Shane Reeves, the new President of the University of Wyoming, called into the Weekday Wake-Up on Monday, August 17 to discuss the future of the university including financially, economic impact across the state and the athletics program.

(0:00) And a chance to catch up with the brand new president (0:03) of the University of Wyoming. (0:04) That’s President Shane Reeves (0:06) joining me live over the phone today. (0:07) President Reeves, good morning.

(0:09) How’s the campus of UW this morning in Laramie? (0:13) Hey, good morning, Duke, (0:14) and good morning to all of your listeners (0:16) there in Star Valley. (0:17) The campus is beautiful. (0:20) Weather’s nice, the fall is coming quickly, (0:23) the students are about to arrive, (0:25) and maybe more exciting than anything (0:28) is our women’s soccer team is now 2-0 (0:31) after winning 3-0 yesterday.

(0:33) Yeah, absolutely, yeah, that’s fantastic. (0:35) Well, appreciate your time, (0:36) a chance to introduce you to the western side of the state (0:39) here in Lincoln County. (0:40) So let’s maybe talk your background (0:43) before we start talking about what will happen as president, (0:46) but a military career up to this point, correct? (0:50) Yeah, I’m originally from Rock Springs, (0:53) so I know the western side of the state and love it.

(0:56) And I grew up in Rock Springs, (0:59) graduated from Rock Springs High School in 1992, (1:01) and then was fortunate to be selected (1:05) to go to the United States Military Academy (1:08) where I graduated in 1996. (1:10) And I spent 30 years in the Army (1:12) doing a variety of different jobs. (1:14) I started as what’s known as an armor officer.

(1:17) So I was doing armored cav type activities, (1:22) and then the Army has this really great program. (1:25) In fact, the Army is really good in general (1:27) about providing people educational opportunities. (1:32) And so I applied for a program (1:34) where they send you to law school, (1:36) and I was selected and I went to law school (1:38) at William and Mary, which is in Virginia.

(1:41) And then I became a JAG officer, which is a military lawyer. (1:45) And then after that, I was selected to go teach (1:48) at the United States Military Academy. (1:50) So I became an academic and I taught law (1:53) in a number of various topics.

(1:55) And then I was there for a number of years (1:56) moving from being a teacher through administration (1:59) and culminating as the chief academic officer, (2:02) basically the provost after 30 years. (2:05) And then I’ve had this great opportunity to come home (2:08) and become the president at UW. (2:10) Absolutely, love it.

(2:11) So when you look at where the University of Wyoming (2:14) currently is and what your predecessor Ed Seidel had done, (2:18) if you could summarize kind of the current status (2:22) of the University of Wyoming, how would you describe it? (2:25) I think it’s got great potential (2:28) and it’s an incredible university. (2:32) It’s one of the great land grant flagship (2:35) state institutions in this nation. (2:38) I think that it’s got the potential to do a number of things (2:43) on behalf of the state, (2:44) whether it is educating our young people (2:47) or providing a workforce for the future, (2:49) but also for generating economic development (2:52) through some really Wyoming centric research.

(2:55) And then as I stated, (2:56) I don’t think it’s outside the possibility (2:58) that the University of Wyoming is in the conversation (3:01) as one of the great state institutions in this nation. (3:06) And clearly in my opinion, I know I’m biased, (3:09) but clearly in my opinion, (3:10) it is the crown jewel to Rocky Mountain West. (3:13) So it is a really, really exciting time (3:15) to be at the University of Wyoming.

(3:17) It has got, obviously it’s exciting (3:19) because school’s starting and when students come back, (3:21) I mean, seriously Duke, it is so much fun, (3:24) but more importantly, the university itself (3:26) is on a trajectory where I think the sky’s the limit. (3:30) Yeah, well, and as you step into this position, (3:32) of course the future is bright (3:34) and there’s lots of reasons to be optimistic. (3:36) There are some challenges though, (3:37) as there is pretty much anywhere else (3:39) and always financially, right? (3:42) I mean, that’s always gonna be one of the big questions (3:44) and you step into the position (3:46) a few months after the state legislature (3:48) really, really took a hard look at funding (3:50) for University of Wyoming in the last session (3:52) that will continue moving forward (3:53) and also just overall budget shortfalls.

(3:58) And so when you look at the financial numbers (4:01) for the university and how to work with the legislature, (4:04) how do you see that moving forward? (4:06) I think it’s all about relationships (4:08) and communication and priorities. (4:10) And I look forward to working with the legislature (4:12) and any good organization is willing to look at itself (4:17) and be introspective and determine (4:19) where there can be efficiencies (4:20) or perhaps there’s redundancies, (4:22) or maybe there are things (4:24) that we don’t need to be doing any longer (4:25) because time has passed them by. (4:28) But on the other hand, (4:29) any good organization also needs to have a growth strategy (4:31) and needs to be able to think about the future (4:33) and needs to think about (4:34) where they can be putting resources.

(4:36) And so I look forward to working with the legislature (4:40) and the passion for the university is clear, (4:43) not just in the legislature, but in the state, (4:44) which is one of the things I’m most excited (4:47) about being home and being the president. (4:51) We have a, we’re probably, I don’t have to think about it. (4:54) Maybe we’re the only state (4:56) that has only one four-year institution.

(5:01) And we have roughly 60,000 UW alum in the state. (5:04) And so the passion for the university is awesome (5:09) and being willing to look at yourself (5:11) in terms of resources and efficiencies and redundancies (5:13) and all those things I named is an important part (5:16) because at the end of the day, (5:17) it is the University of Wyoming (5:19) and it’s the Wyoming state legislature (5:22) and the people who wanna make sure (5:24) we’re doing the right thing. (5:26) And so we need to be good steward of those resources.

(5:28) So I don’t have any concerns (5:29) about working with the legislature. (5:31) I don’t have any concerns (5:31) about the support for the university. (5:34) I think it just requires some proactive leadership (5:38) to look to make sure we’re moving in the right direction.

(5:41) One of the concerns was some members of the legislature (5:45) felt there was some curriculum or courses that being taught (5:48) that maybe weren’t appropriate, I guess, (5:52) for the state of Wyoming. (5:53) As you look at the curriculum (5:55) and what is being taught on the campus, (5:57) do you anticipate any changes in that realm? (6:00) You know, this is back, (6:02) you mentioned President Seidel (6:04) and the team that’s been at University of Wyoming. (6:09) They’ve done a really, really good job (6:10) in being responsive to those concerns (6:13) and looking through the curriculum (6:14) to ensure that if anything was considered (6:19) to be not in alignment with what the state (6:22) would want its young people to be taught, (6:25) that they’ve looked at it.

(6:26) I mean, I think we’ll continue to look, (6:28) we’ll continue to evolve, (6:29) but curriculum is always evolving. (6:32) And the purpose of higher education (6:34) is to provide a intellectual foundation (6:37) so that young people can successfully navigate (6:40) all the complexities, the uncertainties, (6:42) and the ambiguities of the modern world. (6:45) And you do that by pushing people.

(6:47) And so I know that in my background as a Wyomingite, (6:52) I felt like I had great intellectual resilience (6:56) and I could make decisions on my own (6:58) and I didn’t need to be coddled. (7:00) And so I am open to looking at what we need to do (7:04) to make sure we’re in alignment (7:06) with whatever the legislature has said. (7:08) And I think, again, the university’s already (7:11) in a really, really good place based on the efforts (7:14) that the entire university put in over the last year.

(7:17) But I’d also highlight that my job (7:20) is to create in young people a sophistication (7:24) in their thinking and to push them. (7:26) Just as if you want to be pushed, (7:28) you know, if you’re doing something physically, (7:30) I need to push people intellectually. (7:32) And in doing so, we make sure our graduates (7:34) are gonna be successful as they move into this (7:37) really quickly changing global economy.

(7:43) Speaking with Shane Reeves this morning, (7:44) the new president of the University of Wyoming. (7:46) President Reeves, you mentioned it not being (7:49) just an educational institution for those attending classes, (7:52) but its economic impact across the state. (7:56) We have Chad Baldwin on the air with us on a monthly basis.

(7:58) And that’s one of the recurring themes (8:00) of everything we talk about (8:01) is all the research and study and everything that goes on (8:04) from the university that impacts the entire state of Wyoming. (8:07) Maybe speak to that a little (8:09) and what the university’s commitment is (8:12) to continuing that portion of its relationship (8:15) with the state moving forward. (8:17) Yeah, Duke, I mean, this is a really exciting aspect.

(8:20) I don’t know if everyone knows this or not, (8:22) but in February 2025, the University of Wyoming (8:25) was designated as a R1 research institution, (8:28) which there’s only, it’s less than 5% of all universities (8:32) in the nation are designated as R1 research institution. (8:36) And that means that there is a lot of really fascinating (8:41) and exciting research being done at the university. (8:44) And what I think is so exciting about it is, (8:48) it number one, it validates decades of work, right? (8:50) There’s decades of great work by the faculty (8:53) and by the students and by the state (8:55) in trying to elevate the University of Wyoming (8:57) into being really the intellectual engine (9:01) for a lot of the economic development (9:02) that’s taking place in the state.

(9:04) And the research that’s happening is, I mean, (9:08) it’s amazing, right? (9:09) It’s really focused on those Wyoming-centric drivers (9:12) of our economy. (9:13) You think like energy and minerals and agricultural tourism, (9:17) but there’s also opportunities to diversify the economy. (9:20) If you start to think about health, (9:22) you start to think about artificial intelligence (9:25) and really the infrastructure that underlies AI.

(9:30) But at the end of the day, (9:31) what is so exciting is the research matters (9:34) because it can solve real problems for Wyoming. (9:37) And in doing so, it can generate real economic opportunity (9:40) for this great state, (9:42) which then gets to one of the bigger questions (9:45) that I’ve been asked (9:46) as I’ve been going all around the state. (9:48) And I’ve been really aggressively going around (9:49) and listening to people as there’s lots of concern (9:51) about keeping young people in the state.

(9:54) I get asked constantly, (9:56) Shane, how are we gonna keep young people in the state? (9:58) And I’m like, well, you better have some jobs (10:00) and you better have some affordable housing (10:02) and you better have healthcare (10:03) and you better have great schools. (10:05) If you do those things, (10:06) you’re gonna keep the young people (10:07) and we’ll start to compete a little bit better (10:08) with the states where the young people (10:11) are going for opportunity. (10:12) And I think a lot of that starts (10:14) with the university’s research efforts (10:16) driving some of these economic opportunities.

(10:19) Well, President Reeves, absolutely appreciate your time. (10:21) Look forward to hearing from you more. (10:22) You started by mentioning the great start (10:25) to the soccer program.

(10:26) I think of course, (10:27) so many people associate the University of Wyoming (10:30) with the athletic programs (10:31) and of course the football season up and coming. (10:33) What excites you most with the athletic department (10:36) of where things currently sit with UW? (10:39) Great, there’s great leadership with Tom Berman. (10:44) Tom and I have a pretty good strategy for going forward (10:50) and what excites me about athletics (10:52) is what it does for the state.

(10:54) Athletics unite Wyoming, it creates pride. (10:58) Our student athletes are exceptional young people. (11:01) I’ve had a chance to go talk to a couple of the teams (11:03) and I mean, I love athletics, (11:05) but I also love what it means about development.

(11:09) I mean, you start to see like leadership (11:10) and you start to see tenacity, (11:12) you see grit, you see character, (11:14) you see all these things on those, (11:17) what Douglas MacArthur called (11:18) the fields of friendly strife. (11:20) And I think competitive athletics (11:22) and academic excellence reinforce one another (11:25) and a rising tide lifts all boats (11:26) and our athletic program needs to be great. (11:29) So does our academic experience, (11:31) so does our campus culture.

(11:32) And at the end of the day, (11:34) athletics are an indicator of the health of an institution (11:37) and it’s the front porch of an institution, (11:39) but it’s part of a broader effort to focus on (11:42) really a relentless focus on excellence (11:45) across the entire university (11:47) as we move the university into the future (11:49) and we grow it in all of our various pillars. (11:52) That’s President Shane Reeves, (11:54) new president of the University of Wyoming. (11:56) Anything we missed that you’d like to touch on today (11:58) while we have you? (12:00) No, I appreciate the opportunity to talk.

(12:02) I was willing to come back on whenever you’d like. (12:05) I would just say, (12:07) I think the University of Wyoming (12:09) is a place where every single citizen (12:12) of this great state belongs. (12:14) We are excited to be the state’s university (12:17) and my job and my goal is to firmly establish it (12:21) as the premier public institution (12:23) in the Rocky Mountain West.

(12:25) It’s clearly, I think, (12:27) the indispensable institution of the state, (12:28) but I also wanted to make it of importance nationally (12:31) through some of the efforts that we’ll undergo (12:34) in the next few years. (12:35) So thanks, Duke, for just the opportunity (12:37) to talk to everybody this morning. (12:38) Absolutely.

(12:39) Look forward to having you on again in the future. (12:41) That’s President Shane Reeves (12:42) with the University of Wyoming. (12:43) It’s all part of the SBI Radio Network.