Marshall Goodman, Ph.D., has led USF's Lakeland campus since 2006. In addition to being CEO of USF Polytechnic, he serves on the Executive Management Council for the University of South Florida.
Prior to assuming his current post, Goodman compiled a distinguished record in university leadership, scholarship and economic development, spanning a quarter of a century. He has held leadership posts at San Jose State University, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Cincinnati, and Georgetown University. He has served at every level of leadership, including department head, program director, dean, vice president, provost, and, ultimately, CEO.
In addition to those leadership posts, Goodman is a widely respected political scientist and award-winning teacher. He holds degrees from DePaul University (B.A.) and the Ohio State University (M.A., Ph.D.) and completed an honors thesis at Oxford University in Oxford, England. His research has focused on American Politics (public policy and policy analysis), labor economics, political economy, and U.S. foreign policy. He has published widely in scholarly journals and is the author of a book, numerous monographs, chapters, articles and conference papers.
An entrepreneurial leader, Goodman has been described by one national publication as a "tech visionary" (Campus Technology magazine). While serving as Provost of San Jose State University in California's fabled "silicon valley," Goodman captured national attention for his commitment to integrating technology in teaching, research and campus life and for the innovative public-private partnerships he developed with leading tech firms in the region. USFP's location at the heart of Florida's High Tech Corridor has thus been an ideal site for the sorts of technology-focused initiatives that are trademarks of his approach to higher education and economic development.
Goodman has traveled extensively and has consulted on state politics, government ethics, public administration, and international trade. From 1999-2001 he served Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson as Special Assistant for Globalization. His international focus areas have included India, the Pacific Rim, Central and South America, and the European Union.
A native of Chicago with strong family ties to south Florida, Goodman is deeply committed to the role of a public research university and has invested heavily in regional engagement. His civic involvement includes seats on the Boards of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, the Auburndale Chamber of Commerce, the Lakeland Economic Development Council, the Central Florida Development Council, the Polk Museum of Art, the Learning Resource Center of Polk County, Polk Vision, the United Way of Central Florida, the Bartow Regional Medical Center and others. He is a participant in the Tampa Bay Partnership's "CEO Direct" leadership program and a member of the inaugural class of Leadership Polk and active with the Tampa Bay Partnership and myRegion.org.