Coming back to Ames — let alone becoming the president of Iowa State University — seemed like a distant dream for David Cook.

It’s been 34 years since the Ames native and Iowa State alumnus earned his bachelor’s degree, after which he went to the University of Kansas and began his career.

“We always thought coming back to Iowa was always something that was in the back of our minds and I never thought it was possible that I could come back and be president,” Cook told the Ames Voice, sitting in his new office, the Office of the President at Iowa State.

He began his term as the 168-year-old university’s 17th president earlier this month.

Ames — where it all began

Cook and his wife, Dr. Katie Cook, are returning to where it all started. They’re coming back home.

“We both were born here, at Mary Greeley, and both went to Ames High and both graduated from Iowa State,” Cook said. “My parents are here. Her mother is here. A lot of families throughout Iowa in various communities. We both get to come home, which is pretty special.”

He grew up visiting Beyer Hall and spending time at Lake LaVerne. He earned his bachelor’s degree and met his wife here, too.

For a while, returning to Ames didn’t seem possible for him. So when former President Wendy Wintersteen announced her retirement plans last May and the search for someone to take her position began, things seemed to be aligning.

“It just seemed so distant,” Cook said. “[After] being a president at another institution for a while — all of a sudden this opportunity popped up, and it was a little bit too good to be true, to come back home for both of us.”

Cook decided to pursue the opportunity and applied for the job.

“We figured we should pursue this as a great opportunity.” Cook said. “And it all worked out.”

The search began in July 2025, when a committee assembled to find a new university president met for the first time. The committee reviewed 78 applicants and identified eight semifinalists in October and two finalists remained in November.

On Nov. 11, the Iowa Board of Regents announced Cook would be the next ISU president.

Some things you don’t miss until you leave

One of the things Cook didn’t know he would miss was the water.

Unlike now, Ames tap water wasn’t a point of pride when Cook was growing up. But it was a small difference that surprised Cook after he left.

“When you do come back, you definitely recognize the taste of the water,” Cook said with a laugh. “My wife and I have been talking about it since we moved back — we do love the water.”

The Knoll, the 124-year-old building that’s been the home for many university presidents, is not Cook’s current home. Instead, he leased a home here in town — the first Iowa State president to live off-campus in history.

So far, reconnecting with friends and family since returning is one of the most exciting things for him.

“When you move away, you stay connected, but you certainly miss being around them,” Cook said. “And that has been part of the fun coming back home is, you know, some people you’ve kept in touch with, but others you get reconnected with.”

Pursuing academia and leadership

Growing up in a college town inadvertently set the foundation for Cook’s career, but it wasn’t defined by a single moment. For him, the journey to academic leadership unfolded throughout his experiences.

“A lot of my journey is figuring it out along the way,” Cook said, reminiscing about the steps that led him to being the president of Iowa State. “Growing up in a college town, I always had an affinity for university culture and had always been excited by the culture that it brings to a community.”

He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and speech communication in 1992.

Originally, Cook planned on going to law school but he was later inspired by a communications studies professor to consider a different path, according to an Iowa Stater article.

The professor, Terry Pickett, who worked for Iowa State from 1981 to 2000, encouraged Cook to attend graduate school at the University of Kansas, where he went on to earn his master’s and doctoral degrees in organizational communication.

“I became a faculty member and worked, and somewhere along the line there I kept being fortunate to get more and more administrative types of responsibilities, which kept having mentors who helped me along the way,” Cook said.

He lived in Shanghai, China, while conducting his dissertation research, and spent 14 years at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he earned tenure in the School of Medicine.

In 2011, he was selected for an American Council on Education Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“That was probably the step in my career where I thought, ‘You know what? Maybe I want to pursue more serious administrative leadership in higher education,’” Cook said.

Before returning to Ames, he served as president of North Dakota State University beginning in 2022, overseeing 11 colleges in the university system.

Advice for students finding their way

For students searching for direction, Cook emphasized the importance of embracing the journey. Growth comes from getting involved, he said, meeting new people and exploring different interests.

“Have the courage to get out of your comfort zone and try new things,” Cook said. “One of the amazing things about universities, there’s so much going on here, and so get out, join a club, go to activities, meet new people. That’s the best way to grow and the best way to see all the amazing opportunities that are out there.”