Vice President Patricia Telles-Irvin has passed away

The following message was delivered June 3, 2019, by President Morton Schapiro to members of the Northwestern community.

It is with profound sorrow that I am sharing that Patricia Telles-Irvin, Vice President for Student Affairs, passed away early this morning after a long and valiant battle with cancer. Her abiding religious faith served her well until the very end.

Patricia was a beautiful person. From the day she arrived at Northwestern in 2011, she was deeply committed to improving the lives of all of our students, especially those who came from underrepresented communities. She worked tirelessly to create a Northwestern in which every single student, regardless of background, felt at home. This was not easy work as the world became increasingly stratified and uncivil.

When I think of the finest of Northwestern values — humility, empathy, and humanity — I picture Patricia.

She gave us her heart, and we will always be in her debt. She never wavered in finding the best in all of us.

A public Celebration of Life honoring her is being planned.

May her memory be a blessing to her family, her countless friends and to the entire Northwestern community.

Morton Schapiro
President and Professor