Sarah Katz, C’24, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences in SAS, died September 10, 2022, at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. She was 21.

Ms. Katz was pursuing majors in international relations and health & societies and a minor in East Asian language and civilization. She was a native of Jersey City, New Jersey, and graduated from Elisabeth Irwin High School in New York City. Before enrolling at Penn, Ms. Katz completed a gap year at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, where she was granted a full merit scholarship to learn Mandarin.

Since 2011, Ms. Katz served as Red Cap Ambassador with the American Heart Association, teaching CPR in high schools and underserved communities. During her first year at Penn, she worked as a research assistant at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she introduced a bill to Pennsylvania state legislators advocating that all Pennsylvania schools become certified “heart safe” spaces. She returned to campus this semester eager to begin working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a health communications intern.

Ms. Katz was deeply involved at Penn, serving as a leader in the Penn John Marshall Pre-Law Honor Society, a membership coordinator for the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, the social chair of Sigma Kappa sorority, and an active member in Penn Hillel.

Her family issued the following statement: “We are devastated by this tragic passing of our beloved Sarah. She loved the University of Pennsylvania so much and was so happy and thriving. Sarah was fully engaged in so many aspects of campus life, academics, clubs, socially, and through internships. Words cannot express how much of a loss we are feeling. We so appreciate everything.”

A funeral service was held on September 13.