2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 237
Celebrating the life of John T. Casteen III.
Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 12, 2026
WHEREAS, John T. Casteen III, the distinguished president emeritus of the University of Virginia, who guided the institution into the modern age through his visionary leadership over the course of 20 years, died on March 18, 2025; and
WHEREAS, John Casteen grew up in Portsmouth and became the first member of his family to pursue higher education when he enrolled in the University of Virginia (UVA) at the age of 17; after completing multiple degrees, he briefly worked at UVA before accepting a teaching position at the University of California, Berkeley; and
WHEREAS, from 1975 to 1982, John Casteen served as dean of admissions at UVA, during which time he sought to attract top talent and laid the groundwork for merit-based scholarships for students demonstrating exceptional leadership, scholarship, and citizenship, as well as programs to provide need-based aid; and
WHEREAS, John Casteen subsequently served as the Secretary of Education under Governor Chuck Robb from 1982 to 1985, then as president of the University of Connecticut from 1985 to 1990; and
WHEREAS, in 1990, John Casteen was selected as the seventh president of UVA, beginning a transformational tenure that benefited the student body and faculty alike and enhanced the institution's global reputation; and