Just days after graduating with honors in international studies with a dual minor in music and history from the University of San Francisco, 22-year-old Zander Urban was struck by an automobile in the Marina district. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital and placed on life support, where he later died from his injuries.

The car, driven by a 30-year-old man, was traveling on Pierce Street and struck Urban at the Lombard Street intersection around 1:20 a.m. on May 25. According to police, the driver was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and said he didn’t see the victim before the accident occurred.

Urban was born in Seattle on Aug. 27, 1988. He worked for the California Governor’s Office of Economic Development and was planning a career in public relations. An avid sportsman, Urban taught sailing and also participated in organized soccer, football and track at both Garfield High School and USF. He also loved music; he played piano and bass and sung in gospel choir as well as a band called “the 31.”

In his June 5 obituary in the Seattle Times newspaper, Urban is remembered as “a gregarious companion with an inclusive outlook,” who accepted everyone without reservations. “Zander’s smile lights up any room,” the obituary reads. “He is the best of the best, loving spirit, kind heart, and a boundless enthusiasm for life. When we sing, dance and extend ourselves in friendship, we honor his life.”

The University of San Francisco has established an endowed fund in Urban’s name to ensure that generations of USF students are able to follow his path in public service. The fund is designed to support student participation in McCarthy Center internship programs in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. For more information on the Alexander (Zander) Urban Endowed Fund, visit www.usfca.edu/giving  or contact Gerti Arnold at 415-422-5027 or [email protected]

According to a U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, San Francisco is the fourth most dangerous city for pedestrians per capita among U.S. cities with populations of 500,000 or more, with pedestrian deaths comprising more than half of all traffic fatalities.

When ranking traffic fatalities per 100,000 residents that include people killed in cars as well as pedestrians, the New York City Department of Transportation reports San Francisco fares worse than far larger cities including New York, London, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.