Tag Archive: Finnish American Reporter

March 6, 2023

FinnU and Finlandia Foundation National announce intentions to preserve history and heritage

Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan and Finlandia Foundation National, Inc. (FFN), based in Pasadena, California, announce intentions that aim to ensure the preservation of Finlandia University’s Finnish-American heritage and history.

The non-profit Finlandia Foundation, founded in 1953 to connect, inspire and strengthen the Finnish-American community in the United States, has commissioned a task force with the intent and mission to preserve Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center, its archives, folk school, art gallery, North Wind Books store and the monthly [...]

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 [...]

FAHC award of excellence with david maki

October 28, 2021

Finnish American Reporter receives Award of Excellence 2021

The Finnish American Reporter recently received the Finlandia Foundation National Award of Excellence for 2021. Founded in 1986, the FAR is the largest and most widely circulated newspaper for Finns in North America. Editor-in-Chief David Maki accepted the award at FFN’s meeting last month at Finn Camp in Wixom, Michigan.

“We aim to serve the entirety of Finnish America, much like Finlandia Foundation does,” Maki said.

“The Reporter exists because of its customers, it exists for its customers and our customers [...]

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 [...]

Michael Babcock with Meeri Kataja and Riina Rastas

February 1, 2019

Finn-terns Meeri Kataja and Riina Rastas talk Heikinpäivä

Dropping by the Finlandia Fridays studios this chilly week are Finnish interns Meeri Kataja and Riina Rastas. Both Kataja and Rastas are working in the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC). The FAHC brings in Finnish interns throughout the year to bring in another aspect of Finnish culture to the university and the local area.

Kataja is from Espoo, the second largest city, located near Helsinki. Studying at the University of Helsinki Social Sciences, Kataja is assisting down in the archives [...]

April 5, 2018

Finnish American Reporter welcomes Finnish intern Pauliina Lehto

Fifteen years ago, as a 13-year-old girl, Pauliina Lehto met two of her “American cousins” for the first time at her grandfather’s 80th birthday party in Finland. Lehto’s grandmother had made “kotikalja” (alcohol-free, home-made fermented beverage) for the occasion and one of the first things the foreign guests asked her was what it was.

The direct translation would have been home-made beer, and she knew that wasn’t right, but could not come up with a better word back then.

“It was the [...]

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.

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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