New HazingInfo project powered by students in the University of Washington Information School tells the stories of young people killed by hazing
HazingInfo.org will soon unveil a powerful new interactive web feature that brings 333 hazing-related deaths in the United States into vivid focus.
This feature is more than just data: It’s a digital memorial, a historical archive, and a call to action.
The project is built on the foundational work of pioneering hazing researcher and author Hank Nuwer, who has tracked and documented hazing deaths dating back to the 1830s.
Students from the University of Washington Information School (iSchool) digitized Nuwer’s data and developed a new database and web feature that archives the data and allows users to interact with the information through maps, charts, and stories about the victims.
Hazing is “a pattern of preventable tragedies”
The multidisciplinary team of Informatics undergraduate students — who dubbed themselves the “Haze Free Heroes”— worked closely with Nuwer, iSchool Assistant Teaching Professor Nam-ho Park, and Jolayne Houtz of HazingInfo.org to create the new feature.
The team used their expertise in data analytics, user experience design, data storytelling, and information architecture to produce this user-focused project memorializing 333 people killed by hazing in the US between 1838 and 2025.
“We hope this project helps people see that hazing isn’t just a headline or a statistic — it’s a pattern of preventable tragedies that continue to claim real lives,” said Marco Mendoza, a UW senior and project manager and data analyst for the team.
“Our goal was to honor the victims by creating a resource that educates, empowers, and drives change,” Mendoza said. “If even one student, parent, or educator uses this site to ask better questions or take action against hazing, then this project has done its job.”
Team members are:
- Christian Baldoza, product manager and data analyst
- Grayson Ellard, backend and information architecture.
- Kaylina Saetern, user experience designer and researcher.
- Cristina Villavicencio, user experience designer and researcher.
- Ryan Cho, HazingInfo student assistant.
- Beliz Ozhan, HazingInfo student assistant.
- Elizabeth Geri, project adviser and UW guest faculty member.
Hazing deaths feature launching next week
HazingInfo will publicly launch the new feature next week. In addition to the US deaths, the feature will provide access to global hazing data also collected by Nuwer.
The project marks a significant milestone in HazingInfo’s mission to expose and end hazing through data transparency and storytelling.
It also preserves Nuwer’s 50-year legacy of research into hazing deaths in the US and around the world.
