Boise State Interim President Emerges as Sole Finalist for Montana Job

Jeremiah Shinn, who has served as Boise State's interim president since May, is the only candidate being considered for the top job at the University of Montana.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 5:10pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a mortar board graduation cap repeated in a tight grid pattern, in the style of Andy Warhol, conceptually representing the leadership changes and challenges facing higher education institutions.As Boise State navigates a leadership transition, the potential departure of its interim president for a top job at a neighboring state university underscores the challenges facing higher education institutions.Boise Today

Boise State University's interim president, Jeremiah Shinn, has been named the sole finalist for the president's position at the University of Montana. Shinn, who has held several administrative roles at Boise State since 2010, was appointed as the interim president last May. His potential departure comes as Boise State's own presidential search, which began over a year ago, has faced delays and is now working on a compressed timeline to name a finalist by mid-June.

Why it matters

Shinn's potential move to the University of Montana would be a significant loss for Boise State, which has seen several high-level departures in the past year, including the previous president, provost, chief financial officer, and chief communications and marketing official. The Boise State presidential search has also faced challenges, with the state legislature recently passing a law requiring the announcement of only a single finalist candidate.

The details

Shinn, who previously served as Boise State's vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, was named the interim president in May 2025. He has now been selected as the sole finalist for the president's position at the University of Montana, a smaller but flagship state university. The University of Montana has scheduled campus visits and meetings with Shinn for Monday and Tuesday. If Shinn departs, it would leave Boise State's presidential search, which has been ongoing for over a year, in a state of flux.

  • Shinn was named Boise State's interim president in May 2025.
  • The University of Montana announced Shinn as the sole finalist for its president's position on April 3, 2026.
  • Shinn's campus visits and meetings at the University of Montana are scheduled for April 7-8, 2026.

The players

Jeremiah Shinn

Boise State University's interim president since May 2025, and the sole finalist for the president's position at the University of Montana.

University of Montana

A flagship state university established in 1893, with an enrollment of around 11,000 students, which is less than half of Boise State's student headcount.

Boise State University

A public research university in Boise, Idaho, with a student headcount of over 25,000, that is currently conducting a search for a new permanent president.

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What they’re saying

“The search for UM's next president has been robust, with a high volume of strong applicants.”

— Clayton Christian, Montana Commissioner of Higher Education

What’s next

The University of Montana is scheduled to host Jeremiah Shinn for campus visits and meetings on April 7-8, 2026, as part of the process to name him as the institution's next president. Meanwhile, Boise State's own presidential search, which has faced delays, is now working on a compressed timeline to name a finalist by mid-June 2026.

The takeaway

Shinn's potential departure would be a significant loss for Boise State, which has already seen several high-level administrative exits in the past year. The Boise State presidential search has also faced challenges, with a new state law requiring the announcement of only a single finalist candidate, adding further uncertainty to the process.