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Iowa Board of Regents selects David Cook as the next president of Iowa State University

November 11, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Iowa State University

David Cook, president of North Dakota State University, will be the next president of Iowa State University beginning in January. | Photo provided by Iowa State University

Regents select David Cook, president of North Dakota State University, as next president of ISU

by Kyle Werner | Staff Reporter | Published on Nov 11, 2025

The Iowa Board of Regents announced Tuesday that David Cook will be the next president of Iowa State University.

The announcement came during the Regents' monthly meeting and followed a unanimous vote on a four-month search.

“It’s quite an honor... I’m pretty overwhelmed, a little speechless, sincerely,” Cook said immediately after the announcement. “I really appreciate the hospitality throughout this whole process. It’s been amazing, exactly what I would expect of Iowa State, candidly, because the bar is pretty high.”

Cook, an Ames native, ISU alum and current president of North Dakota State University, will begin his term as Iowa State’s 17th president in March following the retirement of current president Wendy Wintersteen, who announced her decision in May.