March 31, 2024 | Bowdoin News
K Zhan ’25

To the campus community,

I write with the very sad and upsetting news that our student Qingyang Zhan ’25—known as K—died overnight off campus. We do not yet know the cause of death, which is under investigation.

K was born in Shanghai, China, and has been living in the US since 2019. A graduate of the Athenian School in Danville, California, she also studied at Oxnard College in Oxnard, California, before matriculating at Bowdoin in the fall of 2021. Faculty members describe K as a bright and engaging presence, and many will remember her warmth and kindness. Her academic advisor, Jean Yarbrough—the Gary M. Pendy Sr. Professor of Social Sciences—described K as a student who was deeply interested in the most important theological and philosophical questions.

K helped found Bowdoin’s Chinese Students Association and was also active in the Asian Student Association. A government and legal studies and Asian studies double major, she was a learning assistant for Asian Studies in the Baldwin Center for Teaching and Learning and a musician who played the piano and guitar as part of the Bowdoin Concert Band.

K’s death is a devastating tragedy for her parents, her brother, other loved ones, and also for her friends, classmates, and our entire Bowdoin community. This news is very difficult to process, especially since we do not yet know the circumstances of K’s death. Please take care of yourselves and of others and take advantage of the opportunities to come together.

We will hold space in Main Lounge of Moulton Union today, Sunday, March 31, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Counseling and student affairs staff will be present. Counseling will have extended hours for students this week through Thursday (9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.). Additionally, students may reach out to Telus Health Student Support for telehealth counseling support. Wellspace@Work is available to faculty and staff seeking support.

We will share information about a campus memorial service as soon as we can. Like so many of you, I am heartbroken and shocked.

There really are no adequate words to convey how devastating this loss is for our community. I know you join me in extending heartfelt condolences to K’s family.

Sincerely,

Safa

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Police release manner of death for Bowdoin student found dead in Topsham
Qingyang Zhan, known as K, was active at Bowdoin, helping found its Chinese Students Association and pursuing a double major.
Published: 5:23 PM EDT April 2, 2024
Updated: 5:23 PM EDT April 2, 2024

BRUNSWICK, Maine — A Bowdoin College student found dead in a Topsham parking lot Sunday appeared to have died by suicide, police announced Tuesday.

Twenty-year-old Qingyang Zhan, known as K, was found dead off Main Street near the Frank J. Wood Bridge, about a mile from Bowdoin’s campus.

“All investigative facts and circumstances have led this agency to conclude that Qingyang took her own life,” Topsham police Chief Marc Hagan said in a statement Tuesday. “No further details regarding Qingyang’s death will be released by this agency out of respect for the privacy of her family.”

He added, “Barring any non-corroborating information from the Medical Examiner’s Office toxicology report, whose findings can take up to 6-8 weeks, this investigation is considered closed.”

Zhan was born in Shanghai, China, and had been living in the U.S. since 2019. She helped found Bowdoin’s Chinese Students Association and was also active in the Asian Student Association, Bowdoin President Safa Zaki said in a statement to the college community. Zhan was a government and legal studies and Asian studies double major, a learning assistant for Asian Studies in the Baldwin Center for Teaching and Learning, and a musician who played the piano and guitar as part of the Bowdoin Concert Band.

“There really are no adequate words to convey how devastating this loss is for our community,” Zaki wrote.

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来自中国的20岁女留学生在美校外停车场身亡 死因未知
2024-04-02 13:16

当地时间上周日（3月31日），美国缅因州当地警方表示，在弗兰克·j·伍兹桥附近的停车场内，发现了一名女性死者，事发地距离缅因州鲍登学院不到一英里。该停车场里存放着建造新桥梁的设备。经过调查，死者是一名来自加州的20岁中国女性，就读于鲍登学院。

鲍登学院院长萨法·扎基在一份声明中表示，这名不幸离世的女生是该院学生，名叫詹庆阳（音），年仅20岁，来自中国上海，在2019年来到美国生活，之前在美国加州上学，2021年秋季入读鲍登学院。

在这份声明中，校方用“K”来称呼詹庆阳，“K聪明而迷人，许多人会记住她的温暖和善良。她参与了中国学生会的创办，拥有政府与法律研究和亚洲研究双学位，曾在鲍登学院教学与学习中心担任亚洲研究学习助理，并在学院音乐会乐队中担任钢琴和吉他演奏者。

声明称，“K的去世对她的父母、她的兄弟、其他亲人以及她的朋友、同学，以及我们整个学院来说都是一场巨大的悲剧，希望我们一起守望相助，共同度过这段艰难的时光。”

该校几名学生表示，教职员工周一（4月1日）在课堂上提到了这起事件，并鼓励学生寻求支持。“（校园）气氛非常悲伤，”一年级新生格蕾丝·坎贝尔说，“我为她的家人感到非常难过。”而詹庆阳生前所在乐队的指挥约翰·莫诺拒绝了接受采访。

根据《鲍登学院校友杂志》的数据记载，至少在2010年至2019年间，没有学生在该校就读期间死亡。但自2019年以来，至少已有5名该校学生死亡，其中大部分死于事故。5起记录在案的死亡事故原因显示，其中有2人死于车祸，1人在校外公寓自杀，还有2人分别死于皮划艇溺水和严重过敏反应。

鲍登学院的官员拒绝回答有关詹庆阳的死亡或追悼会的其他问题，也拒绝谈论最近的学生死亡事件。

据了解，目前詹庆阳的遗体已被运往当地法医办公室进行尸检，警方仍在等待尸检结果，本案具体情况仍在调查当中，法医办公室拒绝透露有关尸检和死亡原因等问题，并表示检测需要6到8周的时间。

警方表示，他们不认为这起案件会对公众安全构成威胁。