Blake Leer

Background

Van Leer was born in Mangum, Oklahoma. After his father"s death in 1897 he lived in a Masonic Orphanage in Galveston.

Education

He graduated from Purdue University with honors in 1915 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Career

From 1932 to 1937 he was a Dean at the University of Florida. In 1937 he became the Dean of the School of Engineering at North Carolina State University. While there he initiated as an honorary of the North Carolina State University Chapter of Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity.

Around 1940 with the permission of Dean Harrelson, Van Leer gave half his time towards the North Carolina Office for Defense orders.

He resigned his post as Dean in 1942 to take a military leave. After World World War II he returned to become the President of During his tenure the school admitted women for the first time and began steps toward integration.

He was also instrumental in making the school and Atlanta the first major research center in the American South. The building that houses Technical"s school of Electrical and Computer Engineering bears his name.

Achievements

• During the war he served as a United States. Army officer (attaining the rank of Colonel), after which he returned to lead the school.