Via Blaine Eckles, Dean of Students and Vice Provost for Student Affairs

 It is with sadness that I share with you the passing of a member of the Vandal Family, Aleksander (Alek) Halem, who died unexpectedly on Sunday evening.

Alek, who was from Newbury Park, California, was a senior majoring in Art + Design. He also served as a devoted student manager for the Women's Basketball Team.

The passing of a Vandal family member can understandably have significant impacts on those left behind. If you are worried about a student, faculty or staff member and are unsure of what to do, please file a VandalCARE report. 

Students impacted by Alek's loss and needing assistance during this time should contact the Counseling & Testing Center at 208-885-6716. Faculty and staff needing assistance should use the free and confidential EAP resources available through their benefits.

As a community, we collectively mourn Alek's death and share our sincere condolences with his family and friends who are most impacted by his passing.

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Head Coach Jon Newlee:

"Just heartbreaking news to hear. He was fantastic for us in his role as our student manager. He was the most dependable manager we ever had. Day in and day out you could depend on Alek to be there and do his job. He was a kid with a really big heart. All the players really loved him. The staff loved him. He was just fun to be around. He will be sorely missed by our entire program. It's just shocking news and we are all still trying to digest it. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Alek's family and all who knew him because I'm sure they are feeling the same heartache that we all are right now."