ISU Mourns Sociology Professor Teresa Casey

On March 24, Idaho State University sociology professor Teresa Casey passed away from complications of a bacterial infection. Her students and coworkers in the College of Arts and Letters will always remember her being a great professor, mentor and friend.

            “Teresa was loved by many students and faculty members on campus,” said Dean Kandi Turley-Ames of the College of Arts and Letters. “She will be greatly missed by many people.”

            Casey joined the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminology in 2012 as an assistant professor of sociology. Her area of expertise was in criminology. Before coming to ISU, she received her Ph.D. from University of California Davis where she was also a lecturer. Sociology, Social Work and Criminology department chair, Gesine Hearn, said Casey was instrumental in revamping ISU’s Criminal Justice program. She helped develop new curricula for both the associate and bachelor degree programs, she helped establish areas of concentration in Criminology at the BA and MA level and she greatly improved the criminal justice internship.

            “Teresa’s students really loved her,” said Hearn. “Her office and hallway were always full of students. She spent a lot of time and effort on helping them succeed.”

            Alexys Martens was one of Casey’s students and research assistants, and said that Casey changed her life.

            “She was one of the first teachers that really made me feel welcome at ISU,” Martens said. “She was a great mentor and helped give students many opportunities. She was an amazing person and I’m glad I got to know her.”

            Casey is survived by her parents, her three children and one grandson. Family was very important to her and she was very proud of her children.