Tag Archive: Finland

Finnish Independence Day Celebration 2021

November 29, 2022

Finland’s Independence to be celebrated at Finlandia University

One of the Copper Country’s longest-standing cultural traditions will continue at Finlandia University on the evening of Tuesday, December 6, when the Finnish-founded school hosts its annual celebration of Finland’s Independence Day. The university has commemorated the establishment of the Republic of Finland each year since Finland achieved independence in 1917.

The public is invited to the event, which gets under way at 6 p.m. at Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center. The evening’s schedule includes performances by the Kivajat Dancers [...]

Business Finland at Finlandia University

May 18, 2022

Photo Gallery | Business Finland, Consul General visit Finlandia University

On May 17, 2022, Finlandia University hosted Okko-Pekka Salmimies, Consul General of Finland in Los Angeles, and two Finnish business delegations for an opening reception at FinnU’s Finnish American Heritage Center during the delegation’s visit to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Click through the album below to check out a few of our favorite moments and make sure to read the full article here!

May 18, 2022

Finlandia University hosts Finnish delegations

Okko-Pekka Salmimies, Consul General of Finland in Los Angeles, arrives at Finlandia University.

Led by Okko-Pekka Salmimies, Consul General of Finland in Los Angeles, two Finnish business delegations visited the Copper Country on Tuesday to advance economic and trade relations and explore partnership opportunities. Finlandia University, the only remaining institution of higher education in the U.S. founded by Finns outside of Finland, hosted the groups for an opening reception at the University’s Finnish American Heritage Center.

“There is a [...]

February 15, 2022

4th annual Kalevalathon to be held on Feb. 24

Kalevalathon is back again for the fourth year. Join the Finlandia community to celebrate Kalevala Day on Thursday, February 24, from 9 a.m. to approximately 7 p.m. Eastern time via Zoom as they read the Finnish epic poem, the Kalevala.

“February 28 is Kalevala Day in Finland, and locally, for years Kalevala has been celebrated with February’s annual Art of the Kalevala exhibition at the Copper Country Community Arts Center and since 2019, with the Finnish & Nordic Studies Kalevalathon,” said

January 12, 2022

Virtanen to present at online public symposium: Exploring Sugar Island’s Early Finnish History

In 1916, a Finnish immigrant to North America, Frank Aaltonen, visited Sugar Island, Michigan, and was highly impressed by the opportunities the island presented. The island was the traditional home of the Anishinaabeg, but by the early 20th century, its population was a mixture of several ethnicities. Aaltonen envisioned the island as a Finnish colony of farmers. A recruiting campaign ensued, and by the 1930s several hundred Finns had moved on the island. Join Finnish and American scholars in exploring [...]

August 26, 2021

Finnish American Folk School Features Fiber Arts at Festival Ruska 2021

Readers may already be familiar with the Finnish American Heritage Center at Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan as the home of this newspaper, but for some it may come as a surprise to know that the Heritage Center is also home to the Finnish American Folk School. Since 2017 the folk school – the first of its kind in the United States – has offered unique opportunities for education and exploration of traditional Finnish folkways including arts, crafts, food, and [...]

October 24, 2018

Paloheimo Fellows Program accepting applications through Nov. 16

NOTE: Deadline has been moved to November 28.

The Paloheimo Fellows Program, a competitive study abroad opportunity, is now taking applications for the Spring 2019 class. The deadline to apply is November 16, 2018.

Apply Now

Paloheimo Fellows are a small group of Finlandia University students who travel to Finland with Assistant Professor of Finnish and Nordic Studies Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen to engage in field research on Finnish society and culture. Students are accepted from any and all majors, [...]

August 14, 2017

Jim Kurtti featured in Finnish Embassy’s Centennial Video Series

The Embassy of Finland in Washington D.C. has posted a 80-second video of Jim Kurtti, Director of the Finnish American Heritage Center, as part of its #100FriendsOfFinland Centennial Video Series. The embassy has a total of 100 videos that will be shared leading up to the 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence.

Others featured in the series include late-night television host Conan O’Brien, National Hockey League players Pekka Rinne, Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund, and former Finlandia Foundation Lecturer of [...]

March 24, 2017

Lights, camera, action with Finnish actor Antti Holma

Finlandia Fridays kicks off the weekend with international superstar Antti Holma. Holma, a 34-year-old Helsinki native, gained popularity after appearing on the 2014 season of the Finnish sketch comedy show “Putous.” That same year, he released his debut novel, titled “Järjestäjä,” and followed that with a book of poetry, “Kauheimmat runot” in 2015. He has also appeared in four feature-length Finnish movies, and several television series. He is most notably recognized for his work on “Putous,” a Finnish show similar to [...]

February 3, 2017

Finlandia Fridays studies abroad with Schwartzen Jarmond

This week on Finlandia Fridays host Michael H. Babcock is taken on a reminiscent adventure as management and entrepreneurship student Schwartzen Jarmond looks back on international study opportunities presented through Finlandia University.

In May of 2015 Jarmond first traveled to Finland as a part of the Paloheimo Fellows Program and enjoyed it to the extent he had to go again. After working with Finlandia University he decided to study in Finland for an entire semester as an [...]