In an email sent on Wednesday morning, the University of Massachusetts informed the campus community that student Aidan Smith had passed away.

According to an obituary in MassLive, Smith passed away at home on Dec. 8, 2019. A Springfield native, Smith studied plant and soil sciences at UMass. The email states that he was a sophomore.

Before coming to UMass, Smith was a 2016 graduate of Sabis International Charter School. At Sabis, Smith played in award-winning jazz quartet and recorded a jazz CD his senior year. He is described as a passionate guitar and upright bass player and “an intelligent, caring, kind and earnest young man.”

Smith is survived by his parents and younger sister, as well as a large extended family both in the United States and Scotland, according to the obituary published in The Republican on Dec. 10.

In the email, Associate Vice Chancellor and Interim Dean of Students David C. Vaillancourt urged the community to reach out for assistance as appropriate, listing contact information for the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health, the Dean of Students Office and the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program.

“On behalf of UMass, we extend our sincere condolences to Aidan’s colleagues, family, and friends,” Vaillancourt wrote.

The family asked that in lieu of flowers, people consider a donation to the Herren Project in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

Kathrine Esten can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @KathrineEsten.