Eric Estill, DPT, Memorial Endowed Scholarship to be Awarded for the First Time

The Saint Louis University (SLU) Program in Physical Therapy is set to award the Eric Estill, DPT, Memorial Endowed Scholarship for the first time in the spring of 2022. The scholarship honors the life of Estill, a Class of 2015 alum, who tragically passed away weeks before his graduation.

The Eric Estill, DPT, Memorial Endowed Scholarship is for professional year II students in the SLU Program in Physical Therapy. This scholarship is intended to support a student that has dedicated themselves to their studies, earning a GPA of at least 3.2. Applicants should demonstrate financial need and display a commitment to the community at large, whether that is locally or internationally. Estill was moved by the service he could provide to others; the same passion should be evident in the student recipient.

Gene and Paula Estill, Eric’s parents, look back with joy on their son’s decision to join the Saint Louis University community.

“We could not have been happier with Eric’s choice of universities back in 2009,” the Estills said. “Eric grew to love and cherish his time in St. Louis, Madrid and all of the cities he visited; expanding his vision of the world while sharpening his skills to become a physical therapist.”

The creation of this scholarship is one way to care for others, something which Estill made a point to do. The Estills went on to describe how the responsibility to care for Eric’s legacy now falls on his family and friends.

“Eric’s legacy has been put into our hands to make sure his light does not fade away,” the Estills said. “We all will need Eric’s strength and encouragement to continue with his drive to treat family, friends, students, patients and strangers in a more compassionate manner.”

SLU Program in Physical Therapy Director of Clinical Education Carol Beckel, Ph.D., PT, praised Estill as both a tremendous person and a talented individual.

“I am so appreciative that we can honor Eric. This scholarship acknowledges his hard work in the program and in the clinic with patients,” Dr. Beckel said. “We lost Eric just before he finished his clinical experience; he would have been a great asset of the profession. I hope this scholarship serves as a reminder of the talented individual we lost while supporting the talent of the future.”

In 2017, the Program in Physical Therapy honored Estill with the dedication of the Eric Estill Peace Pole outside of the university’s Allied Health Professions Building. The peace pole honors Dr. Estill’s life and commemorates his love for world travel.

To donate to The Eric Estill, DPT, Memorial Endowed Scholarship, contact SLU Development Officer Rob Curtin at rob.curtin@slu.edu.

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of nearly 13,000 students on two campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of more than 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.