William Yan

William Jing Yan, 24 years old, died unexpectedly on July 18, 2022. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, the Yan family moved to Hillsborough in 2007. William was inherently intelligent from a young age and was a part of Waksman Student Scholars program in high school, where he participated in genetic engineering research and listed as first author on four GenBank database entries. William graduated Valedictorian of Hillsborough High School Class of 2016 and his achievements led him to receive a full academic scholarship to Rutgers University. In 2016 upon high school graduation William was honored with multiple awards including the Mayoral Commendation for Academic Achievement, Central Jersey Academic All Star, and National AP Scholar. He received the Honors College Merit Pin and majored in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, completing his undergraduate degree in 2020 with honors (Magna Cum Laude). During his undergraduate career, William interned as a research fellow with Dr. Chung S. Yang investigating cancer research. His dedication to the Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory under Dr. Yang contributed to a legacy of hope in cancer prevention and treatment. He was listed as second author on two publications during his time there. William had a huge heart and always looked to help others. When he wasn’t in the research lab, he was volunteering his time. During high school, William rehabilitated shelter dogs to get them into forever homes with Small Dog Rescue. In college, William volunteered in the emergency room at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in patient assistance. He laid pipe for sanitary water systems and provided medical care in Honduras with Global Brigades in the summer of 2018. William was truly a unique soul who tried to bring positive change wherever he went. William was an advocate for the planet and did his best to bring awareness to climate change. He was a member of the Naturalist Club during college and served as secretary for two years, organizing club activities and managing their social media presence. William was a savvy investor, enjoyed an eclectic array of music, and playing video games in his leisure time. He was a loving son, dedicated brother, and friend to everyone who met him. To know William was to know he was humble in his achievements and wise beyond his years. He is survived by his loving parents, Jing-He and Zhan-Qing, his sister and best friend Calantha, as well as his extended family, colleagues, and friends. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Cusick Funeral Home, 80 Mountain Avenue, Somerville, NJ with reflections at 7:30 PM. Memorial contributions may be made in William’s memory to the following GoFundMe Donate Online . All proceeds will go to charities of the Yan family’s choice in order to help address environmental and societal issues.