Honoring Tradition and Driving Transformation at Wyoming’s University
Published September 23, 2026
Shane Reeves is the 29th president of the University of Wyoming
By Shane Reeves
This is my first UWyo Magazine message as president of the University of Wyoming,
and I can’t tell you what an honor it is to lead this incredible institution. Coming
home to Wyoming means more to me than I can put into words.
I grew up here, and this state shaped who I am. It taught me the value of hard work, humility, service and keeping your word. Those lessons stayed with me throughout my years serving our country in the Army, and they’ve guided me everywhere life has taken me.
Now, it’s a privilege to bring those experiences back home.
The University of Wyoming has always held a special place in this state. As Wyoming’s flagship and land-grant university, we’ve spent generations preparing leaders, expanding knowledge and strengthening communities across Wyoming.
Today, we’re building on that legacy in exciting ways. Earning Carnegie R1 status recognizes that the work happening here is making a difference — not just in Wyoming but across the nation and around the world.
At the same time, we’re looking ahead.
New technologies like artificial intelligence are creating opportunities we could hardly have imagined just a few years ago. UW has an important role to play in helping our students, businesses and communities succeed in that future.
We’ll continue serving the industries that have always been the backbone of Wyoming — energy and minerals, agriculture and tourism — while also driving innovation, entrepreneurship and discoveries that create jobs and strengthen our economy for generations to come.
And, of course, athletics matter.
The Cowboys and Cowgirls have a unique way of bringing our state together. I still remember cheering for Coach Brandenburg, Fennis Dembo and those championship basketball teams along with Coach Roach and the Cowboys on the football field. Those memories are part of growing up in Wyoming, and they’re part of what makes this university so special. We’re committed to supporting our student-athletes, who are thriving in today’s changing NCAA landscape and competing for championships in the Mountain West Conference. We intend to bring those championship moments back.
UW has always been about creating opportunities. We prepare students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed — and to achieve greatness, like our own Josh Allen in the NFL.
Our graduates become leaders in business, health care, education, the arts, government and countless other fields. Many return home to help build Wyoming’s future. Others carry the Brown and Gold with them wherever life takes them. In this issue of UWyo Magazine, you’ll meet alumni who are making a real difference in Wyoming and around the world.
My time in the Army reinforced what growing up in Wyoming had already taught me: Grit matters, character is earned, and independent thinking is one of our greatest strengths. Those qualities are woven into a UW education, and they’re why our graduates are prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Higher education is changing quickly. That brings challenges, but it also creates tremendous opportunities. Universities that lose sight of their mission — or become comfortable standing still — will struggle. That won’t be us.
We’ll honor the traditions that make UW special while embracing the changes that will make us even stronger. We can preserve what matters most while continuing to evolve.
Our goal is simple: to make Wyoming’s indispensable university one of the finest public universities in the nation and to firmly establish UW as the crown jewel of the Rocky Mountain West.
Yes, there will be challenges, but I see opportunities. If we’re clear about who we are, bold about where we’re going and committed to putting the institution first, we’ll make a great university even better.
Together — with our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and people across this great state — we’ll build on our remarkable history and create even greater opportunities for Wyoming and its young people.
The University of Wyoming is on the rise, and I truly believe our best days are ahead.
I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.
Go Pokes!
Shane Reeves is the 29th president of the University of Wyoming.
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.