BOSTON — Morgantown native and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology president Charles Vest died Thursday night of pancreatic cancer, according to MIT.
Vest, 72, was also a member of the West Virginia University Board of Governors. WVU President Jim Clements called Vest “one of the greatest men I have ever known” in a statement released by the university Friday.
Vest grew up in Morgantown and majored in mechanical engineering where he earned a degree from WVU in 1963. He was president at the renowned MIT in Boston from 1990 to 2004.
Former WVU President David Hardesty said Vest would be missed on the national stage “because of his important role as an advocate for WVU, higher education generally, and the engineering profession.”
Board of Governors chairman James Dailey II said he was saddened by the news.
“He gave the board concise guidance and direction and was revered for his intellect. Each and every board member respected him. His quiet demeanor was one to emulate,” Dailey said.
Vest’s term was to end in 2016.