Elizabeth J. Wright, Ph.D., was appointed Regional Chancellor for Penn State's Scranton, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre campuses following the retirement of Marwan Wafa, Ph.D. at the end June.
By: Morgan Sewack
DUNMORE, Pa. – Elizabeth J. Wright has been appointed as regional chancellor for Penn State Scranton, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. This new role follows her recent tenure as chancellor at Penn State Hazleton, where she served since July 2022.
Wright’s career with Penn State began over two decades ago at the Hazleton campus. Starting in 2000 as an instructor in English, she advanced through roles including assistant professor, associate professor and director of academic affairs. By 2019, she added the role of associate dean of academic affairs within the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses.
Since taking on her new role as the northeast regional chancellor in July, Wright has been immersing herself in the Penn State Scranton community.
"I think it’s a beautiful campus. What has impressed me most is just how engaged people are in working with students. I’ve never seen a campus that chalks its sidewalks before a New Student Orientation (NSO) like this one does, so it’s really fun to see the pride everyone takes in the campus and the joy they take in welcoming students."
Wright spent her summer focused on understanding the campus’s dynamics and future aspirations. “For me, this summer, what I really wanted to do was to get to know the campus as much as possible – to get to know its spaces, to get to know the people who work here, and to understand what the campus values and where we would like to go in the future,” she said. “It’s been great getting to chat with the campus community.”
Looking ahead, Wright has identified key priorities for Penn State Scranton. “I always think about access and affordability. The most powerful thing that Penn State does at its campuses is provide education to those who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it,” she said. Her goals include enhancing student engagement, supporting them both inside and outside the classroom, and focusing on enrollment and program development.
Wright said she envisions Penn State Scranton as a “central community anchor.”
“As a land grant institution, one of the things we are supposed to do is get to know our community and think about how we can partner with community leaders to help them reach their goals,” she said. Wright also emphasized the importance of collaboration among the three campuses to effectively promote Penn State’s offerings across the northeast region.
In her approach to campus traditions, Wright said she plans to blend respect for existing practices with new ideas. “The biggest thing is listening and watching. I love seeing how we each put our own spin on events to make them our own,” she said. Her aim is to build on the campus’s strengths while introducing new innovative approaches that align with its values.
As she begins her tenure, Wright expressed her enthusiasm for working with the Penn State Scranton community. “I am so glad you’re here. I love working with students and am excited to partner with everyone as we move forward,” she said.
Wright also emphasized the importance of resilience and celebrating diversity among the three campuses: “This campus really loves its students – it cares. It wants to support students and has them at the heart of what it does. We need to celebrate our resiliency and acknowledge our diversity, being proud of our connections and how we’ve adapted and adjusted.”
Wright’s leadership at Penn State has been distinguished by her strategic planning and commitment to student success. Her extensive career includes overseeing multi-million-dollar renovations and expanding degree programs.
Recognized for her contributions, she has achieved significant milestones, including establishing a partnership with Amazon’s Career Choice program and receiving awards such as the Penn State Commission for Women Achieving Women Award and the Hazleton Educational Council Award for Teaching Excellence.
Wright is also the current co-lead, with Renata Engel, of the Academic Portfolio and Review Committee at Penn State and a board member for AllOne Charities, along with the board for Lehigh Valley Health Network Hazleton, among others.
Wright holds a doctoral and master’s degree in English language and literature from the University of New Mexico, and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of New Hampshire.
