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January 19, 2022

Finlandia appoints new FAHC director

HANCOCK — For more than 20 years, David Maki served as the “right-hand man” at the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC). Now, he’ll have both hands on the steering wheel, as he takes over leadership of Finlandia University’s most well-established expression of its Finnish roots.

Maki, 45, officially assumed the role of Director of the FAHC in late December. He had been serving as interim director of the Center since the spring 2021 retirement of Jim Kurtti, who was the director [...]

May 28, 2021

Finnish American Heritage Center reopening June 1

The Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC) will reopen to the general public on June 1, 2021 under the following guidelines:

Public hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday The Finlandia University Gallery and Martha Wiljanen Community Hall will be open and accessible for self-guided tours; guided art gallery tours provided by Gallery Director Carrie Flaspohler are available upon request The archive will be 100-percent appointment-only; masks will be required when inside archive reading room and other research areas The FAR [...]

July 31, 2020

Finnish American Heritage Center staff still providing services despite closed building

Although the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC) building has been closed to the public since mid-March, the staff are still diligently providing services to the community. Assistant Editor of the Finnish American Reporter, David Maki, describes all the ways the community can take advantage of the services they offer from afar.

What services are the FAHC staff providing at this time?

We’re still providing most of the interpersonal services we have been offering, but with adjustments that have public [...]

April 8, 2019

Finnish American Reporter Welcomes New Intern Olli Romppanen

There is a new face at the Finnish American Reporter (FAR) this summer, Finnish intern Olli Romppanen. Romppanen arrived in mid-March and will be staying until September.

Coming from Joensuu, a town in North Karelia, Romppanen has degrees in education, art and design, and most recently social science. Working on his master’s in social science, Romppanen received the internship opportunity through Finland’s National Agency of Education. “I’m excited to work at the FAR because I get [...]

May 7, 2018

Karin Van Dyke now Vice President of External Relations and Advancement

Finlandia University is pleased to announce Karin Van Dyke is stepping into the role of Vice President of External Relations and Advancement.

“Throughout my career, I have had some awesome positions which gave me the opportunity to extend the reach of my organization by strengthening public relations and community connections,” said Van Dyke. “With this role change, we now have the opportunity to devote dedicated time to do this important work.”

Van Dyke has been at Finlandia for five years, starting [...]

September 22, 2017

Falling into Festival Ruska with David Maki

This week Finlandia Fridays is joined by guest David Maki, who works at the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC). Also, based in the Heritage Center is the Finnish American Reporter, where Maki is an editor. The FAHC and the Reporter actively incorporate Finnish culture on campus, in the local area, and to Finnish Americans nationwide. One of the ways Finnish culture is honored in the fall is with Festival Ruska.

April 11, 2017

Frank Eld and Greg Isola to present at Juhannus ‘17

“Sisu” the traveling sauna will be at Juhannus ‘17 in Michigan’s Copper Country, but it won’t be the only unique Finnish-American vehicle.

Frank Eld, famous for his Finnebago will be a presenter at Juhannus ‘17 in Michigan’s Copper Country.

That’s because Frank Eld, of “Finnebago” fame, has recently agreed to be a presenter at the festival, and will travel to the Copper Country for the June 23-25 event with his trusty — and highly recognizable — truck and [...]

January 6, 2017

Heritage Center to launch Finnish American folk school

“Although our region maintains a strong ethnic pride in its Finnish roots, the loss of language and traditional arts and crafts has left many among our residents very little onto which they can attach their ethnic identity.”

So says Finnish American Heritage Center Director Jim Kurtti, and he’s doing something about it. He and his staff at Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center are spearheading an effort to establish a Finnish American Folk School in [...]

January 4, 2017

Nordic Film Series opens 2017 with Finnish documentary

The Nordic Film Series at Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center with a documentary film set during the war years, but from a perspective not typically shared. The film will be shown at 2 and 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 12.

Tuntematon emäntä (The Unknown Woman) is a 2011 documentary that depicts the reality of Finnish agriculture and forestry during the war years, when the home front relied entirely upon the work and endurance of the country’s women because the men [...]

December 15, 2016

December updates from Finnish American Heritage Center

This week the Finnish American Heritage Center published its holiday newsletter. This included great stories on the latest travels of FAHC staff, what’s happening inside of the heritage center, information on the Finnish American Reporter (including a special for those who subscribe!), and a look at some of the Finnish students and interns helping to bring Finnish culture to Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

View the Holiday 2016 Newsletter

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