UVA President’s John Casteen’s farewell journey has come full circle.
Casteen, who will retire as president on August 1, will be UVA’s 2010 commencement speaker on May 23.
According to a press release, the Public Occasions Subcommittee of the Commencement and Convocations Committee, which usually sends the president a list of potential speakers from which Casteen can choose, had it easy.
“This year we sent one name,” said Alexander Gilliam, the committee president.
Upon leaving the University, Casteen won’t have much free time. He has already signed on to join the Board of Directors of the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education.
"I am joining that board because state support for the regional services provided by the community colleges is not adequate-has not been since the late 1980s, and the result is damage to many Virginia communities where the need for the courses provided by community colleges is significant,” he said in a statement.
Casteen has also been elected to the board of directors for Altria Group, the parent company of Philip Morris.
The tobacco company gave money to the UVA law school and the Darden School of Business, among others, and has also donated $25 million to UVA’s $3 billion capital campaign in February 2007.
