Rate My Professor Ruth Goldfine

Ruth A. Goldfine, Ph.D., serves as Senior Associate Dean for Operations, Planning, and Innovation and Professor of English in the Literature faculty at Kennesaw State University within the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition from Georgia State University (2005), an M.A. in English Composition Theory from the University of Dayton (1995), and a B.A. in English from the University of Dayton (1986). Goldfine joined Kennesaw State University in 1997 as a Part-Time Instructor of English, advancing to Full-Time Temporary Instructor (2002-2004), Assistant Professor of English (2004-2010), Associate Professor of English (2010-2015), and Professor of English (2015-present). Her administrative career includes Assistant Chair of the Department of First-Year Programs (2011-2012), Interim Chair of the Department of First-Year and Transition Studies (2012-2013), Chair of the Department of First-Year and Transition Studies (2013-2016 and 2018-2020), Interim Associate Dean of University College (2016-2018), Interim Associate Dean (2020-2022), Associate Dean for Operations, Planning, and Innovation (2022-2024), and her current senior associate dean position (2024-present). Prior roles include Assistant Director of the Comprehensive Writing Program at Spelman College (2000-2001) and Part-Time Instructor at Floyd College (1995-1998).

Goldfine's research focuses on first-year student success, academic retention, learning communities, and rhetoric and composition. Her key publications include refereed articles such as "Strategies for Administrators: Promoting Continual Professional Development for Online Instructors" (Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 2023, with D. Mixson-Brookshire et al.), "The Student Recreation Center: Underutilized Resource for Improving Student Retention" (Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 2023, with D. Mixson-Brookshire), "Academic Skills, Community-Engaged, Leadership, and Global-Themed First-Year Seminars: Comparisons in Student Success" (Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice, 2020, with L.M. Boettler et al.), and "Integrating First-Year Convocation into the Orientation Experience: Innovative Strategies to Enhance the Experience" (Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 2019, with N.L. Habers et al.). Book chapters feature "Influence of the College Composition Classroom on Students' Values and Beliefs" (Writing Pathways to Student Success, 2017, with D. Mixson-Brookshire). She earned the University College Distinguished Scholarship Award (2008) and Governor’s Teaching Fellow designation (2007). Goldfine taught undergraduate and graduate English courses during a semester abroad at Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil.