including the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Chancellor’s Award: Lion’s Roar Award, the Hayfield Excellence in Service Campus Award, the Hayfield “Fran Brown” Humanitarian Award, the Hayfield Award for Campus Service, the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Departmental Teamwork Award, the Hayfield Award for Teaching Excellence and the Pathfinder Award from the Luzerne County Women’s Conference, honoring a woman who has made a difference for others in Luzerne County.
She will be honored during a farewell event at the campus on June 13.
During Goldstein’s 34 years at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, the faculty and staff’s commitment to students has remained steadfast, she said.
“We really care about teaching on this campus, and we really care about supporting student success,” she said. “Our faculty is great at connecting what they do in the classroom to community needs. They also demonstrate extraordinary scholarship in their disciplines and share that at national and international conferences. And I don’t think you could find staff who are more caring or more dedicated to student success. The contributions of our faculty and staff have been so valuable, not only to me, but to other members of our campus community as well.”
Goldstein said she appreciates the excitement and energy that students bring to classes and to campus. She praised Penn State Wilkes-Barre students for their character, enterprise and leadership.
“I have been able to work with members of the Student Government Association in my role as chancellor, and I’m always impressed by the thoughtfulness and passion of students on our campus who assume leadership roles. Being able to watch them grow into effective leaders is really exciting and inspiring,” she said.
The campus’ relationship with the community has been a highlight of Goldstein’s time at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. During her time leading the campus, Penn State Wilkes-Barre has built and strengthened partnerships with numerous community and professional organizations, including the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Back Mountain Chamber, Leadership Northeast, Junior Achievement, Arts at Hayfield and the Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors (PSLS).
“Connecting with the community and being a visible presence is something I’m proud of. Penn State Wilkes-Barre is a community asset and our connections emphasize that,” Goldstein said. “These are mutually beneficial partnerships. We are able to contribute to organizations that are working to serve the community more effectively, and they support initiatives that we are doing. They foster internships for our students and connect new businesses with the majors we offer. It has been a privilege to work with people who represent the diversity of businesses and nonprofits in our area.”
Desiree Voitek, senior director of campus development, said, “Throughout her tenure with Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Dr. Goldstein has poured her heart into ensuring the absolute best for students. She has worked tirelessly to build strong community partnerships that have resulted in significant support to remove financial barriers that students face. Long before our paths crossed as colleagues, Dr. Goldstein was an extraordinary professor to me as a first-generation student at the campus. From her I learned valuable critical thinking and communication skills, which helped prepare me not only for the workforce, but also for leadership opportunities serving my community. I am forever grateful for the inspiring education I received from her and the path forward that resulted from it.”
Following Goldstein’s retirement, Wright will continue to serve as regional chancellor, overseeing Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Hazleton. Penn State Wilkes-Barre will close at the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
“It’s been exciting to see how we can operate more effectively as three campuses in a large region,” Goldstein said. “While we have very different campuses and are in very different communities, Liz has been able to bring us together very cohesively. I think the foundation for effective collaboration has been laid and we will have some exciting things coming out of this collaboration in the next few years, even after this particular campus has closed.”