Phillip Michael Alexander, 47, of Richmond, died on November 18, 2024, at his home after a courageous battle with colon and liver cancer. Phill was a beloved husband to Julie, a devoted professor ("Dr. Phill") to Miami University students, and a dear friend and colleague to so many.

Phill was born in Richmond, Indiana, on January 23, 1977. He grew up in Wayne County and graduated from Centerville High School. He earned his B.A. in English from Indiana University-East, his M.A. in English from Miami University, and his Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Writing at Michigan State University in 2012. After graduation, he was selected as a Heanon Wilkins Faculty Fellow at Miami University, transitioning into a tenure-track position. As an Assistant Professor at Miami University, Phill was a multidisciplinary scholar bringing together teaching and scholarship in rhetoric, game studies, Cherokee/Indigenous rhetorics and digital media production. Phill aimed to surface, honor, and explore the stories that shaped lived experiences, focusing in particular on the experiences of gamers and of creators and users of digital media.

Phill was a celebrated teacher who believed in the abilities of every student. He taught 16 different courses at Miami, including courses he created such as Rhetoric of Digital Identity, Writing for Games, and Esports Streaming & Broadcasting. Phill was a leader in esports and gaming, conducting original research that helped shape the field. He was the author of several books, including Identity and Collaboration in World of Warcraft (2018) and Esports for Dummies (2020). Phill served as founding co-director of the esports program at Miami University and as a founder of the Mid-American Conference's stand-alone esports conference—the Esports Collegiate Conference (ESC). In 2024 Miami University President, Dr. Gregory Crawford, awarded Phill the President's Medal in honor of his extraordinary and impactful service.

Phill gave so much to others, bringing his optimistic, hopeful perspective to every endeavor. He was a fierce champion for equity and for faculty and student welfare. He was an active member of the Faculty Alliance of Miami (FAM), Miami University's first faculty union, and he served as the first chairperson of the Bargaining Council. His leadership and advocacy will be missed but his spirit will carry on.

Phill was devoted to his family. He met his wife, Julie, while the two were doctoral students at Michigan State University where he won Julie over with his quirky sense of humor, pop culture references, and shy sweetness. They married in 2016 in Las Vegas, just days after closing on a beautiful historic home in the Reeveston neighborhood of Richmond, where they lived with Phill's mother, Susan, and a blended family of rambunctious dogs. Phill and Julie loved to go on adventures together, traveling to small towns and unusual attractions, making jokes and singing 90s grunge hits along the way. Phill was a thoughtful gift-giver, working his many online connections to find elusive, meaningful gifts for his loved ones. He was always surprising Julie or his mother with a cute figurine or unique piece of jewelry, simply to make them smile. In everything Phill did, he thought of others—making them laugh, easing their worries, and offering them acceptance and a caring heart.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Julie, his sister-in-law, Amy Gesso, brother-in-law, Darryl Gesso, his nephew Samuel, and his niece Rose. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Carole Platt, his father-in-law, Richard Platt, and his mother, Susan Liebert.

At Phill's request, there will be no showing, but family, friends, and colleagues are planning a celebration of life to be held at Miami University at a later date. In honor of Phill, a scholarship fund has been established at Miami University to support students interested in games studies: The Professor Phill Alexander Memorial Fund (tinyurl.com/phill-alexander-fund).