On March 11th, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the east coast of Japan, which caused a devastating tsunami and claimed nearly 22,000 lives. Known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, it is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japanese history. For years afterward, the Tohoku Region of Japan continued to recover from damages to infrastructure and the displacement of thousands of people and their communities, continually remembering those who lost their lives each year. Over 7000 miles across the Pacific Ocean in Asland, Virginia, the act of remembering this tragedy is personal.
Randolph-Macon College places a strong emphasis on its study-abroad programs of all kinds, but the partnership that the College shares with Japan is truly special. According to the Office of International Education’s website, these partnerships have been “strengthened and inspired by the memory of Taylor Anderson ‘08, who died in the 2011 tragedy of the Great East Earthquake and Tsunami.” Throughout her time at RMC, Taylor pursued her interest in international and Japanese culture by participating in undergraduate research and studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan. Taylor was an accomplished and dedicated student, who balanced academics with her other involvements on campus, such as her membership in the Theta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. After graduating with an International Studies major and Asian Studies and Political Science minors, Taylor taught English at an elementary school in Ishinomaki, Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program, an international exchange initiative funded by the
Japanese government that provides opportunities for college graduates from across the globe to work and live in Japan.
For the past six years, the RMC community has participated in a remembrance project called the “One Thousand Cranes” or “Senbazuru 千羽鶴” Commemorative Project, where students, faculty, and staff come together to create origami paper cranes and honor the victims of the earthquake and tsunami, like Taylor Anderson. During the weeks leading up to March 11th, students gathered in Brock Commons to learn how to fold paper cranes, and then had the opportunity to be pictured with their cranes in one great collaborative collage project. Additionally, during their Spring Recruitment event on February 18th, the sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta gathered together with potential new members to make paper cranes for the commemorative project, and to honor the dreams and legacy of their sister.
Today, the College observed a moment of silence at 2:46pm, to honor all those who perished in the tragedy. A commemorative display will also be on view in the McGraw-Page Library through Friday, March 13th, with educational materials regarding the College’s partnership with Japanese institutions and primary sources about the natural disaster from the affected regions of Japan. This display is located on the Taylor Anderson Memorial Bookshelves, which were built and dedicated to her memory in 2023. Though fifteen years have since the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, this day remains a reticent moment for reflection on campus, even for those not personally affected by the disaster. When asked why continual remembrance of this tragedy is so important to the RMC community and the College’s partnerships abroad, Director of the Office of International Education, Mayumi Nakamura, responded that:
“I believe the College’s connection to Japan and the tragedy of the earthquake is so important not only because of our direct ties to those who were lost, but also because it reminds us that we can all learn from the unimaginable resilience of the affected communities. It shows us that the only way to move forward from tragedies like this is to connect with one another at a deeply human level. As our students leave this campus and begin building their lives beyond RMC, they may encounter hardships beyond their control. I sincerely hope that we are educating and graduating students who are able to persevere no matter what happens, and who continue to show care and compassion for the people and communities around them, striving to make a positive impact in the world in their own unique way.”
Every year, this day is an opportunity for the Randolph-Macon community to reflect on its connections to communities far beyond Ashland, and to remember the importance of reverence, mindfulness, and unity in the face of tragedy.
