New Finlandia Alumni Directory allows Finlandia/Suomi alumni to reconnect

Finlandia alumni now have the opportunity to connect with former classmates, current students and other alumni across the country thanks to the new Finlandia Alumni Directory. The directory comes as a result of the 2018 Alumni Engagement survey.

“Having an accessible alumni directory was the number one project Finlandia and Suomi College alumni said they wished the University and Finlandia Alumni Board provided,” said Olivia Myers, Coordinator of External Relations. “The first challenge was figuring out how to ensure everyone’s data was up-to-date and what tools to utilize to make it as efficient and user-friendly as possible.”

Myers discovered a Google Maps’ feature that allows one to develop a custom map and set out creating and testing it.

“The map is extremely user-friendly,” said Myers. “You can search within it for anyone who is already in the directory and get in touch with them. It’s been in beta-testing for the last month with a group of alumni called the Suomi Roomies who have provided beneficial feedback and suggestions to make the map as useful as possible.”

How to be added to the Alumni Directory

To ensure the information is current, Myers is asking alumni to voluntarily fill out a form online with what information they would like to include and then she will add them to the map. Alumni information won’t be shared or added without consent and consent can be revoked at any point in time.

“If you don’t want to be on the directory, you don’t have to be,” said Myers. “Alumni can provide as little or as much information as they want. We hope everyone will supply at least a name and email address so other classmates can find and reach out to them, but it’s not required.”

Alumni can view the directory and request to be added by filling out the form.