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Suomi College of Arts & Sciences
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Get to know your Faculty and Staff!
Committed to your education.
Finlandia faculty take your education and learning seriously. Experienced and knowledgeable in their fields, faculty want you to succeed in your college career. Working together with staff, colleagues and other students, faculty help you to build a better future. Small class sizes and one-on-one attention will help you to secure a better relationship with your professor/instructor. With doors always open, faculty look to be available to chat or discuss your options as a student. Can't get a hold of your professor/instructor? Contact staff below and they will be happy to help you with your needs.
At Finlandia you are not a number, you are a friend.
SCAS Faculty
Lauri Anderson
English
Professor
Office: Mannerheim 401
Phone: 487-7282
Email: lauri.anderson@finlandia.edu
Often described as "the guy who looks like a sea captain," Professor Anderson has published eight short-story collections and a novel, including Mosquito Conversations, Misery Bay, and Hunting Hemingway's Trout. His research areas include Finnish-American literature, British Commonwealth literature, Modern American literature, and the canon of Ernest Hemingway. Professor Anderson has also participated as an NEH Fellow at nine universities. In his free time, he enjoys reading, gardening, playing checkers, and skydiving.
Sherry Blust
Mathematics
Professor
Office: Wargelin 301
Phone: 487-7256
Email: sherry.blust@finlandia.edu
Professor Blust's teaching style and enthusiasm for teaching has contributed to the success of many students at Finlandia University. Her emphasis is on explaining mathematics, developing intuition, problem solving, data interpretation, number sense, critical thinking, and decision-making. As a teacher, she is interested in sharing with her students a sense of the beauty of mathematics while challenging her students to think mathematically. When not working, Sherry enjoys many outdoor activities including skiing, snowshoeing, biking, backpacking, and gardening.
 Judy Budd
Biology & Environmental Science
Professor
Office: Wargelin 200
Phone: 487-7243
Email: judith.budd@finlandia.edu
In addition to teaching in Finlandia's science department, Dr. Budd is a limnologist who studies the Laurentian Great Lakes. Her research views the lakes from the vantage point of space using satellite remote sensing to examine lake temperatures and productivity. Dr. Budd's teaching includes introductory biology and chemistry courses.
Brian Foreman
Psychology & Human Services
Instructor
Office: Mannerheim 315
Phone: 487-7228
Email: brian.foreman@finlandia.edu
Writing may be my first love but for the past 18 years I've worked in the field of Human service primarily working with youth and families. In those years I've worked as a counselor in a foster home, as a one on one prevention facilitator, a mentor, ADD coach. I'm now a teacher in the Human Service, Psychology, and Business field. My goal is to continue to help youth in anyway possible. I would love to be able to provide activities for youth in need year round so that the old "there's nothing to do here" is changed to there is so much to do here! I have three little balls of clay I call my daughters each one different from the other. I once thought that I haven't accomplished anything in my life because I didn't live in a big house or drive a fancy car, but I have accomplished a lot. While teaching at Finlandia University and Gogebic Community College I'm molding yet more balls of clay. I have a monthly parenting column in the Daily Mining Gazette, I get to eat three or more times a day and I have some time to enjoy those around me. All in all life has been a snowball rolling down hill then up the other side and back again. I've come to realize that I don't know how to relax, how to take a vacation or how to do anything but work, and I'm ok with this. I like to set goals and then reach them. I currently in the process of writing a book.
Pete Gundersen
Religion & Philosophy
Associate Professor
Office: Mannerheim 415
Phone: 487-7318
Email: pete.gundersen@finlandia.edu
I was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1941, lived there as a child, on the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin in my teens, and later moved to California. I am married to Jimalee Jones, a retired pastor. We have three grown children, Anna, Mary and Anders. Teaching in the Department of Religion and Philosophy combines several of my life-long goals and interests. I prepared to teach English or philosophy in my undergraduate years at Luther College, an ELCA school, but began seminary studies at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, instead. After two years of study at the seminary, I took post-graduate English and writing courses at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and at San Fernando Valley State, in Northridge, California. Eventually I returned to Luther Seminary, graduated, and then served Lutheran parishes from 1981 to 2002. In the fall of 2002 I began teaching at Finlandia. When I'm not teaching I enjoy reading, canoeing, and spending time with my family.
Päivi Hakkarainen
Fulbright Scholar
Office: Mannerheim 317
Phone: 487-7511
Email: paivi.hakkarainen@finlandia.edu
Päivi Hakkarainen is a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence who comes from the University of Lapland Finland, where she works as a Senior Lecturer in Media Education at the Centre for Media Pedagogy. Her research interests are within the fields of Media Education, Adult Education, and Social Psychology. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Lapland, Finland. She is interested in the roles of information and communication technologies in learning; higher education pedagogy; and the roles of the Internet in elderly people’s everyday life. In her present research, she studies elderly people who deliberately refuse to use the Internet and explores what the Internet represents to them. At Finlandia, she will co-teach/teach two courses (Digital Applications and Technologies for Teachers and Topics in Finnish Studies), conduct research, establish a Suomi Koulu (Finnish School), and serve civic groups. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her two daughters and husband, living in the countryside, reading and the outdoors. While working at the FU, she lives in Toivola, and is determined to try snowshoeing. For more information, please visit Päivi’s website.
Leslie Johnson
Psychology
Assistant Professor
Office: Mannerheim 403
Phone: 487-7407
Email: leslie.johnson@finlandia.edu
From a young age I found myself driven by a desire to learn from my environment and the people with whom I interacted. During my years as an undergraduate student at Michigan State University (MSU), my fascination with the social world blossomed into a passion for the discipline of Psychology. After finishing my B.S. in Psychology at MSU, I completed my Ph.D. in General/Experimental Psychology with a focus on social psychology at the University of Vermont. As a social psychologist, I am interested in how social contexts influence how people think, feel, and behave. In my research, I focus primarily on weight-based stigma with a special interest on how being heavyweight influences peoples' lives and their social interactions. My secondary research interests focus on the self in interpersonal relationships, including relationships with romantic partners, friends, and members of stigmatized social groups. I feel that one of the most appealing aspects of psychology as a field and the work that I do is that they both hold immediate implications for everyday life. For that reason, whether I am working in the classroom or in the research context, I strive to forge connections between academic psychology and the "real world".
René Johnson
Religion
Servant Leadership Director
Office: Mannerheim 310
Phone: 487-7558
Email: rene.johnson@finlandia.edu
René Johnson came to Finlandia University in Hancock, MI in 2005 after 12 years of teaching in the African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania - pretty diverse for a girl with a small-town Minnesota upbringing. A product of Lutheran higher education, she received her B.A. from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) and M.A. from Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN) and is currently working on her PhD in Vocation and Servant Leadership through the Graduate Theological Foundation in Indiana. As director of Servant Leadership she is passionate about bringing questions related to who we are (or are becoming) into the classroom and creating a context where students might discern their individual callings to a way of living for the sake of the wider world. René is married to Philip, president of Finlandia University, and they have two sons, Simon and Neal. In her spare time she enjoys reading, cooking and the outdoors. Also, she stays healthy with running, swimming and yoga, although she like to make the distinction that she is recreational, not athletic.
Ann Kemppainen
Biology & Biochemistry
Professor
Office: Wargelin 205
Phone: 487-7254
Email: ann.kemppainen@finlandia.edu
My initial education was in nursing, and I worked in a variety of jobs before I realized that I was more interested in the science of what was going on in the body than in taking care of the patient. As an undergraduate, I studied biology, chemistry and clinical laboratory science before beginning my graduate work in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame. I am interested in the molecular nature of biological processes and studied enzymes and metabolism in my research.
Since leaving graduate school, my focus was been on education. In my teaching, I strive to emphasize the application and relevance of scientific principles to everyday living. I believe my work experiences have given me unique insights into everyday applications of chemistry that better enable me to help students understand abstract concepts.
As a Keweenaw native, I enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities. At the end of a day at Finlandia, I look forward to observing nature while walking my dogs and then doing some readings.
Randy LaLonde
Criminal Justice
Instructor
Office: Mannerheim 411
Phone: 487-7227
Email: randy.lalonde@finlandia.edu
My criminal justice career began in 1985 and included seven years as a police officer, first at Northern Michigan University and then at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In addition, I spent over 18 years with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), working at several correctional facilities. I retired from the MDOC in January 2011 as a Resident Unit Manager and now look forward to instructing college students in the field of criminal justice. Prior to my criminal justice career, I spent four years on active duty in the Navy working in communications. Additionally, I continued my military service by spending another eight years in the Naval Reserves and ten years with the Coast Guard Reserves as a port security specialist.
My educational "career" began soon after my active military duty ended in 1983. I obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in public administration both from Northern Michigan University. I have come to see my academic work and criminal justice experience as parallel careers which both supplement and enhance my personal and professional life. I believe it is central for me as an instructor to continue my educational development if I wish to instill the importance of a college degree within my students. In this advanced technological age there are so many new ideas and information we can obtain for both our personal and professional lives that it is imperative we always look to feed our minds with knowledge and understanding. I aspire to help my students discover the perfect blend of concepts learned from their academic studies with the practical aspects of applied skills in order to enrich and complement their educational experience.
In my free time I make an effort to enjoy the spendlor that God has blessed the U.P./Copper Country with, most expecially the many outdoor recreational opportunities such as, downhill and cross country skiing, hiking, golfing, and snowmobiling, just to name a few!
Mark Lounibos
English
Assistant Professor
Office: Mannerheim 413
Phone: 487-7336
Email: mark.lounibos@finlandia.edu
I was born in the Bronx, New York, (this means I am a Yankees fan - I feel I should apologize in advance) but I have been gravitating north and west ever since, spending time in Vermont, upstate NY and most recently Madison, Wisconsin, where I earned a PhD in English Literature at the University of Wisconsin. My research there focused on the relationship between religious dissent and British romantic literature, with a specific interest in the way that writing as a form of self-representation works to foster agency in the writing subject. Lately I've begun to focus on community writing projects, particularly those involving seniors, to consider how such work might inform our understanding of the importance of the Humanities today. Above all else I love teaching, and I'm excited to begin my career here at Finlandia University where the importance of community engagement and holistic education are primary. In my free time I like to read speculative fiction, play soccer, hike, ski, canoe, and spend time with my family.
Dan Maki
History & Social Science
Associate Professor
Office: Wargelin 300
Phone: 487-7257
Email: dan.maki@finlandia.edu
Juan Marin
Mathematics
Assistant Professor
Office: Mannerheim 407
Phone: 487-7336
Email: juan.marin@finlandia.edu
Marin has a Ph.D. and a master's of arts in mathematics, both from Bowling Green (Ohio) State University. He has a bachelor of arts in mathematics from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Finlandia faulty, Marin was an assistant professor of mathematics at Alfred University, Alfred, New York.
As a teacher, Marin works to inspire and guide his students to discover for themselves the wonder of mathematics. He tries to teach his students by encouraging them to discuss math with him as often as possible. Marin and his wife, Kate, have three young children, Juan III, Roberto, and Andres. They live in Hancock and enjoy canoeing and the outdoors.
Diane Miller
English & Communication
Assistant Professor
Office: Mannerhiem 313
Phone: 487-7324
Email: diane.miller@finlandia.edu
Teaching communication and journalism courses at Finlandia gives Dr. Miller an opportunity to explore ways to better understand and engage in our world. She loves Finlandia's small class sizes; they allow for interesting critical-cultural discussions as well as collaborative work on meaningful projects in and out of class.
Dr. Miller works with students to produce Finlandia's student newspaper, The Roar; she advises BikeFinlandia, a student group dedicated to promoting bicycling; she also serves on Finlandia's Sustainability Committee.
The possibilities for experiencing community at Finlandia are relevant to her research interest, which concerns how we create as well as sometimes sabotage our experience of community through our communication. She is also especially interested in community perspectives that honor the natural environment.
Dr. Miller has been a board director at the local food cooperative for nine years, and she is also on the board of a green cemetery initiative.
Dr. Miller commutes by bike from her off-the-grid cabin on 15 wooded acres, where she shares space with various owls, coyotes, snakes, bears, and sometimes, visiting humans.
Christine O'Neil
Sociology
Dean & Associate Professor
Office: Mannerheim 404
Phone: 487-7328/513
Email: christine.oneil@finlandia.edu
Christine O'Neil received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Colorado State University. While teaching a variety of sociology courses at Finlandia, she enjoys introducing students to the world of sociology and challenging them both critically and creatively. She strongly encourages students to participate actively in the classroom and offers students many opportunities to engage with the material being presentated. In addition, Dr. O'Neil has a wide range of research interests including rural planning and sustainable development, globalization, complex organizations, and consumption. In her free time, she enjoys ice climbing, reading, snowshoeing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, and playing with her dogs.
Jason Oyadomari
Biology
Assistant Professor
Office: Wargelin 240
Phone: 487-7381
Email: jason.oyadomari@finlandia.edu
Originally from Hawaii, I grew up enjoying the outdoor lifestyle of swimming, fishing, surfing/boggie boarding, biking, hiking, and camping. Despite having diverse interests, it came naturally to be most fascinated by the diversity of life. I obtained a BA in zoology from the University of Hawaii, Manoa before leaving my island home to further my education in aquatic ecology. I obtained an MS in biology from Eastern New Mexico University studying how tiny freshwater organisms sample their environment and access risk of predation. The desire to study a habitat that contrasts to the tropical waters of Hawaii and the grassland streams of the southwest lead me to the temperate lakes of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I obtained a PhD in biology from Michigan Technological University studying how large lake processes of Lake Superior affect the transport of fishes during their larval stages, and in turn, potentially effect early growth and later recruitment.
While studying in the Upper Peninsual of Michigan, I quickly grew to love its environment, seasons, cultural history, and people. I appreciate the opportunities Finlandia affords its students, and Finlandia's devotion to grwoth and education. I draw upon my past and ongoing challenges and successes in educxation to help others along their paths to academic excellence.
Wade Tillett
Elementary Education
Assistant Dean & Assistant Professor
Office: Mannerheim 409
Phone: 487-7280
Email: wade.tillett@finlandia.edu
My first career was as an architect. I worked on the 23rd floor in downtown Chicago, with a breath-taking view across the Chicago River to the old stone Wrigley Building. One night a week, with a frigid wind whipping me in the face, I would walk across the bridge and up Michigan Avenue to a large church at the base of the John Hancock Center. There, with my wife, we tutored two elementary age children from a local school. There was something nourishing in that relationship, something meaningful and warm. I began to wonder if I couldn’t have a more profound influence on people’s lives (including my own) if I worked on minds instead of buildings Eventually, I enrolled in an alternative certification program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Through this program, I was able to quit my architecture job in March and start paid full-time teaching in August.
There is never time, after all, to teach everything everybody wants you to teach. Just as there is never time to live everything you want to live. Instead, we must select what to do with this short time here on earth. I want my students to ask important, life-relevant questions. Who am I? What is my place in the world? How can I affect the world? What is meaningful to me? How did I come to these beliefs? What do I do in my daily life that shows my values? These are the bigger questions that both students and adults struggle to answer. Reading, writing and mathematics are great tools to look into these questions. But so are the arts, religion, history, family relationships and daily activities like cooking. In both my research and the courses I teach, we take this broader approach to education. We look at teaching as a way to change lives. We look at how our own lives were changed. We examine what our real goals are for ourselves and our students. We zero in on why we are teachers. …And then we figure out how we put that into practice, in life and in the classroom.
Suzanne VanDam
English and ESL
Associate Professor
Office: Mannerheim 417
Phone: 487-7515
Email: suzanne.vandam@finlandia.edu
Suzanne Van Dam is the director of Finlandia’s Intensive English as a Second Language Program, teaching and coordinating ESL courses for international students. She also teaches a wide variety of literature, writing, and environmental studies classes, including children’s literature, cultures in conflict, and advanced writing. She has a B.A. and M.A. in English and American literature from the University of Illinois, as well as an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Fiction) from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast MFA Writing Program. Recent favorite authors include Margaret Atwood, Amy Tan, Lorrie Moore, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Michael Polan, though Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is a classic that is still hard to beat. When not grading papers, Suzanne enjoys hiking, bicycling, snowshoeing, and organic gardening. A former Peace Corps Volunteer, Suzanne caught the travel bug early and continues to be passionate about social justice, the environment, and, all aspects of story-telling.
Laurene Ziegler
Elementary Education
Professor
Office: Mannerheim 405
Phone: 487-7351
Email: laurene.ziegler@finlandia.edu
Inspiring students to enjoy and appreciate the value of reading and writing in our lives has been a major passion and goal of mine throughout my career. The methodology courses for the teaching of reading and writing, including the integration of children's literature, in classroom instruction and more recently the implementation of digital applications and technology have been my focus here at Finlandia. In my courses I focus on student's development of their individuality and teaching style. Through students' coursework I help them create and design original lesson plans that are taught in public school field experiences for grades K-8. In teaching the Language Arts, I focus on the writer's notebook concept and the genres of writing such as journals, descriptive, narrative, expository, biographical, and persuasive, and poetry. The reading instruction primarily focuses on the reaching and assessment of the research building blocks for teaching children to read such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension.
In my spare time, I am a member of the Rotary Club of Hancock, a judge for the United States Figure Skating Association, and a lector for the Church of the Reserruction. Sailing, golfing, biking, and skiing are sports that demonstrate my enjoyment for outdoor recreation.
SCAS Staff
Heather Dunne
SCAS/Christine O'Neil
Administrative Assistant
Office: Mannerheim 410
Phone: 487-7513
Email: heather.dunne@finlandia.edu
Moving from Detroit to Houghton in 1997, Heather fell in love with the Upper Peninsula's beauty immediately and made a home here. Heather Dunne joined Finlandia in the fall of 2008 after spending eight years at the Daily Mining Gazette. She provides administrative support to the Suomi College of Arts and Sciences and to the Dean, Christine O'Neil. Along with assisting faculty, Heather helps students with questions and general needs. Developing marketing materials and maintaining the website for the college are other tasks in which Heather is involved. In her spare time, Heather enjoys hiking, biking, camping, snowshoeing, traveling, going to movies, reading, quilting, and knitting. Currently, Heather is working towards a Bachelor of Arts Liberal Studies degree in Communication here at Finlandia.
Amy Krause
Elementary Education
Administrative Assistant
Office: Mannerheim 406
Phone: 487-7298
Email: amy.krause@finlandia.edu
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