C. R. Richards

Charles Russ Richards (186?-1939) served the University as both architect and Dean of the College of Engineering during the planning and construction of the Mechanical Engineering Laboratories. Richards joined the faculty in 1892, and became the director of the School of Mechanic Arts in 1896. While serving as Associate Dean on Engineering, Richards designed what has proved to be one of the finest early buildings on the city campus.

Richards left the University in 1911 to become Dean of Engineering at the Univeristy of Illinois. From 1922-1935 he served as President of Lehigh University. In 1920 Richards received an honorary degree from the University of Nebraska. He returned again in 1923 to serve as speaker at the dedication of Memorial Stadium. Mechanical Engineering Laboratories was later renamed in recognition of C.R. Richards' contributions to Engineering at Nebraska.