In Memoriam: Dr. Alex Stubberfield

The Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance is saddened to share the news of Dr. Alex Stubberfield’s passing. Stubberfield, an alumnus and former instructor and visiting professor at Virginia Tech, died on Feb. 28 in Taos, New Mexico. He was 36.

Dr. Stubberfield was an active participant in the Institute’s Community Change Collaborative. This association led him to contribute three essays on democratic governance to Re: Reflections and Explorations Volume 2. He also conducted interviews for Conversations in Community Change Volume 2: More Voices from the Field with Turkish journalists Hamid Blici and Mahir Zeynalov and Art and Lee Beltrone, Co-founders of the Vietnam Graffiti Project.

Dr. Stubberfield completed two master’s degrees at Virginia Tech—in philosophy and public and international affairs in 2015. He also earned a Ph.D. at Virginia Tech in Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought in 2019. Thereafter, he served as an instructor and visiting professor for the university’s departments of political science and philosophy. He had relocated to Taos early this year to begin a position with the United States Bureau of Land Management as a planning and environmental coordinator.

Alex is survived by his parents, Denise and Peter Stubberfield, and his sister, Valerie. Those who wish to view a recording of his April 20 memorial service may do so here.

Institute Director, Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr. worked often with Alex, and was very fond of him and admired his many abilities and qualities. In particular, he observed recently that he was always “struck by his intellectual brilliance, curiosity and generosity. Alex was a natural scholar and an even better friend to the many with whom he interacted in his graduate programs and beyond. He gave willingly and generously of his time and many talents to assist others and, he always did so with kindness, grace and great sensitivity. I shall miss him very much, and I know I am not alone. Many many others whose lives he touched are today mourning his loss as well.”