University Of Pittsburgh Graduate Dies In Shark Attack

PITTSBURGH, PA — The woman who died Monday after being attacked by a shark in the Bahamas was a University of Pittsburgh alumnus.

The Royal Bahamas Police identified the victim as Lauren Erickson Van Wart, 44, of Lowell, MA. She was attacked Monday morning while paddle boarding near the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort in New Providence.

According to WBZ-TV in Boston, Van Wart was with her husband when the incident occurred; both were pulled out of the water by a lifeguard in a rescue boat. While her husband wasn't injured, Van Wart later died.

DailyMail.Com reported that Van Wart suffered severe injuries to her hip and arm.

According to her LinkedIn page, Van Wart graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002, where she triple-majored in English literature, mathematics and economics. She had spent the past nine years working as a math editor at Curriculum Associates.