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Miyuki Abe delivers her student speech Lurleen Betson-Gamboa holds her certificate alongside Harold Tavares (right), assistant director of ISS, and Jeane Lincoln of graduate studies Dr. Edward Minnock offers his remarks From Newslog: Praise and Warm Goodbyes Posted on May 19, 2011 - Permalink Before they walked across the commencement stage or returned to their homelands to complete their degrees, Bridgewater State University's foreign exchange students were honored at the International Graduation and Farewell Celebration. Certificates of achievement were awarded to 37 graduate and undergraduate exchange students from countries all over the world, including Belize, Cape Verde, China, Great Britain, Japan, Jordan and South Africa. Enrolled in a variety of programs, some students had stayed at the university for a semester, others for a few years. The annual celebration aims to honor Bridgewater State University's international community for their academic achievements and contributions to campus. "It brings together like-minded souls in celebration," said Dr. Roopa Rawjee, director of International Student Services (ISS). In his remarks, Dr. Edward Minnock, vice president for External Affairs, evoked one of Robert Frost's most famous poems to honor the exchange students, who chose to study in an unfamiliar culture. "You've taken the road less traveled," he told the large audience in the Council Chambers of the Rondileau Campus Center. "You took a risk, and I know it's one that was well worth it." Several of the students delivered speeches about their experiences at the university. An emotional Miyuki Abe from Japan, who earned her bachelor's degree in economics, said Bridgewater friends helped her overcome a natural shyness. "They really broke me out of my shell," she said. "Based on what I've experienced, I'd like to encourage everyone to challenge themselves the same way." Joarel Chinguvo, who will return to the University of Cape Verde to complete his bachelor's degree in public relations, discussed the obstacles and the cultural exchanges he experienced on campus. He said the university helped him prepare for his career. "I feel that Bridgewater has prepared me for the challenges I will face as a professional, as a person and as a student," he said. Additional student speakers were: Kim Kirkwood, from South Africa, and Lurleen Betson-Gamboa, from Belize. This year saw the first three exchange students from Belize, who enrolled in the Master's of Education program. Offering praise, Dr. Michael Kryzanek, executive director of the Center for International Engagement, told the exchange students they bring diverse culture and enlightening perspectives to Bridgewater State University. "You enrich our campus community," he said. (Story and photos by Rob Matheson, '07, Office of Institutional Communications)

Mr. Takeshi Hikihara, Consul General of Japan in Boston

On April 14, Mr. Takeshi Hikihara, Consul General of Japan in Boston, visited Bridgewater State University. Mr. Hikihara spoke about Japan after the earthquake, and U.S. - Japan relations, to an audience of faculty, students, administrators and staff.

BSU Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Theater Workshop

The first post-earthquake Japan-related event for the rest of the semester was held Thursday, March 17, from 2 to 4 pm, in the Campus Center Auditorium, in conjunction with a Japanese theater workshop. An update of the disaster and its aftermath was provided, future fundraising efforts were announced, and the campus was presented with an opportunity to donate to the Red Cross through the Community Service Center drop box or campus box office area.

 The Asian Studies Program, the Department of Theater and Dance, and the Department of Foreign Languages invited a visiting artist from Kyoto, Japan, Mr. Katsumi Yanagimoto, and Dr. Matthew Fraleigh, a professor from Brandeis University to lead a Japanese kyogen theater workshop. Kyogen is the name for a dramatic style and repertoire of short comic plays focused on the world of the common man and woman, one of the oldest theatrical traditions in Japan. The demonstration provided a general introduction and overview of the history of kyogen, described some of the general features of the dramatic style, and demonstrated its techniques. Selections from a performance of "Chidori" (Plovers) and an explanation of the costumes used in kyogen theater were presented. Students and other attendees learned about typical gestures, stances, and poses used in kyogen and asked questions of the artists.

In the News:

Japanese students at Bridgewater State University report families OK after quake

By Vicki-Ann Downing
Enterprise Staff Writer
Mar 12, 2011 @ 06:00 AM


BRIDGEWATER -- When news of the earthquake and tsunami broke on Friday morning, Roopa Rawjee's first thoughts were about the 15 students from Japan attending Bridgewater State University.

Rawjee, director of international student services at BSU's Center for International Engagement, immediately sent e-mails to each student, acknowledging the event, asking for their families and offering to help in any way possible. She was relieved to learn that none of the students came from Tohuku Province, the region in northeast Japan most affected by the earthquake.

The Japanese students "tend to speak less," said Rawjee. "They are quiet students."

Local residents with friends or family members in Japan were worried after hearing about the devastating earthquake and tsunami on Friday in Japan.

Hundreds of Japanese were dead or missing following the 8.9 magnitude earthquake -- the largest in Japan's history -- and the accompanying tsunami, which reportedly sent waves as high as 30 feet onshore, sweeping away cars, boats and buildings. The West Coast and several islands in the Pacific were also under tsunami warnings. In Oregon, a tsunami sank several boats in Brookings Harbor on Friday, swept half a dozen others out to sea and washed into the ocean four people who were later rescued, said authorities in southern Oregon.

Locally, Sonia Brightman of Bridgewater also turned to the computer when she heard about the earthquake. Her brother lives in Yokohama, south of the area where the quake occurred.

"I think he's fine. I got an e-mail," said Brightman. Last year, she brought her son to Japan as a high school graduation present. "What a beautiful country," said Brightman. "It breaks my heart. The people are so gracious and helpful. My heart goes out to them."

In an e-mail, Yuka Mombara, an exchange student at Bridgewater State University studying education, wrote Rawjee: "I came back to Bridgewater this morning from California. I checked my e-mail account and I got an e-mail from my mother about the earthquake. All of my family are safe.

"I feel so sad for people who died and had serious damage on their families and houses."

Miyuki Abe, an undergraduate studying economics at Bridgewater, said, "I could talk with my parents eventually and now I know they are OK."

Another exchange student, Saki Kano, who is studying anthropology, wrote, "Thank you very much for your concern. My family is safe."

Rawjee said she was "relieved" by the messages. "It's always a worrisome thing when these natural disasters hit."

At Stonehill College in Easton, officials were considering whether to go ahead with plans to send two students to study at Sophia University in Tokyo later in the month, following the Japanese academic calendar.

College spokesman Martin McGovern said Sophia University had so far been unaffected by the earthquake and tsunami.

"We have been in touch with Sophia and need some time to assess the situation," said McGovern. "The students also have some time before making up their minds" about whether to go ahead with plans, he said.

The disasters on Friday also delayed Easton Town Administrator David A. Colton's return from Malaysia. Colton was scheduled to leave Malaysia on Saturday and fly home through the Tokyo airport, but it was closed, said selectmen Chairwoman Colleen A. Corona. Corona said Colton was able to re-book his flight through London instead. He will return to Massachusetts on Tuesday afternoon at the earliest. Colton was vacationing in Malaysia with his husband, Brian Khoo, a native of that country.

U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Steve Valley, a Brockton native, told WCVB-TV Channel 5 that the earthquake was "intense" at Yokota Air Base, 28 miles north of Tokyo, and measured 5 on the Richter scale there.

"I'll tell you the truth, it was a lot of shake, rattle and roll and luckily no other damage," said Valley. "It was a slow, progressive quake, my first time through an earthquake. Lasted well over a minute. It was intense," Valley said. "It's just an amazing feeling. Something you have no control over."

Valley said the damage from the tsunami that followed the earthquake was incredible. "It's the strongest earthquake in many years in Japan, and even though they're in the 'Ring of Fire,' I don't think you can ever prepare for something as intense as that," Valley said.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross activated a disaster operations center in Washington, D.C., is monitoring the situation and is ready to provide assistance as needed, according to the organization's website. Anyone trying to contact friends or family in Japan who are U.S. citizens is encouraged to search for them on the Red Cross' "Safe and Well" family-linking website.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry, chairman of the foreign relations committee, released a statement calling Japan a "close friend and ally."

"We will continue to watch closely for tsunamis in the Pacific and stand ready to assist our citizens as well as our friends and partners in surrounding countries with humanitarian and disaster assistance," the statement said.

GateHouse News Service material was used in this story. Enterprise staff writer Vicki-Ann Downing can be reached at vdowning@enterprisenews.com.

Copyright 2011 The Patriot Ledger. Some rights reserved
 

Survivors of quake use social media to reach home

(NECN: Greg Wayland) - In the early going, quake survivors were cut off from the outer world, and from the far-off world of Japanese students studying at Bridgewater State University south of Boston -- all of them worried about their families.
Students -- we spoke with a half dozen --  quickly bridged the miles and broke the silence --  by email, Skype and MSN.

"Some of my friends text me about the tsunami," said Saki Kano, an exchange student from Osaka, Japan.

Yuka Mombara, another student, told us: "I came back last Friday from my vacation and I got email from my mom."

The social media they'd mastered in their young lives let them quickly learn that their families were fine. Then there was the life-line known as Twitter.

Joe Gabriel, who was traveling in Asia for the Bedford, Mass-based software security company RSA, "Hadn't done a lot of tweets," but that quickly changed.

Joe said, "We were taxiing down the runway, getting ready to depart." Then the quake struck Tokyo's Narita Airport.

"I turned to look out to my right out the window and said, 'We're not moving.' And I could see the wings of the airplane, you know, shaking violently, almost touching the ground."
 
During six hours trapped on the tarmac, Joe tweeted and received dozens of tweets in return.

Joe, "Just sort of let people know -- more importantly, let my family know -- what was going on.... and found people started to interact with me, asking, 'I have a relative on that flight. Is everybody okay?'"

Everybody was -- and was able to let the world know it. Quickly.

"Not only via Twitter but via the internet. We were able to get internet access on the plane. I had an I-pad. We were able to go to the various news outlets to see what was going on around us."
     
It was an example of the new social media making a difference in a crisis.

To see the video of this story, visit the NECN website.

Last Modified: June 8, 2011