Former ETSU President Paul E. Stanton Jr. dies at 81

Stanton served as president of the university for 15 years, from 1997 to 2012.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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East Tennessee State University's eighth president, Dr. Paul E. Stanton Jr., passed away on Thursday, March 5, after a lifetime of service to both ETSU and the medical community. Stanton served as president of the university for 15 years, from 1997 to 2012, and was remembered by the current ETSU president as someone who "genuinely cared about the people of this university" and "treated colleagues with the same level of caring he showed to his patients during his days as a vascular surgeon."

Why it matters

Stanton's leadership and dedication to ETSU and the medical field left a lasting impact on the university and its community. As president, he oversaw significant growth at ETSU, including the establishment of 10 new doctoral programs and the founding of the Gatton School of Pharmacy.

The details

During his 15-year tenure as ETSU president, Stanton was responsible for a record-breaking $6 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation for Interdisciplinary Health Care Education. He was also inducted into the Tennessee Healthcare Hall of Fame in 2016 in recognition of his distinguished medical career.

  • Stanton served as ETSU president from 1997 to 2012.
  • Stanton passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
  • There will be a celebration of Stanton's life at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church on April 10, 2026 from 2 to 3 p.m. with a reception immediately following.

The players

Paul E. Stanton Jr.

The eighth president of East Tennessee State University, who served in that role from 1997 to 2012. Stanton was also a vascular surgeon and was inducted into the Tennessee Healthcare Hall of Fame in 2016.

Brian Noland

The current president of East Tennessee State University, who praised Stanton's leadership and compassion in an official statement.

Vanessa Canter

A 2006 alumnus of ETSU who recalled Stanton's personal touch in presenting class rings to students.

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What they’re saying

“For those of us who had the privilege of working with him or being in his presence, Dr. Stanton symbolized all that is good in the world. He genuinely cared about the people of this university.”

— Brian Noland, ETSU President (easttennessean.com)

“He used to hold a tea and ring presentation ceremony at the Carillon, and any student who ordered their class ring from the main campus vendor was invited to the ceremony. Dr. Stanton presented me with my first college class ring from ETSU. It was an extremely special moment that I will never forget.”

— Vanessa Canter, ETSU 2006 alumnus (easttennessean.com)

“Dr. Stanton was enormously proud of his family. He adored them. Even through his demanding years as our President, he made time for them. He was deeply dedicated to his wife Nancy, his children, Eric, Ryan, and Shelley, and his grandchildren. Parenting, he always said, was the most important job he ever had.”

— Brian Noland, ETSU President (easttennessean.com)

What’s next

There will be a celebration of Stanton's life at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church on April 10, 2026 from 2 to 3 p.m. with a reception immediately following.

The takeaway

Stanton's legacy at ETSU was defined by his unwavering dedication to the university, its students, and the broader community. His compassionate leadership and commitment to building genuine relationships left a lasting impact that will be remembered by all who knew him.