I eagerly participated in establishing the Alumni Association at the end of the 350th anniversary of the University of Helsinki. At the time, I worked as a PR and press officer at the University, but soon after transferred to a communications position in the private sector. For six years, I served as the communications coordinator of the association’s board, since it was a natural way of keeping a link with the University.
Later, my contact with the University has mostly been through meeting old acquaintances at anniversary parties, as well as occasion-ally attending book club meetings. Some years ago, I visited a career orientation course for students of media and communications, talking about my career. Studies at the University are based on theory (as they should be), which makes practical experience helpful for students’ career planning.
Being an alumni of the University of Helsinki is also a sort of tradition in my family. My father studied to be a forester, my moth-er was a teacher of biology and geography, and my daughter graduated with her JD a few years ago. Also, my grandfather studied farming and economics at the Imperial Alexander University (the former name of the University of Helsinki) during the 1910s.
Katriina Palmroth-Ramm-Schmidt
Faculty of Social Sciences