To our alumni, parents and friends in Japan

On behalf of everyone at Alfred University, I would like to convey our deepest sympathy for the losses you sustained during the earthquake and tsunami on March 11 and for the continuing hardships that have followed in its aftermath Some of you may have suffered direct losses. All of you have most likely lost friends, or seen places you've lived in or traveled to irreparably damaged by the disaster. As Jonathan Levine-Ogura '96, who is living in Hanamaki City, said in an email to Prof Gary Ostrower '61, "Memories and friends, washed out to sea."

We empathize with all of our Japanese alumni and friends and those of the Pacific Region who have been directly or indirectly affected by the March 11 tragedy. We wish the people of Japan and all victims a speedy recovery; our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Amid the unfolding tragedy, we have been inspired by the dignity, courage, and resourcefulness of the Japanese people. We are confident in your ability to overcome these hardships and stand ready to support your efforts in anyway possible.

Sincerely,
Charles M. Edmondson
President
Alfred University

Alumni, parents and friends in Japan:

Your friends at Alfred University are concerned about your well-being, and so are those in the alumni community who know you. Please email me at alumni@alfred.edu to let us know where you are, if you are all right, and if there is anything you need.

We'd also love to be able to share your first-hand accounts, photos and videos If you want to tell your story, please email me at alumni@alfred.edu

Lori Wellman
Director of Alumni Engagement
Alfred University

AU community responds with fund-raisers, awareness projects

Alfred University faculty, staff and students will participate in a week of activities, beginning Monday, March 21, that heighten awareness of those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. See more>>>

President's message to campus

The massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan during our Spring Break has struck a distinctive resonance in our community. We enjoy a number of important relationships with individuals and groups within Japan, and these intensify our emotional reaction to the scenes of tragedy that continue to unfold.

We have already sent direct messages of sympathy and support on behalf of the entire University to our alumni living in Japan and our Kyocera friends, and their responses have been reassuring. While there is still a great deal that we do not know, I think that it is appropriate to inform the community of a few things that we do know.

First, we have four students from Japan currently enrolled at Alfred; each has received word from home that their immediate families are safe, although I am grieved to tell you that the grandparents of one of our students have not been located at this point. Second, we believe that there has been no direct loss of life among our alumni in Japan or their immediate families. I hasten to add that our knowledge is imperfect and that many of them have lost friends and more distant relatives. Third, our friends associated with the Kyocera corporation appear to have suffered no losses of life or property (most of Kyocera’s operations are in the central and southern parts of Japan). Finally, Alfred has been fortunate to receive a number of students from Ritsumeiken University over the past five years. Located in Kyoto, Ritsumeiken experienced no damages, though we have no information about their students who had studied here.

We all appreciate that Japan faces not only the challenges of recovering from the destruction of the tsunami and earthquake. It also faces one of the most serious nuclear power plant failures in history. As we learn more facts that would be of particular concern to Alfred, we will attempt to share them without getting into the business of reporting general news. Meanwhile, for those who are interested in the well being of Japanese friends or who wish to be supportive of the relief and reconstruction efforts going on there, the following website may be assistance.

Google has created a Person Finder <http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/11/google-reacts-to-japanese-tsunami-with-a-person-finder-tool/> tool for people to look up someone by name or to provide information about someone they know.


There are a number of venues for offering financial support to Japan. We have confirmation from Alfred alumni and their families in Japan that shortages of fuel, food, and clothing are already acute in the stricken areas and that the need for assistance is critical. Perhaps the fastest method at this moment of helping with this matter is through the Red Cross at http://newsroom.redcross.org/2011/03/11/disaster-alert-earthquake-in-japan-tsunami-warnings/. As we absorb the full picture of Japan’s plight in the coming days, a number of us may want to stage fund-raising and commemorative activities. I encourage all of you to confer with the Division of Student Affairs before initiating them so that we keep repetition to a minimum and assure optimal communications.

Charles M. Edmondson