Virginia Tech president Charles Steger, who led the school through the 2007 campus shooting, has announced his plans to retire. He indicated he will remain in his position until a suitable replacement is found.

President since 2000, Steger spent most of his academic career at Virginia Tech. Steger's accomplishments as president include boosting the school's research portfolio by over 300%, growing enrollment from 27,869 to 31,087, raising over $1 billion in funding, creating a school of biomedical engineering, creating a school of medicine and joining the Athletic Coast Conference (ACC). 

In the press release announcing his retirement, Steger wrote:

“When one is totally absorbed in doing what one loves, 14 years pass in a nanosecond. These years have been the highlight of my career in higher education, and it has been my privilege to serve as president during a period in which we have strengthened our academic programs and expanded our research and outreach programs."

" [...] Together, we have shaped the modern vision for the land-grant tradition. Our solid commitment to service and strong spirit of community sets Virginia Tech apart. We are one of the nation’s top universities and have a growing international reputation. In this era of constrained state resources, we have made great strides to advance the university on many fronts, attracting ever-brighter students and esteemed faculty, expanding our graduate offerings, significantly growing the research portfolio, building many much-needed facilities, and addressing the issues of our age."