A Bentley University student died in a tragic accident Sunday night during a senior class trip in the Bahamas.
Gaurav Jaisingh, an undergraduate at the Waltham, Mass., school, accidentally fell from the balcony of his hotel just days before graduation, ABC News reports.
Around 10 p.m. Sunday, Jaisingh was in his Atlantis Paradise Island hotel room with his roommates when he reportedly fell from an upper-level balcony, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a news release. He was later found unresponsive on a lower floor and succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
“We share our deepest condolences with Gaurav’s family, friends and loved ones. Local authorities have shared with the university that they’ve completed their investigation and determined Gaurav accidentally fell from a balcony,” the school wrote in a statement. “This is an enormous tragedy for our community. Bentley is providing resources for those who are impacted and encourages anyone who needs support to reach out to the university’s counseling center.”
Jaisingh, who was set to graduate this Saturday, was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in computer information systems. He was also an orientation leader, an undergraduate admissions ambassador, a member of the South Asian Students Association, and a member of Delta Sigma Pi, a coeducational professional business fraternity, according to Boston.com.
How to Keep Students Safe While Traveling
Although it is impossible to prevent all tragedies, schools must have thorough safety policies and procedures in place for students who are traveling — whether it be for athletics, studying abroad, or pleasure.
At 2021 Campus Safety Conference, Jin Kim, a 25-year veteran of the FBI’s New York Division and founder of PerSec Academy, which provides institutional risk assessments, and Lisa Dombroski, an advocate for athlete safety, spoke about what schools and universities must do to ensure the safe return of every traveling student. Dombroski’s 19-year-old son, Mark, tragically died in March 2018 after a fall while in Bermuda participating in an international rugby tournament with Saint Joseph’s University.
When asked what a school’s team travel policy should include in regard to safety and security, Kim’s initial response was simple: have one. In his experience working with dozens of clients regarding campus safety and security, Kim said only a handful of institutions have policies in place for travel abroad. Of that handful, he added, further detail is needed.
Kim also shared:
- What travel policies should include
- What parents can do to help
