President Emerita Wendy Wintersteen retired from Iowa State University on January 2 as the first woman president, ending a 46-year career that she says is dear to her heart.
“It’s the end of an era,” said Wintersteen.
Wintersteen’s tenure as president at ISU was punctuated by improved student outcomes, impressive fundraising successes, and accolades in the form of honors and awards. Wintersteen was appointed as president in 2017.
She has credited part of her success to the listening tour that she did during the first six months of starting the role of president, though her friends and colleagues would say she always wanted to hear people’s stories. Every time Wintersteen encounters an alum anywhere in the world who wants to share their experience at ISU, she is more than delighted to listen.
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President Emerita Wendy Wintersteen retired from Iowa State University on January 2 as the first woman president, ending a 46-year career that she says is dear to her heart.
“It’s the end of an era,” said Wintersteen.
Wintersteen’s tenure as president at ISU was punctuated by improved student outcomes, impressive fundraising successes, and accolades in the form of honors and awards. Wintersteen was appointed as president in 2017.
She has credited part of her success to the listening tour that she did during the first six months of starting the role of president, though her friends and colleagues would say she always wanted to hear people’s stories. Every time Wintersteen encounters an alum anywhere in the world who wants to share their experience at ISU, she is more than delighted to listen.
“One of the special joys of being president is getting to know our alumni, donors, and friends,” she said. “When they tell me about Iowa State and how Iowa State changed their life for the better, and how they want to help future generations to have the same experience, it makes me happy for their generosity and caring. Their gifts touch so many lives and make the world a better place.”
It only makes sense that her friends and colleagues, including Max Rothschild, a professor emeritus in the department of animal science, said, “Wendy’s legacy at ISU will be students’ success and innovation.”
She sought to pave the way for more students to become successful in their journeys at Iowa State. Under Wintersteen’s leadership, the first-year student retention rate jumped 10.5 points above the national average. Nearly 45% of ISU students graduate without debt. Around 75% of undergraduates received donor-funded scholarships and grants.
A Masterful Fundraiser
In the first four years of her presidency, the Forever True, For Iowa State fundraising campaign exceeded its $1.1 billion target, making the total a historic $1.52 billion. Of that, $500 million went toward student support.
Fundraising efforts also supported facilities that were built or revamped. Such endeavors included the Student Innovation Center, the Robert T. Hamilton Poultry Teaching and Research Farm, and phase 1 of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
When colleagues, peers, and friends speak about knowing and working with Wintersteen, the same few words came up: humor, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Her work in entrepreneurship, targeted use of impressive fundraising efforts, and investments in students and faculty made ISU an attractive place to live and work in Ames, Iowa, and the areas around the university.
Paving the Way
The roots of her contributions at ISU really took hold when she became the dean of the college of agriculture and life sciences. Agriculture is a significant part of Iowa’s economy, and something that she supported through her work. “I really felt like I had the perfect job at Iowa State University. I’ve always loved working in agriculture. Being part of the agricultural community was a wonderful experience,” Wintersteen said.
It took a bit of reflection to decide to apply for the position of president. Wintersteen shared that several people reached out to her and suggested that she consider the role. Years before the opportunity arose, she recalled former President Joffrey had thought, out loud, that Wintersteenn would make a good president. She understood that it would be impactful to hold that role as the first woman president of ISU.
“For me, personally, it was a nice experience to walk into rooms and have other women say to their granddaughter, meet President Wintersteen. You too could be the president of a university.”
A Reputation of Innovation
Under her leadership, ISU’s reputation for being a center of innovation and entrepreneurship soared. In 2023, ISU was named Entrepreneurial University of the Year for the Americas. ISU also received the 2024 Model University Accelerator/Incubator award from the IS Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. To boot, ISU was awarded the 2022 NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. In 2024, ISU earned a spot on the 100 top universities worldwide for US patents list.
Wintersteen once shared that innovation is an expression of continuous improvement, which has a place in both a personal career and a business. An “innovation mindset” can keep someone forward-focused[IL1.1]. Embodying that mindset proved fruitful: Wintersteen was the 2024 awardee of the innovation IOWA ENTREPRENUR of the year.
After a fulfilling career, Wintersteen said, “One of the things I will miss the most is being around young people interested in learning, discovering, questioning, and creating. I love ournIowa State students and their energy.”
“Wendy’s legacy is very extensive,” said Lynette Pohlman, Madden Endowed Director, University Museums. “To me, Wendy, simply said, is the epitome of the Iowa State brand.”
