In an email sent out to the Stanford community this afternoon, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Greg Boardman announced that Jalen Paukan ’15 died yesterday.

A senior from St. Mary’s, Alaska, Paukan was a resident of Mirrielees and an active member of the Native American Cultural Center. He was a psychology major and had also studied abroad in Florence last spring.

“Police are investigating the details surrounding Jalen’s death, and as a result there is limited information to share at this time,” wrote Boardman in his email.

“We know that many students are devastated, as are many staff who knew Jalen well,” said associate vice president for University communications Lisa Lapin in an email to The Daily. “He was a bright light from a very small village in rural Alaska, and someone full of promise and great potential.  He had been very active in organizing events at the Native American Cultural Center and was part of that community. Everyone is incredibly, incredibly sad.”

If anyone would like to share thoughts or memories of Jalen, please contact Catherine Zaw at [email protected].