Her Story
About Lindsey
Lindsey Goldstein is a passionate advocate for positive social change who has dedicated her career to connecting individuals with meaningful opportunities to serve their communities through authentic engagement and collaboration. Rooted in a lifelong commitment to service inspired by her experiences in Girl Scouts and strong family values, Lindsey has combined her passion for education, service, leadership, and civic engagement to empower others to make a difference.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Nova Southeastern University and her Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University. Over the past decade, Lindsey has built an impressive career in student affairs/community engagement, serving in leadership roles across a variety of institutions and communities. Her professional journey includes positions such as Program Coordinator at Palm Beach State College, Assistant Director of the Weppner Center for Service and Leadership at Florida Atlantic University, and her current role as Associate Director of the Butler Center for Service and Leadership at the University of Miami. Through each of these roles, Lindsey has served as a catalyst for inspiring individuals to expand their community outreach and become actively involved in causes that matter. Some of these experiences include building homes with Habitat for Humanity, supporting inclusive education through Best Buddies, raising funds for the American Cancer Society and advancing numerous other community-based programs. Through her leadership, Lindsey continues to empower others to make a difference, fostering a culture of service, collaboration, and civic responsibility wherever she serves.
Throughout her career, Lindsey has collaborated with nonprofit organizations and community partners to develop impactful service initiatives that focus leadership, civic responsibility, and meaningful human connection. Her approach to service is both innovative and engaging, emphasizing that volunteerism can be not only impactful, but also creative, fulfilling, and joyful. One example of this philosophy can be seen through a project she has done for years which entails repurposing outdated t-shirts. Rather than allowing them to be discarded, Lindsey has taught community members how to upcycle them into items such as dog toys for local animal shelters. Through initiatives like these, she helps individuals recognize the power of even the smallest acts of service and the lasting ripple effects they can create within communities. This work reflects Lindsey’s implementation of the Active Citizen Continuum, which moves individuals from being members and volunteers to conscientious citizens and ultimately active citizens. She believes intentional education is essential in helping students progress along this continuum, emphasizing that meaningful social change requires sustained awareness and action. As she often explains, if students participate in a beach cleanup one day but litter the next, they are not truly creating lasting social impact. At the University of Miami, Lindsey works closely with students to cultivate active citizenship through programs such as Civic Scholars, where students integrate their academic and co-curricular experiences to develop in-depth capstone projects. These projects include creating legacy initiatives that enhance the capacity of community organizations or conducting semester-long research focused on social impact. Lindsey mentors students as they deepen their understanding of the systemic causes of social issues and explore ways to create meaningful change through service as a transformative and collaborative experience. Through her leadership, she has strengthened partnerships with local and national philanthropic organizations, creating opportunities for students to engage in hands-on service while building meaningful connections, expanding their critical thinking about social issues, and developing valuable skills that support their careers and lifelong roles as active citizens.
Among the many initiatives Lindsey has helped lead are large-scale service programs such as Orientation Outreach, which introduces new students to community engagement during their very first week on campus, and Miami Dream Day of Service, a university-wide initiative that inspires more than 200 students to spend a “day on” rather than a day off by volunteering across multiple service projects throughout the community. These events require extensive coordination, attention to detail, and collaboration with numerous community partners, all areas in which Lindsey excels. She is especially passionate about connecting students with nonprofit organizations that are addressing a wide range of social issues and community needs. Whether organizing volunteer fairs, coordinating National Volunteer Week events, working with student to plan Alternative Break experiences, or developing quick and accessible micro-service projects; Lindsey believes in meeting students where they are and helping them discover meaningful pathways to service. Through every initiative she leads, Lindsey Goldstein continues to inspire others to see service not as an obligation, but as an opportunity for growth, connection, and lasting positive impact.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lindsey
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the values that have guided me throughout my life—service, integrity, hard work, and a deep commitment to helping others. These values were instilled in me by my family, who modeled what it means to show up for others and create a life centered on education, ambition, and the desire to make a meaningful impact.
I have also been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors who challenged me to grow, encouraged me to pursue my passions, and helped me see possibilities in myself that I may not have recognized on my own. Their guidance reinforced the importance of lifelong learning, humility, and investing in the development of others.
At the core of my work is a deep commitment to service and the belief that people grow most when they feel seen, supported, and connected. I have focused on helping others recognize their own capacity to build and strengthen meaningful communities through action, authentic relationships, and a shared sense of purpose. In higher education and civic engagement, that sense of purpose becomes especially powerful. Working with students, colleagues, and community partners has reinforced for me that success is often born from passion paired with persistence. Any success I have achieved is a reflection of the values my family instilled in me, the mentors who invested in my growth, and the many individuals and communities who have inspired me along the way.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The most meaningful advice I can give to young women entering this field is to love what you do and remain true to your values. When you genuinely care about your work, it changes how you show up every day. You bring more energy, creativity, resilience, and purpose to what you do, and you are more willing to navigate challenges because the work feels meaningful rather than transactional.
I would also encourage young women to trust their voice and recognize the value they bring to every room they enter. There may be moments when you question yourself or feel uncertain, but do not underestimate the power of your perspective, your experiences, and your ability to make a difference. Seek out mentors who will support and challenge you, remain open to learning, and do not be afraid to take on opportunities that stretch you beyond your comfort zone.
In higher education and community engagement, I have learned that the most impactful leaders are those who lead with authenticity, empathy, and a commitment to serving others. Loving what you do does not mean every day will be easy or perfect. It means finding purpose in your work, aligning your career with your values, and choosing environments where you can continue to grow, contribute, and create positive change. When you do that, success becomes more than a destination, it becomes a meaningful and fulfilling journey.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in higher education and civic engagement right now is helping students feel genuinely connected in a world that often feels increasingly disconnected. Many students are balancing academic pressures alongside mental health challenges, financial stress, social isolation, and uncertainty about their future. Even after the height of the pandemic, there are still lasting effects on students’ ability to build community, develop interpersonal relationships, and fully engage in campus life. As educators and student affairs professionals, we are being challenged to think more intentionally and creatively about how we foster belonging, purpose, and meaningful engagement.
At the same time, I believe this moment presents one of the greatest opportunities for growth and innovation in our field. Students today are deeply passionate about social issues, community impact, and creating positive change. They want experiences that feel authentic, hands-on, and connected to something larger than themselves. This creates an incredible opportunity for higher education institutions to rethink how we engage students through service, experiential learning, leadership development, and community partnerships.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
It might seem simple, but one of the values that guides both my work and personal life is kindness. The office motto at the Butler Center for Service and Leadership is, "Be the reason someone smiles today." I have always connected deeply with that message because I think we sometimes make leadership and service about changing the world in grand ways, when in reality, meaningful impact often begins with something much smaller.
If you can make one person feel seen, supported, encouraged, or valued, you are changing their world in that moment. Small acts of kindness, genuine connection, and encouragement can have a lasting impact, often in ways we may never fully realize. A simple conversation, a word of support, or taking the time to acknowledge someone can shape a person's day, restore their confidence, or remind them that they matter.
That belief influences how I approach both my professional and personal relationships. While I value service, integrity, and hard work, kindness is the thread that connects them all. I believe that whenever we have the opportunity to make someone smile, extend compassion, or help them feel a sense of belonging, we should take it. Those seemingly small moments often become the most meaningful and enduring forms of leadership.
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