John Russell Brazil (March 5, 1946 – June 2, 2022) was an American university administrator and professor ofEnglish andAmerican studies. He was the president ofTrinity University,Southeastern Massachusetts University, andBradley University.
John Russel Brazil was born on March 5, 1946 and grew up in northern California.[1] His parents were Helen and Burton Brazil.[1] He received an A.B. inHistory in 1968 fromStanford University.[1][2] He then attendedYale University, earning a Master of Philosophy in 1972 and a Ph.D. inAmerican studies in 1975.[1][2] He is a member ofBeta Gamma Sigma,Phi Beta Kappa, andPhi Kappa Phi honor societies.[3]
In 1968, Brazil was a teaching fellow at Yale, where he taught American studies, English, and history.[3] He joined the faculty ofSan Jose State University in 1973, eventually becoming the Vice President of Academic Affairs.[1][2][3] He became an English professor and president ofSoutheastern Massachusetts University in 1984, that title changing to chancellor when the university became part of theUniversity of Massachusetts system as theUniversity of Massachusetts Dartmouth.[1][4]
In 1989, Brazil was one of the university presidents selected to participate in theU.S. Department of Education andAmerican Association of State Colleges and Universities undertaking in theSoviet Union.[2] He became president ofBradley University inPeoria, Illinois in 1992.[5] While at Bradley, he oversaw a capital campaign that raised more than $125 million.[4]
In 1999, he became the 17th president ofTrinity University inSan Antonio, Texas.[6][4] He retired in January 2010.[1][2]
Brazil served on the board of theAssociated Colleges of the South, theAssociation of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities, the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas, theNational Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, theSouthern Collegiate Athletic Conference, and the Texas Independent College Fund.[3] He was president of the Higher Education Council of San Antonio.[3] He published articles inAmerican Literary Realism, theAmerican Quarterly,Mississippi Quarterly, andTwentieth-Century Literary Criticism.[3]
In 1980, Brazil was aFulbright Senior Scholar of English and American studies at theUniversity of Sydney.[2][4] In 1997, he received anhonorary doctorate fromSamara State Aerospace University.[2] Trinity University’s Board of Trustees presented Brazil with the Distinguished Service Award, the University's most prestigious honor.[1]
He was an honorary member ofDelta Mu Delta andGolden Key International Honour Society.[3]
Brazil married Janice Hosking in 1971.[1][2] They had a son, Adrian, and a daughter, Morgan.[1][2]
He was a Director ofCaterpillar Inc. from October 1998 until February 2010.[7] He also served on the boards of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, San Antonio Medical Foundation, theSouthwest Research Institute, the Texas Research Park Foundation, theUnited Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, and the World Affairs Council of San Antonio.[3]
Brazil died after a long illness on June 2, 2022, at the age of 76.[2][1]