Robert Wagner
President, Idaho State University
Dr. Robert W. Wagner became Idaho State University’s fourteenth president in January, 2024. Dr. Wagner joins ISU after nearly 17 years at Utah State University, serving most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and previously as the Vice President for Academic and Instructional Services, Assistant Vice Provost, Vice Provost, Executive Vice Provost, Executive Director for Distance Education and Dean. Before his time at USU, Dr. Dr. Wagner served as a Special Assistant to the President for the State University of New York at Albany, focusing on government relations and special projects.
Dr. Wagner’s administrative experience includes institutional strategic planning, enrollment management, many aspects of the student life cycle including recruiting, admissions, financial aid, student orientation, retention, and completion, academic programming and faculty development, cross-institutional collaboration, community engagement, innovation in higher education, fundraising, student achievement, and government, industry and community partnerships. He has served on several national boards, including industry advisory panels, higher education associations and served as chair of the Utah Education and Telehealth Network Governing Board. Dr. Wagner's dedication to education originated from applying personalized learning models for students with disabilities within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s educational system.
Dr. Wagner has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University, a Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Utah and a Ph.D. in political science (public policy and public law) from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the State University of New York-Albany with an emphasis in university, industry, and government relations. He also earned higher education leadership certificates from Harvard University and Arizona State University-Georgetown University.
Dr. Wagner and his wife, Tracy, are the parents of five adult children and three grandchildren.