BOISE — Ten days remain in the countdown to vote on Boise State University’s next president, with David W. Hahn named as the sole finalist for the position.

On Tuesday, the 62-year-old Hahn visited BSU’s campus, sporting a blue and orange tie. The presidency would be a departure from his current role as the College of Engineering dean at the University of Arizona.

The presidential search has been ongoing since the departure of former BSU President Marlene Tromp, who led the university from 2019 to 2025. The yearlong search has led to the selection of Hahn by the Idaho State Board of Education.

As a self-described “empty nester,” Hahn and his wife have three adult children. They enjoy their free time hiking through nature and spending time with their Jack Russell terrier named Ophelia. The move to Boise will be a change of scenery.

“It’s a beautiful community,” Hahn said about Boise. “The future here is so bright. I’ve heard many people say it’s a hidden gem that’s not being hidden so much.”

The accomplished academic comes from a background in engineering and has held a variety of roles in his 28 years of experience. His career path from researcher to administrator began at the University of Florida, where he arrived as a bright-eyed assistant professor.

He soon worked his way up to department head before moving to his current role at the University of Arizona, where he said he has built a strong team. During his time in leadership positions, much of Hahn’s strategy has been contingent on teamwork.

“If one builds a culture, if (one) builds a sense of team, builds a sense that we are going places, then everyone wants to be on that team,” Hahn said.

His emphasis in research previously led him to work for Sandia National Laboratories and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to a BSU press release, Hahn has published more than 130 research articles and holds 12 U.S. patents. He is also a fellow for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Optica and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy.

Despite his extensive background in engineering, Hahn noted, his focus as president wouldn’t solely be on STEM.

“That will be a part of our strategy, because it’s here to serve the state’s needs and labor force, but, and this is an important one, we will look at this entire campus,” Hahn said. “We have five academic colleges, and every single one of those colleges is important to our success.”

Hahn’s decision to come to Idaho was largely based on BSU’s upward trajectory. Since 2022, BSU has had a 10% increase in enrollment, according to previous Idaho Press coverage.

“It’s the momentum that this institution has. It’s a national athletic brand, which is huge. ... That’s part of the fabric of the community,” he said. “It’s the potential in a state that is going places, Idaho is going places.”

In contrast to this growth, cuts by the Idaho Legislature have led to a tightened budget for the institution. As of April, the university was estimating a shortfall of $5.2 million in the 2027 fiscal year budget.

Hahn said he plans to balance the budget by prioritizing areas for spending and working with his team to do so. In addition, he placed an emphasis on alternative funding.

“There’s one final piece: go out and get more resources,” he said. “We will work tirelessly to make people in all corners want to come forward and help this university (through) donations, fundraising, philanthropy.”

As the finalist for president, Hahn’s selection begins a 10-business-day period prior to a formal vote by the State Board. During this time period, the public is welcome to provide feedback to the board via email at comments@edu.idaho.gov.