BOONE, N.C. — The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is pleased to announce that Dr. Cathy Marcum has been appointed interim associate dean of CAS, effective June 16, 2025.
Dr. Marcum joined the Appalachian State Department of Government and Justice Studies in 2012 as an assistant professor of criminal justice. She served as criminal justice curriculum coordinator from 2014–18 and assistant chair from 2018–22. Marcum was appointed chair of the Department of Government and Justice Studies in 2022. Last year, she received the university's inaugural Emerging Leader Award, recognizing her outstanding achievements in advancing faculty, staff, students, and programs during her first two years as chair.
Marcum's teaching and research focus on correctional issues, cybercrime, and victimization. She has published over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and 20 books in her fields. Marcum was appointed editor of Journal of Criminal Justice Education in 2023. Previously, she served as the editor of the journal Corrections: Policy, Practice and Research.
Marcum earned a B.S. in criminal justice from West Virginia State University, a M.S. in criminal justice from Marshall University, and a Ph.D. in criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining App State, she directed the Justice Studies program in the Department of Political Science and International Studies at Georgia Southern University (formerly the Department of Political Science).
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About the Department of Government and Justice Studies
Appalachian State University’s Department of Government and Justice Studies offers undergraduate programs in political science and criminal justice, and graduate programs in political science and public administration. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, the department has over 600 undergraduate majors and more than 70 graduate students. Learn more at gjs.appstate.edu.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. CAS aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and locations. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. More than 6,800 student majors are enrolled in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing App State’s general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at cas.appstate.edu.
By Lauren Gibbs
June 16, 2025
BOONE, N.C.
Dr. Catherine Marcum is a professor of criminal justice in the Department of Government and Justice Studies and the interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian State University.
Dr. Catherine Marcum is a professor of criminal justice in the Department of Government and Justice Studies and the interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian State University.