Tag Archive: Finnish Studies

February 17, 2023

Kalevalathon 2023: An ‘epic’ discussion with Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen

Finlandia Fridays is a great way for students, employees and the community to find out about exciting happenings around campus and in the Upper Peninsula. Hosted by Finlandia University’s Communications Department, Finlandia Fridays is an entertaining way to stay up to date with school events, stimulating discussions and student stories.

In this week’s episode, Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen joins the show to discuss an exciting upcoming event, Kalevalathon. Happening on Tuesday, February 28, this [...]

February 13, 2023

5th annual Kalevalathon to be held Feb. 28

The 5th annual reading marathon of The Kalevala will kick off at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28, and will continue until the last rune has been read. Led by Finlandia University’s Finnish & Nordic Studies professor Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen, patrons can attend the event in person, via Zoom or by livestream.

“Often people think of epic poetry as difficult, hard to understand, and maybe even boring to read. The Kalevala Reading Marathon, Kalevalathon, lets [...]

December 21, 2022

Explore the Finnish epic Kalevala at Finlandia University

Finlandia’s Finnish & Nordic Studies program invites students and auditors to explore the history of Kalevala.

Immortalized as Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala encapsulates ancient Finnish folk traditions. The course details the historical development of the Kalevala poetry tradition, its development and structure as a literary work, its use as an anthropological text, and its use as a political and cultural icon of Finnish identity.

Teaching the class will be Finlandia’s Associate Professor of Finnish & Nordic Studies, Dr. Hilary-Joy [...]

Bookshelf including Kalevala, the Finnish national epic

October 12, 2022

Finnish & Nordic Studies program expands online offerings to public

Finlandia University’s Finnish & Nordic Studies program is happy to announce an expansion of its Spring 2023 course offerings to auditing students. The development will increase the available spots for auditors in two classes, FNS 360 Kalevala and FNS 221 History and Culture of Finland.

In partnership with the Finnish American Folk School at Finlandia University, Associate Professor and Chair of FinnU’s Finnish & Nordic Studies program, Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen, will lead the classes starting the week of [...]

February 21, 2022

Kalevala Month featuring art exhibit, Kalevalathon

The Copper Country Community Arts Center and the Finlandia University Finnish & Nordic Studies Program are pleased to announce Kalevala Month 2022, a joint program of public events in celebration of Finland’s national epic, Kalevala. Centered on the CCCAC’s annual Art of the Kalevala exhibition and the Finnish & Nordic Studies Program’s annual Kalevala reading marathon, this series will highlight the important place Kalevala has in the Copper Country through a series of events that will be offered online and [...]

meaning of sisu with Dr. Hilary Virtanen- background of text is of Lake Superior after sunset

April 14, 2021

No.1 U.K. Podcast Features Dr. Hilary Virtanen on the Meaning of Sisu

Most Finlandia students, faculty, and staff have heard the term sisu thrown around in conversations or even marketing materials on campus. The word is nothing new to FinnU, but in the United Kingdom, that may be otherwise. On April 14, FinnU professor of Finnish and Nordic studies, Dr. Hilary Virtanen, was featured in the No. 1 documentary podcast in the United Kingdom titled “Getting Emotional” about the meaning of sisu.

“If you talk about it [sisu] more thoroughly, it’s [...]

February 15, 2021

Kalevala Week Programs Begin February 23

The Copper Country Community Arts Center and the Finlandia University Finnish & Nordic Studies Program are pleased to announce Kalevala Week 2021, a joint program of public events in celebration of Finland’s national epic, Kalevala. Centered on the CCCAC’s annual Art of the Kalevala exhibition and the Finnish & Nordic Studies Program’s annual Kalevala reading marathon, this series will highlight the important place Kalevala has in the Copper Country through a series of events that will [...]

January 18, 2021

Kendi’s “Stamped From the Beginning” selected as Campus Read, Anti-Racist Open Classroom Series Announced

The Campus Read Committee is pleased to announce the Spring 2021 Anti-Racist Open Classroom Series, which will complement the selected Campus Read book, Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi.

“We chose Stamped from the Beginning and Stamped as the Campus Read books for this year because Ibram X. Kendi’s work as a historian of racist ideas and antiracism can help provide such a powerful tool with which to think about history and about America’s present moment,” [...]

November 20, 2020

An “Epic” Deal to Explore the Kalevala with Dr. Virtanen

We know you won’t want to miss out on this “epic” deal to read and analyze the Kalevala, with Assistant Professor, Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen.

For the first time ever, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Virtanen will offer her spring 2021 Kalevala class online, opening the door to anyone in the world who is interested in taking the course, either as an audit student or for-credit. Dr. Virtanen joined Finlandia Fridays host, Olivia Myers, this week to discuss the [...]

February 14, 2019

Who loves the Kalevala? We love the Kalevala! Kalevalathon comes to Finlandia February 28

Join students and faculty in celebration of Kalevala Day, also known as the Day of Finnish Culture, for the inaugural Kalevalathon on Thursday, February 28 from 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center. The participants from Finlandia University’s Finnish & Nordic Studies Program will be performing a 5.5-hour marathon reading of Kalevala.

“The Kalevala is an enduring symbol of Finnishness that is present around us, even in the Copper Country,” said Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen, [...]