Melissa Helppi (’18, RN, BSN) Joins Finlandia’s Nursing Faculty

Melissa Helppi (’18, RN, BSN) recently joined Finlandia’s nursing faculty as an instructor. Helppi was the 2018 student representative for Finlandia and graduated Summa Laude from FinnU’s BSN program. She has been with the university since her graduation as a professional Nursing tutor, but has now joined the faculty. Her current duties include instructing the adult medical-surgical nursing course and clinical, and being a maternal-child clinical instructor.

“I am from all over,” said Helppi, about her childhood. “ I am a proud military brat. My dad was in the Air Force. Counting my enrollment in WGU, I have now attended 15 schools -13 being K-12. I was able to grow up in many places, starting from my birthplace in Germany. Upper Michigan was my favorite place I had lived throughout my childhood, which is why I moved back here.”

Helppi says her favorite thing about working at Finlandia is the small campus feel, and she believes there is something for everyone here. She said she is honored to be able to call her previous instructors her colleagues. 

“To students that want to become a nursing instructor or advance their nursing degree beyond the BSN in any way, stay focused, work hard, create small goals, take time for things you love so you don’t go insane, and do what you love,” said Helppi. “If your heart isn’t in it, it sure can be a lot of work. If you feel a calling to do something, the work feels more worth it, you are more engaged and more fulfilled through your studies.”

When she’s not working at Finlandia, Helppi can be found working as a night shift nurse at a local hospital, spending time with her four children, husband, and dachshund, cooking, baking, practicing photography, or gardening. 

Melissa Helppi can be reached by email Melissa.Helppi@finlandia.edu, by phone at 906.487.7357, or at her office at Mannerheim 201.