September 27, 2011: Leath selected by a unanimous vote as the 15th president of Iowa State.

January 16, 2012: Leath begins duties as the president of Iowa State.

February 8, 2012: Leath addresses the Government of the Student Body for the first time, says focus at Iowa State is on access, affordability, quality.

September 14, 2012: Leath formally welcomed as 15th president of Iowa State at installation ceremony.

August 23, 2013: Iowa State exceeds goal to raise $100 million for the university between July 2012 and July 2013, exceeded by $112 million and $113 million.

August 7, 2014: Leath discontinues Veishea, retires name. The cancellation comes after months of meeting with a Veishea task force after the riots in the spring of 2014.

September 23, 2016: News breaks that Leath damaged a university-owned aircraft in July 2015 during an 11-day trip to North Carolina.

October 1, 2016: Iowa State announces Forever True, For Iowa State campaign, announcing a $1.1 billion fundraising initiative headed by Leath.

March 18, 2017: News breaks that Leath is on the “short list” as possible president for Auburn University in Alabama.

March 20, 2017:  Leath retires his cardinal and gold for blue and orange after the Auburn University board of trustees unanimously approved Monday to name Leath its 19th president.