MANASSAS, Va. — Bill Reeder, the founding dean of George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), died over the weekend after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by family in hospice care, according to a message shared by current Dean Rick Davis.
Reeder joined George Mason University in 2001 and led the newly established CVPA for 14 years. Under his leadership, the college expanded its offerings to include now-thriving programs in Film and Video Studies, Computer Game Design, and Arts Management. These additions played a pivotal role in shaping the college into a comprehensive institution for arts education.