Beau Jessup, the 27-year-old daughter of British actress and television presenter Lisa Maxwell, has passed away in New York. Jessup was currently enrolled in a master’s degree program at the Columbia Journalism School, where she was part of the Class of 2027.
Columbia Journalism School confirmed the news of her death in an official statement, expressing condolences to her family, friends, and classmates. While the university stated that it is working closely with Jessup’s family to provide necessary support and assistance, it did not disclose the cause or circumstances surrounding her death.
Jelani Cobb, the Dean of the Columbia Journalism School, addressed the incident in an email to students, acknowledging the difficulty of processing such a loss. He described Jessup as a “cherished member” of the academic community.
Before attending Columbia, Jessup studied social anthropology at the London School of Economics and writing for performance at the University of Cambridge, where she authored a play titled 'The Sandbag'. As a teenager in 2016, she also gained recognition as an entrepreneur for founding 'SpecialName', a website designed to assist Chinese parents in selecting English names for their children. The venture reportedly served over 250,000 children.
Key facts
- Beau Jessup was 27 years old at the time of her death.
- She was a student in the master’s program at Columbia Journalism School, expected to graduate in May 2027.
- The university confirmed her death, but the cause remains unknown.
- Jessup previously studied at the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics.
- In 2016, she founded a naming service called SpecialName that helped over 250,000 children.
Why it matters
Following her death, Columbia News published an interview with Jessup conducted in October for the school’s student-focused Notebook series, which was released with permission from her family. In the interview, Jessup discussed her interest in journalism, noting that her upbringing with a famous mother influenced her curiosity regarding how stories are told and how they can be distorted in the public sphere. She had expressed an intention to focus on reporting related to people, culture, and social issues.
Source: Hindustan Times, Times of India
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