By: Kaede Takaishi '26

I can still recall August 18, 2024, with striking clarity as through it were only a month ago. After a 30-hour journey, I arrived at Akron-Canton Airport carrying nothing more than a backpack, a carry-on suitcase, and one checked bag. On the connecting flight from Charlotte to Akron, one of my checked suitcases was lost, leaving me with almost no change of clothes for the first few days on campus. Then, the following summer, both suitcases I checked on my return from Japan were damaged in transit, and the airline replaced them entirely. It is fair to say that my relationship with luggage over these two years has been rather unfortunate though looking back, I can laugh about it now.

A Challenge I Chose to Face

I came to Mount Union through a two-year degree study abroad program offered by Kansai Gaidai University, one of Mount Union’s partner institutions. I enrolled as a transfer student, majoring in marketing and minoring in communication. I will graduate from Mount Union this May and from Kansai Gaidai University in August.

Reflecting on these two years, the time passed in what felt like an instant, full of change, growth, and moments that left a lasting impression on me. In many ways, this experience was a challenge I chose to give myself.

In September 2023, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Less than a year later, I arrived in the United States still working to understand my own condition. Today, I have actually spent more time receiving medical treatment in America than in Japan. Navigating the differences in healthcare costs, clinic systems, and insurance billing between the two countries was no small task, and I could not have maintained my health throughout this experience without support.

Beth Wayt, health service coordinator of the Mount Union Health Center, began corresponding with me months before I even arrived on campus. She helped coordinate my care so that I could access medical services smoothly from the moment I arrived, and she continued to assist with insurance billing throughout each semester. She is the staff member with whom I have exchanges the most emails during my time here, and I am deeply grateful for her patience and dedication.

Finding My Path in Marketing

Among the first courses I took at Mount Union, MKT-220: Marketing Principles, taught by Joel Evans, assistant professor of marketing, stands out as the most genuinely engaging class I have ever experienced. Professor Evans also served as my academic advisor, providing invaluable guidance throughout my academic journey. It was through his referral that I had the opportunity to intern at the Mount Union Office of Marketing, an experience that has shaped my professional outlook in meaningful ways.

What It Really Means to Live and Learn at Mount Union

I was fortunate to have wonderful housemates over these two years. Living under one roof with four people from different backgrounds, with different perspectives and habits, was not without its challenges. But it also offered me ways of thinking I had never encountered before and gave me a glimpse into lives different from my own. Going grocery shopping together after class, sharing conversations in the living space, staying up late laughing over games, celebrating the holidays, these are moments I will carry with me long after graduation.

Last fall break, I traveled to New York City alone for the first time in my life. I packed just a backpack and set off with the spirit of a solo traveler. Tim Morrison, university chaplain, kindly drove me to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, and when he learned along the way that I had no one to meet and was going entirely on my own, he gave me his phone number in case I needed anything. It was a small gesture, but it meant a great deal and in that moment, I found myself appreciating Mount Union even more deeply for the kind of community it fosters.

Dawn Daugherty, assistant dean and director of international student services, has been, in many ways, a motherly presence in my life here. She took me grocery shopping every Tuesday evening and offered me along on weekend outings, outlet malls, professional sports games, and more. Whether I found myself in a difficult situation, she was there. I am sincerely thankful for her warmth and generosity.

The person I was before coming to Mount Union and the person I am today, preparing to leave, feel like entirely different individuals. Who I have become is a reflection of the classmates who sat beside me in class, the housemates who shared a home with me, and the faculty and staff across campus who never hesitated to call out my name wherever they saw me.

After graduation, I will return to Japan to begin my career. But I hope that someday, as a more experienced and grown version of myself, I will have the opportunity to come back and visit the place that shaped me so profoundly.