Won Jang ’26: In Memoriam

This summer, the entire Dartmouth community mourns the loss of Won Jang, a beloved member of the Class of 2026 who tragically passed away on July 7 at the age of 20. 

From Middletown, Delaware, Won studied biomedical engineering and was an active member of Dartmouth’s academic and social spheres. He was a project manager in the Digital Applied Learning and Innovation Lab and a research assistant at the Thayer School of Engineering. He was a member of the TuckLAB entrepreneurship program. He was an international student mentor for the Office of Pluralism and Leadership. Additionally, he was a brother at Beta Alpha Omega. Needless to say, he touched the hearts of so many on campus.

Won’s smile lifted up the spirits of his friends. For those lucky enough to have known him, he was the light that lit the room on even the darkest of days. He had a personality unlike any other, and his love for life is something we can all appreciate and hope to adopt. He was taken too soon, but lived life to its fullest. 

Soon after his passing, Dartmouth held a candlelight vigil at BEMA. One didn’t have to wait for his friends to take the stage to know what he meant to many. Most of the sophomore class showed up. He surely felt the love, because it was certainly there in full force. 

A number of his close friends and fraternity brothers spoke, in addition to President Sian Beilock and Nancy Vogele, the college chaplain and director of the Tucker Center. It was a somber time, but also a positive one. For those who had the misfortune of not knowing Won, his friends’ memories made sure they knew just how special of a person he was.

They told stories of him in class, of his love for music and cooking, and his optimism and fun-loving nature. They recalled some of his jokes and reminisced on his joviality. Above all, they insisted that Won would want his friends to smile in his memory. He would not want those he held dear to stop loving what makes life so precious and worth living. That was the kind of person Won was. 

The Class of 2026 has lost a giant, a man whose absence will be felt dearly. There will forever be a void in the current sophomore class. 

As ’26s navigate the next half of college, we will consistently remember the special light that was Won Jang. He will always be a ’26, and we are mighty proud to count him as one of our Dartmouth brothers.