Iowa State Narrowing University President Search to Four Finalists

Iowa State University is in the final stages of selecting a new president as current president Wendy Wintersteen prepares to retire in January 2026 after nearly a decade of leadership. The Iowa Board of Regents and a 12-member search committee have narrowed the pool of applicants from 78 to eight semifinalists, who are currently undergoing virtual interviews. These semifinalists, whose names remain confidential, will be further narrowed down to four finalists who will visit the campus for in-person interviews and public forums in early November. The names of the finalists will be publicly released 24 hours before their campus visits. The Board of Regents plans to conduct closed-session interviews with the finalists on November 11 and announce the new president later that day. Wintersteen, the university's 16th president and its first woman to hold the position, has served Iowa State for 46 years and has been president since 2017.