On January 2, 2026, Wendy Wintersteen will retire in her ninth year serving as the 16th president of Iowa State University and marking the close of a nearly 47-year career at the state of Iowa’s land-grant university. President Wintersteen reflects on her presidency and her career as an Iowa Stater.
During her presidency, Iowa State reported record-breaking achievements in student outcomes, national and international awards for innovation and entrepreneurship, historic fundraising success, noteworthy improvements in university rankings, and more. Remarkably, these came during stormy times, literally and figuratively. Times that included 100-plus miles-per-hour derecho winds that barreled through campus before the first week of classes. And a pandemic that required faculty and staff to shift 32,000 students to online education in a week’s time. And periods of considerable national and international turbulence.
Repeatedly, Wintersteen has stated that the remarkable accomplishments since 2017 were the result of a comprehensive team effort in service to Iowa State’s mission. In fact, the license plate on her car throughout her presidency sums up her executive style: TO SERVE. Visible to all who passed by Beardshear Hall, the license plate reminded faculty, staff, and students of her ever-present administrative philosophy, goals, and stance.
In the late ’70s, I was the extension personnel officer with an office in the basement of Curtiss Hall. I was responsible for recruiting all field staff and conducting the initial interviews. Wendy was one I brought in early on in a search for an integrated pest management (IPM) position. She came in, we hired her — and the rest is history. I kept tabs on her throughout her career — and she kept tabs on me!
— Don Goering (’58, ’70, ’78), Retired Extension Administrator
Innovate at Iowa State
During Wintersteen’s tenure, Iowa State earned global recognition as a leader for innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education. Notable accolades and rankings include:
- The 2025 Princeton Review’s Top 50 Entrepreneurship ranked Iowa State #14 nationally, #6 in the Midwest and #1 in Iowa for undergraduate entrepreneurship programs.
- 2023 Entrepreneurial University of the Year for the Americas.
- 2024 Model University Accelerator/ Incubator award from the U.S Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- 2022 NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, the highest honor from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers.
- Top 100 universities worldwide for U.S. patents, tied for 57th with 60 patents in 2024.
Wintersteen advanced support for cutting-edge research. Iowa State ranks in the top 3% for research out of nearly 500 universities without a human medical school. Over the past eight years, the university received more than $4.2 billion in external funding, including three consecutive years of record-setting research funding and, this past year, the second-highest research total ever.
Improving student outcomes
This fall Iowa State’s enrollment grew for the third year to 31,105 total students. Since 2020, freshman class numbers have increased 21% to 6,160 this fall — the largest in a decade. One additional number stands out: the 89.1% student retention rate, which is 12 points above the average for large public universities. The high number of students who stay at ISU says much about the quality experience they discover here.
ISU students are graduating faster than ever before. The average time to degree has decreased from 4.4 years in 2018 to a historic low of 4.12 years in 2024. And Iowa State’s six-year graduation rate outperforms the national average of four-year public institutions by more than 18 points.
During her presidency, 57,698 students graduated from Iowa State prepared for the workforce. Since 2018, Iowa State has maintained an exceptionally strong placement rate of 95%. By the time they graduate, nearly 75% of undergraduates complete two or more high-impact practices, such as learning communities, faculty-student research projects, internships, or study abroad programs.
More than 44% of Iowa State students earn their degrees without any debt. The percentage who take out loans decreased from 59% in 2018-19 to 55.6% in 2022-23.
National rankings conducted by the Wall Street Journal shifted during the past eight years to focus more closely on student outcomes. In Wintersteen’s first year as president, Iowa State ranked #288 out of all public and private universities in the WSJ rankings. By 2024, Iowa State ranked #119 — the best of any public university in Iowa.
Last year, nearly 8,500 students received donor-funded scholarships. To eliminate dire financial barriers facing seniors, 1,938 received donor-funded completion grants to help them finish their degrees and join the workforce.
What stands out is her unwavering commitment to Iowa State’s mission and people. Whether guiding the university through digital transformation, supporting leadership transition or mentoring through the President’s Leadership Class, President Wintersteen led with integrity, vision and heart. Her legacy is not just in the policies she shaped or the infrastructure she championed. It’s in the relationships she built and the culture she nurtured. She leaves behind an Iowa State that is more connected, more resilient, and better prepared for the future.
— Kristen Constant (’86), Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Historic fundraising success
During Wintersteen’s first four years, the Iowa State University Foundation exceeded its initial fundraising goal of $1.1 billion and achieved a historic $1.542 billion fundraising total for the Forever True, For Iowa State campaign. More than 96,000 alumni, donors, and friends made gifts and commitments to the university.
The record-breaking total included $500 million for student support, including 56,000 donor-funded scholarships awarded. The campaign created 148 named faculty positions, which provide faculty with resources to invest in teaching, research, and other strategic priorities.
Wintersteen worked with alumni and friends to secure more than $275 million for new or revitalized facilities, including:
- The world-class Student Innovation Center.
- Gerdin Building Expansion for the Ivy College of Business.
- Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building, made possible by the largest single gift ($42 million) for an academic building in Iowa State history.
- LeBaron Hall rebuild and McKay Hall renovation project; work began in April 2024 with support from numerous private donors.
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, phase 1 completed and phase 2 underway with support from the state of Iowa.
- Richard and Joan Stark Performance Center.
- Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex.
- Robert T. Hamilton Poultry Teaching and Research Farm.
- Stanley L. Balloun Turkey Teaching and Research Facility.
Notably, the Iowa State University Research Park also experienced significant growth during this time with a 150-acre expansion and nearly 50 new tenants.
Wintersteen worked with Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard to receive approval from the regents for the CyTown development, a multipurpose project now underway to enhance the Iowa State Center.
Most memorable
When asked what she will remember the most from her time as president, Wintersteen said: “I will always remember the students. Their energy, intellectual curiosity and personal growth reminds me of why Iowa State constantly strives for excellence. Since I became president, nearly 58,000 students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. I felt so pleased for them in that moment. I felt so happy to imagine their future potential. It’s a special, memorable day for everyone.”
In mid-November, after a national search, the Iowa Board of Regents plans to announce the 17th president of Iowa State University.
