A Tribute to Michael Casey
August 23, 2023
Dear Members of the Trinity Community,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that Vice President for Advancement Michael Casey died last night. He did not regain consciousness after sustaining serious injuries in a bicycle accident on August 6. Please join me in wishing our deepest love and condolences to his wife, Janet, and his two children, Liam and Fiona.
A smart, strategic leader, Michael was a consummate professional and expert in the fields of fundraising, alumni engagement, and institutional planning. His work deserves the highest accolades. His strategic vision brought Trinity to where we are today: at the eve of the public phase of the All In capital campaign during Trinity’s Bicentennial year. During his tenure here, he skillfully led the Advancement team through the uncertainties of the pandemic. He also made huge strides in alumni engagement by conducting and learning from two alumni surveys that demonstrated progress and programmatic growth. He steered the planning of and orchestrated the largest capital campaign in Trinity’s history, which he always said was a fitting tribute to the deep levels of commitment and pride within the Trinity community. It is appropriate that one of Michael’s last community efforts was the wildly successful Alumni Bicentennial Celebration in June that featured dynamic speakers, world-class entertainment, and fireworks. Michael was profiled in the Hartford Business Journal last year for his efforts in leading Advancement at Trinity.
Michael came to Trinity in June 2017 after nearly three decades of leadership at three other liberal arts institutions: Franklin & Marshall College, Wesleyan University, and Skidmore College. He was dedicated to the mission of each institution because he so deeply valued a liberal arts education and recognized his obligation to make a difference for future generations of students. As a first-generation student, Michael majored in Irish history and literature and earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University. His life’s work made it possible for so many students and alumni to benefit from a high-quality, deeply personalized, broad education.
When I think of Michael, I will always hold dear his “all in” spirit, keen intelligence, good humor, and sense of human decency. And who could forget his expansive knowledge of movies, love of music, and supremely on-pitch whistling? Whenever I would ask Michael how he was doing, he often would smile and say, “Fabu!” He was a dear colleague whom I will remember fondly, with a deep sense of gratitude for having known him.
Plans to celebrate Michael’s life and legacy are forthcoming. At this moment, please hold the Casey family in the light of love and goodness.
Sincerely,
Joanne Berger-Sweeney
President and Trinity College Professor of Neuroscience
