Peggy S. Meszaros, the William E. Lavery Professor of Human Development in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and former provost at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of William E. Lavery Professor Emerita of Human Development and Provost Emerita by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the university community since 1993, Meszaros served Virginia Tech as dean of the College of Human Resources, senior vice president and provost from 1995 to 2000, and founding director of the Center for Information Technology Impacts on Children, Youth, and Families.
In addition, her scholarship made significant contributions to children, youth, and families through her translational research in parenting capacities and adolescent resilience, the effects of emerging technologies on individuals and families, and the influence of gender on information technology education and careers.
In 2011, Meszaros and colleague Elizabeth Creamer received a $2.4 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate ways to engage females in information technology career fields in five states: Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia.
In the classroom, Meszaros taught a variety of courses ranging across the human development curriculum to both undergraduate and graduate students. She advised and mentored master's and doctoral degree students, helping them develop successful careers in both academic and corporate settings.
Meszaros also advanced the university's outreach and engagement mission by supporting Virginia Cooperative Extension, serving as a program reviewer for reaccreditation teams, sustaining active membership in Rotary International, and offering professional consultation to prestigious universities.
Meszaros received her bachelor's degree from Austin Peay University, a master's degree from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.