He was found unresponsive due to natural causes Tuesday evening in his Founder Hall dorm room, according to a university official.
“Ben was such a fiercely independent, witty, smart young man who had defied many odds and was pursuing engineering,” said Tracey Carson, spokeswoman for Mason Schools in Warren County.
He was an officer in the school’s Kiwanis Key Club for international studies, according to our news partners at the Dayton Daily News.
“Our entire (Mason) Comet family grieves with the Tavella family and we know our community will be looking for ways to support Ben’s family and friends,” Carson said.
A prayer gathering will be held later to mourn Tavella, said University of Dayton President Eric Spina in an email Tuesday night to students, faculty and staff.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office has Tavella’s body and is investigating his death.
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