David J. Cook (administrator)
David Cook | |
|---|---|
Cook in 2022 | |
| President of Iowa State University | |
| Assumed office March 1, 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Wendy Wintersteen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ames, Iowa, U.S. |
| Spouse | Katie Cook |
| Education | Iowa State University (BA) University of Kansas (MA, PhD) |
| Academic background | |
| Thesis | Communication strategies and Chinese organizational commitment in American firms in China (1999) |
| Doctoral advisor | Cal Downs |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | organizational communication |
| Institutions | |
David J. Cook is an American academic and administrator, who is serving as the 17th president of Iowa State University. He previously served as the president of North Dakota State University.
Life and education
David J. Cook was born and raised in Ames, Iowa. He is married to his wife, Katie Cook, and they have three children: Ella, Peyton, and Gage.
Cook attended Iowa State University and graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and speech communication. In 1995, Cook graduated from the University of Kansas (KU) with his Master of Arts degree in organizational communication and continued on to graduate with his PhD in organizational communication in 1998.[1]
Career
University of Kansas
After receiving his PhD, Cook worked as a senior administrator at the University of Kansas Medical Center for 14 years. His titles included: associate vice chancellor of the Institute for Community Engagement, associate director of the Institute of Community and Public Health, executive director of the Midwest Cancer Alliance, assistant vice chancellor for public affairs, and director of health and technology outreach.[2]
In 2013, Cook was named the vice chancellor for the University of Kansas Edwards Campus and dean of the School of Professional Studies.[3] He moved to the main campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, in 2020 as the vice chancellor of public affairs and economic development.[4] As a senior advisor to chancellor Douglas Girod, Cook oversaw internal and external messaging, outreach, and public relations. He also advised on issues related to communication, public affairs, and economic development[4][2]
Cook was named an American Council on Education fellow[5] in 2011. He completed his fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During his fellowship, Cook studied the School of Public Health.
He is the author of numerous publications and has taught both in the School of Medicine and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas.
North Dakota State University
In January 2022, Cook was named one of five finalists for the position of president at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota.[6][7] The State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) in North Dakota named David J. Cook the 15th president of North Dakota State University on February 23, 2022.[8] He assumed the position on May 17, 2022, succeeding Dean L. Bresciani.[9] Cook's final day at NDSU was February 9, 2026.[10]
Iowa State University
In 2025, Cook was named president of Iowa State University, succeeding Wendy Wintersteen.[11][12][13]
Awards and honors
- 2013, JHAWK Faculty Appreciation Award, University of Kansas Medical Center[14]
References
- ^ "15th president of NDSU | NDSU". www.ndsu.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ a b "The University of Kansas Alumni Association". KU Alumni Association. 2020-04-07. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ "David Cook named vice chancellor for Edwards Campus". edwardscampus.ku.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ a b Samberg, Paul (7 April 2020). "Dave Cook to move to Lawrence campus as vice chancellor of public affairs". The University Daily Kansan. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ "New Cohort of ACE Fellows | Inside Higher Ed". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ "5 candidates selected to interview for NDSU president's post". Associated Press. January 18, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ^ "Finalists named for North Dakota State University president". Associated Press. February 4, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ^ Kolpack, Dave (February 23, 2022). "Kansas administrator named president of North Dakota State". Associated Press. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ^ Haney, Don (May 18, 2022). "First full day on job for David Cook, North Dakota State University's new president". KFGO. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ^ Reporter, The; Reported, Or; this?, verified from knowledgeable sources The Trust Project What is (2026-02-03). "Departing NDSU President David Cook sets stage for interim president". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ^ Vanessa Miller. "North Dakota State President David Cook, Ames native, finalist for ISU presidency". The Gazette. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
- ^ Celia Brocker. "Iowa State alumnus, N. Dakota State CEO, is Iowa State University's 2nd presidential finalist". Ames Tribune. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
- ^ Angie Hunt. "Regents select David Cook as next president". Inside Iowa State. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
- ^ "Academic Awards". srf.kumc.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-16.