VCU School of Engineering mourns death of associate dean

By Anne Buckley

Barton B. Cregger, who helped guide the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering through its infancy and served as its unofficial “dean of students,” died Tuesday. He was 49.

Cregger, associate dean, will be remembered at a memorial service on April 9 at the School of Engineering Auditorium.

“Bart’s loss to us is immeasurable,” said Russell D. Jamison, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering. “He did everything involving counseling, advising, encouraging and cajoling undergraduate students in the School of Engineering and was in that sense the head cheerleader and parent figure for many of our students.

“Bart’s legacy of influencing young lives is one that any of us would envy,” Jamison said. “He will be deeply missed and impossible to replace.”

Cregger taught several courses, including Engineering 101. He joined the faculty in 1998 as an assistant professor in the department of electrical engineering. In addition, he was an enthusiastic recruiter for the school, advised countless engineering students and helped many high school students make VCU their choice for a college education.

“Bart Cregger was a tireless champion for the School of Engineering and its students,” said Stephen D. Gottfredson, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “His energy, enthusiasm and commitment have been essential to the success of our programs, and his dedication is represented across the board, from the design of our buildings to the foundations of our curriculum.”

Cregger completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Virginia, where he studied under Robert J. Mattauch, former dean of the VCU School of Engineering. Mattauch recruited Cregger to VCU.

“Bart was a truly exceptional friend and colleague who was devoted to the School of Engineering and wanted the very best for each and every student,” Mattauch said. “As associate dean he got the job done with the greatest accuracy, in the least amount of time, and always with attention to the feelings of the people involved.

“These are characteristics he has exhibited since he was a student of mine,” Mattauch said. “Bart has been a part of my family for nearly 30 years, and my wife and I will miss him greatly.”

Cregger is survived by his wife, Norma, his stepdaughter, Julia Atalla, and her husband, Michael Atalla. A scholarship has been established in Cregger’s memory.