A memorial service for late University of Virginia President John Casteen III, called the “father of the modern university,” has been scheduled for next Tuesday.
Casteen, who oversaw extensive growth, financial stability measures and diversity enhancements during his two decades as UVa’s seventh president, died March 18 at his home in Keswick after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81.
Casteen served UVa longer than any other president outside of its first, Edwin Alderman.
While at the helm of the commonwealth’s flagship public university between 1990 and 2010, Casteen helped shift UVa to private fundraising to help insulate it from extensive state budget cuts and stabilize its financial future.
Building and growth also were a focus for Casteen. He was in the top post when John Paul Jones Arena, Hereford College, the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, the South Lawn Project and other major works were undertaken on and around UVa Grounds.
The Betsy and John Casteen Arts Grounds were named in honor of Casteen and his wife in 2010 after a variety of new facilities were built and others improved there.
Casteen’s memorial service will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in Old Cabell Hall Auditorium on UVa Grounds.
The service will be open to the public; seating is first-come, first-served. Overflow seating will be available in Wilson Hall Auditorium, where the memorial will be livestreamed. The memorial will also be broadcast on the university’s livestreaming website and YouTube channel.
Those who plan to attend but have questions about accessibility can email uvaome@virginia.edu.
A separate, private service for family and close friends was previously held at Grace Episcopal Church in Keswick.
Casteen’s family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to AccessUVa. Casteen founded the need-based scholarship and financial aid program in 2003 to help make sure promising undergraduate students could attend the university he loved.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
Be First to Comment