Category: Alumnus/a

Posted on

Career paths: When Afaque got the ac­cept­ance let­ter, he was over­joyed that he’ll be study­ing where Linux was in­ven­ted.

Name: Afaque Hassan
Study Field: Faculty of Science, Master’s programme in Computer ScienceGraduation year: 2015
Employer and position: Helvar, Software Engineer

From my childhood, I was interested in computers as there were limitless creative possibilities with it. During my teen-age years I encountered Linux, to which I was absolutely hooked. Back then, I already knew that Linux was invented by Linus Torvalds at the University of Helsinki (UH). During my bachelor’s studies I interned at Nokia, during which time I got to know more about Finland and UH as some of my colleagues were UH graduates. After my bachelor’s studies, I applied to UH for Master’s studies in computer science. When I got the acceptance letter from the university, I was overjoyed that I’ll be studying where Linux was invented. It’s a privilege and dream come true computer science professionals to study at UH. Continue reading “Career paths: When Afaque got the ac­cept­ance let­ter, he was over­joyed that he’ll be study­ing where Linux was in­ven­ted.”

Posted on

Meet our alumna: “I work in one of the leading ad-tech companies in the world called Kiosked”.

I moved to Finland in August 2010 to study for my master’s degree in Media and Global Communication at the University of Helsinki. Previously, I had completed my bachelor’s degree in Media and Communication at the University of Passau. My bachelor’s degree was less scientific and I enjoyed having a more research based approach to media and communication studies in Helsinki. When our program started, I was positively surprised by our small group size and the extreme dedication with which both our programme coordinator and the thesis advisor took care of us. When I studied in Germany we were over 100 people in the programme and had to fight hard to get a place in interesting courses. Throughout my studies, the master’s programme provided us with a close knit community where everyone supported each other and a perfect learning environment. Not to mention the great facilities such as the library where researching and studying got that special feel.

Continue reading “Meet our alumna: “I work in one of the leading ad-tech companies in the world called Kiosked”.”

Posted on

Meet our alumna: “It’s rewarding to be working with such a big environmental challenges”.

Hanna-Liisa Kangas was supposed to become an environmental chemist until a doctor forbade her from setting foot in a laboratory. After many twists and turns, Kangas did wind up in an influential position, working with the issues dear to her heart.

“I started studying chemistry at the University of Helsinki because I thought I could use it to save the world. Then I became allergic to the reagents used at the lab, and my doctor told me never to set foot in a laboratory again. He said it would be too dangerous for me,” says Hanna-Liisa Kangas.

Kangas still wanted to study an environmental field, and started to look for interesting disciplines which did not require laboratory work. This meant ecology, forestry sciences and biology had to be dismissed outright.

“Then I discovered environmental economics. And so, through a series of strange coincidences, I wound up studying environmental economics at the Department of Economics and Management,” Kangas explains. Continue reading “Meet our alumna: “It’s rewarding to be working with such a big environmental challenges”.”

Posted on

Meet our Alumna! “I know that any task, any assignment or presentation is possible to do brilliantly – you just need to do your best.”

Anna Yukhtenko
Name: Anna Yukhtenko
Study field: Economics
Campus: City Center Campus
Employer and position:
Danone Finland, Category and Field analyst trainee at Danone

Hi Anna! How are you?

Hi! Fine, thanks. Going back home from the gym 🙂

How did you end up in Finland and studying in the programme?

After finishing the Bachelor’s degree, I figured I wanted to study abroad. I have been to Finland many times before, and really liked the country. Knew my way around Helsinki etc. One of my Finnish friends at the time was actually studying and the UH. Then I checked the webpage of the University, found the programme that I liked and applied for it!:) I was studying in the best University in Moscow, and when it was time to choose the place to continue studies, I would settle for no less than the best University in Finland. Continue reading “Meet our Alumna! “I know that any task, any assignment or presentation is possible to do brilliantly – you just need to do your best.””

Posted on

Meet our Alumna! Dancing with multicultural children

saara saturo_blogName: Saara Saturo
Study field: Religious Roots of Europe Master’s Programme
Graduation year: 2013
Employer and position: Danceteam International (Formerly COO nowadays Head of Finance) and Head of Danceteam Africa as well as dancer and dance instructor

How did you end up studying in the Religious Roots of Europe Master’s programme?

I was born in Finland and studied there my whole life. I was studying my bachelor in the faculty of theology in Helsinki University when I heard of the programme. I had been looking for something international that would expand my field of study away from purely theological fields. RRE seemed like a good option and i decided to apply.

RRE interested me mainly due to the comparative aspect of three Semitic religions and how they have influenced each other and the modern western culture. Also the international aspect of the programme with 24 students in different countries was appealing. The study method of distant studies in own home universities with intensive seminars was also perfect for me at that time.

Continue reading “Meet our Alumna! Dancing with multicultural children”

Posted on

Meet our Alumnus! “I would generally describe my studies in the RRE program as rewarding”

danielName: Danny Eastman
Study field: Religious Roots of Europe Master’s programme
Graduation year: 2013
Employer and position: PhD Student at Yale University

How did you end up in Finland and studying in the programme?

I came to Finland from South Korea, where I had been living for a couple years after finishing my undergraduate degree in history in the US. I wanted to continue my education, but I wasn’t yet ready to return to the US or to enroll in a very narrowly defined program.  I decided on the RRE program in Helsinki because of the wide breadth of coverage offered by the program, the chance to travel in Europe, and the obvious benefit of Finland’s universal free education policy.
Continue reading “Meet our Alumnus! “I would generally describe my studies in the RRE program as rewarding””

Posted on

Meet our Alumna! It’s impossible to understand the present if we don’t know the past.

lauraName: Laura Korhonen
Study field: Religious Roots of Europe Master’s programme
Graduation year: 2014
Employer and position: Kiuruvesi parish, Evangelical Lutheran pastor

How did you end up studying in the Religious Roots of Europe Master’s programme?

I was doing my bachelor’s degree in the University of Helsinki at the faculty of theology when Antti Marjanen came to my seminar to advertise the programme. I was immediately interested in the possibility to do my master’s in an international programme and international environment but still be able to live in Helsinki where I had already studied for three years. The combination of seminars in different cities abroad and studying from the comfort of your own home was most appealing. I was hooked with all the travelling that I would be able to do in this programme. Continue reading “Meet our Alumna! It’s impossible to understand the present if we don’t know the past.”

Posted on

Meet our Alumna! Sarah Stephan works with research and hands-on project management in the area of gender equality

S.Stephan_modifiedsmall

Name: Sarah Stephan
Study field: Public International Law
Graduation year: 2008
Employer and position: The Åland Islands Peace Institute, researcher & project manager

Hi Sarah, how did you end up in Finland?

I first came to Finland as an exchange student in 2006/07 due to the Faculty of Law’s excellent English-language curriculum in international law. I then decided to pursue even my LL.M. studies at the faculty.

What encouraged me most to continue my studies in Helsinki was the open and encouraging attitude of my teachers, who at all times took my research interests seriously and provided me with excellent supervision and spot-on feedback. I enjoy deliberative environments and liked about my studies in Helsinki that a lot of the teaching is interactive and aimed at encouraging reflection. Continue reading “Meet our Alumna! Sarah Stephan works with research and hands-on project management in the area of gender equality”

Posted on

Meet our alumnus! Tianyan Liu “Computer Science is revolutionizing all aspects of our lives”

tianyan liu_universityofhelsinki
Tianyan Liu holding the Alumnus’ speech at the International Graduation Event, May 2011.

Tianyan Liu
Study field: Computer Science (Intelligent Systems), minor in Economics
Graduated: 2010
Employer and position: Viivamedia Oy, Software Developer

Hi Tianyan, how did you end up studying computer science in Finland?

My dad used to work in the Chinese Embassy, and I came here to study when I was 18. What motivated me to study Computer Science was the fact that computer related technologies have become the force that is revolutionizing all aspects of our lives. It has a good job prospect, and is also important for basically any career path. During my studies, what motivated me were the interesting studies provided by the university, and the brilliant people around me. Continue reading “Meet our alumnus! Tianyan Liu “Computer Science is revolutionizing all aspects of our lives””

Posted on

Meet our Alumna! Miryam’s advice: Listen intuition, value imagination, love a sense of curiosity, and learn how to sympathize with others

Miryam_headshotMiryam Haarlammert
Study field: Art Theory, Criticism, and Management
Graduation year: 2013
Employer and position: Program and Communications Associate at American Architectural Foundation

Hi Miryam, how did you end up in Finland?

I applied to study at the University of Helsinki after working for a Miami-based nonprofit for a year. I wanted to obtain a Master of Arts, and the Art Theory, Criticism, and Management program at University of Helsinki was attractive because it was dynamic and comprehensive. Also, location and sense of place are important to me, and I knew that I would have to study in a different country, with different values and customs, to obtain the type of education I was seeking. Continue reading “Meet our Alumna! Miryam’s advice: Listen intuition, value imagination, love a sense of curiosity, and learn how to sympathize with others”

Proudly powered by WordPress