Steger, Jr., Charles W.

Charles W. Steger, Jr., 70, died Sunday, May 6, 2018 at his home in Blacksburg. A loving husband to Janet and father of David and Christopher, he was the 15th president of Virginia Tech. He began his association with the university as a freshman architecture student in 1965, earned three degrees, and served as professor, dean, and vice president before retiring as president in 2014.

He was devoted to his family and to his university, which he called home for more than 50 years. His commitment and dedication to the community and education drove him throughout his life. He was an architect and engineer by training, selected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and awarded the Noland Medal, the highest honor of its Virginia chapter. He was also a great supporter of the arts whose legacy includes the establishment of the Moss Arts Center and the Steger Poetry Prize at Virginia Tech.

He found great joy in working with so many extraordinary people from throughout the Commonwealth and nation on education, higher education, and community economic development. He was a visionary leader whose teams were inspired and intensely devoted. His leadership on boards reflected his love for causes that improved lives. Charles was on the boards of Virginia Western Community College, the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, and Randolph-Macon College, and he previously served on the board of Hollins College (now University). He also served on the Division of Earth and Life Studies committee of the National Academy of Sciences.

He was appointed by five Governors of Virginia to serve on boards addressing higher education, homeland security, information technology, economic development, and international education. In addition, he served on the boards of other public and private organizations, including the board of the Jefferson Science Associates, which oversees the Jefferson National Lab, and the Senior Advisory Group of the Northern Virginia Technology Council Board of Directors. He was on the Board of the National Institute of Building Sciences, was President of the Council of Presidents of the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA), and a member of the Economic Club of Washington. In addition, he was active as president of the NCAA Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Presidential Oversight Committee.

Charles is survived by his wife of 48 years, Janet; a son, Christopher Baird Steger, and wife, Elizabeth Jeanne Schumann; and a son, David Charles Steger, and fiancée, Alison Nemeth. He is also survived by a brother, Keith G. Steger, and wife, Teresa, and their son, Aaron; a sister, Linda McGrath, and husband, Michael, and their daughter, Andrea; a sister, Jennifer Layton, and husband, Jim; a brother-in-law, John Baird, and wife, Wendy Wark, and their three children.

A memorial service will be held Monday, May 14, at 1:30 pm at the Virginia Tech Moss Arts Center. For those who would like to honor his memory, in lieu of flowers, please consider the Virginia Tech Steger Center for International Scholarship at Riva San Vitale, Switzerland and the Olivio Ferrari Foundation, the Charles W. Steger Endowed Scholarship, the Steger Poetry Prize, or the Boys and Girls Club of Scottsville, Virginia.