Vice President for Campus Life Eric Estes passed away Tuesday morning following a “sudden illness,” according to a community-wide email from President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20. He was 55 years old.
Estes joined the Brown community in 2016 as Vice President for Campus Life. Under his leadership, the Division of Campus Life encompassed more than 20 departments, offices, and centers dedicated to building and supporting the campus community.
With extensive experience in higher education, Estes previously worked at Oberlin College for over a decade, where he directed the Multicultural Resource Center and served as vice president and dean of students. He also taught courses at Duke University and Syracuse University on topics such as gender, violence, and the role of athletics in U.S. culture.
“Eric and his team of professionals played pivotal roles in guiding Brown through the COVID-19 pandemic and in the challenges of this academic year,” Paxson wrote. “His excellent judgment and calm demeanor were essential during these difficult times.”
Throughout his career, Estes was committed to creating inclusive communities and spaces of belonging. At Duke, he led equity and inclusion initiatives, including chairing a task force on LGBTQ+ matters and serving on the presidential commission on the status of women.
Estes’ own undergraduate experience at Trinity College inspired him to build communities that “acknowledge and value differences but also seek to build relationships across those differences,” he told the Trinity Reporter in 2019.
At Brown, Estes championed the development of identity centers and campus diversity. He expanded the LGBTQ Center into Stonewall House and increased LGBTQ+ representation among University administrators and staff. He and Vice President of Campus Safety Rodney Chatman also established the Campus Safety and Security Working Group to enhance community safety and well-being.
This year, Estes worked with newly formed undergraduate labor unions and was instrumental in the University’s recognition of the Labor Organization of Community Coordinators and the Third World Labor Organization.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Estes played a key role in engaging with protesting students and addressing their calls for University divestment from companies with ties to Israel. He was involved in negotiations with students staging demonstrations and sit-ins, aiming to support them and address their concerns.
Paxson noted in her email that Estes was slated to be promoted to Senior Vice President for Campus Life later this summer.
Beyond his professional achievements, Estes was active in community organizations, serving on the capital campaign committee for the Boys and Girls Club of Rhode Island and the Conservator Society at the Providence Public Library.
“Many of us will remember Eric best as a generous friend who always put the well-being of his colleagues first,” Paxson wrote. “In both celebratory moments and during major challenges, he brought warmth, compassion, and an unwavering spirit of dedication and kindness. We will deeply miss Eric’s presence on campus.”
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