Alumna Spotlight: Dr. Lynette Kuhn'10
Dr. Lynette Kuhn's story is one defined by perseverance, purpose, and the transformative power of education. Today, she serves as the Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Postsecondary and Higher Education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education, where she leads statewide efforts to expand access, affordability, and opportunity across the Commonwealth's higher education system. But her journey to this leadership role did not begin in a traditional way. After graduating high school, Dr. Kuhn knew she wasn't ready to begin college. Two weeks before she was set to move into her dorm, she made the difficult decision to step away. She chose instead to pursue cosmetology-- something she had always loved. She earned her cosmetology and cosmetology teaching licenses and soon discovered a new passion that would shape the course of her life: teaching and helping others succeed.

By age 21, she felt ready to try college again. That second chance came at Luzerne County Community College.

"Walking onto campus for the first time, I was nervous," Dr. Kuhn shared. "I didn't know if I belonged in higher education. But I quickly realized Luzerne was different. This was a place where second chances were encouraged. This was a place that believed in me before I fully believed in myself."

At LCCC, she found support, encouragement, and the confidence to keep moving forward. Her professors knew her name. Staff helped her see her potential. The college became the foundation upon which she would build the rest of her academic and professional journey.

From Luzerne, Dr. Kuhn transferred on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society and a Master of Education in Higher Education from Penn State University. She later completed her Doctor of Education in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University. She went on to work in higher education administration, compliance, and institutional operations, eventually overseeing multiple postsecondary institutions across several states.

Before becoming Deputy Secretary, she served as Chief for the Division of Higher Education, Access, and Equity at the Pennsylvania Department of Education, where she led statewide authorization and regulatory oversight for postsecondary institutions. Her work has consistently centered on broadening access to higher education, improving student pathways, and strengthening institutional support systems -- values rooted in her own lived experience.

"Luzerne County Community College gave me my start," Dr. Kuhn said. "It gave me the confidence to keep going. My life could have gone in a very different direction, but this college opened the door -- and I walked through it."

Dr. Kuhn remains a strong advocate for community colleges, calling them "the heartbeat of opportunity" in Pennsylvania. She emphasizes that community colleges welcome students at every stage of life ? from first-generation learners to working parents, veterans, and individuals seeking a new direction.

"They do not ask' ?Where have you been?' They ask, "Where can you go from here?'" she said.

Today, Dr. Kuhn leads efforts that directly impact thousands of students across the Commonwealth. Yet, she has never forgotten where her journey began -- at a small table, with uncertainty and hope, and ultimately at Luzerne County Community College, where someone believed in her.

Her message to current LCCC students is simple and powerful:

"Your story matters. You belong here. And this college can change your life-- just like it changed mine."