On this installment of Finlandia Fridays Director of Student Financial Services Sandra Turnquist speaks all things financial aid. Turnquist outlines a two new financial aid opportunities to Finlandia students, the U.P. Commitment Grant and Service Scholarship. She also touches on Finlandia's frozen tuition for the upcoming year. Outside of the announcement, Turnquist highlights that the priority deadline that is quickly approaching. Michigan recommends that all financial aid forms be submitted by March 1, so that all possible financial aid options are still available.

See full show notes at http://www.finlandia.edu/news/sandra-turnquist-finlandia-fridays.

This week Finlandia Fridays is joined by senior nursing student Laura Kent, who was featured in the fall 2016 edition of the Bridge. Finlandia University has long been known for its nursing program, and Kent found it to live up to the reputation. As a nursing student with a full-time job Kent has faced some difficulties, but will be graduating this May in excellent standings. The promise of a meaningful career after school motivated her to continue with the challenging program.

Check out the show notes, audio version of this episode and subscribe to our e-mail newsletter at finlandia.edu/fridays.

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.

Jarmond also discusses his involvement with the Black Student Union. As president, Jarmond welcomes everyone "Just come out and share your culture, that's what it's all about." The Black Student Union is centered around support and that's what Jarmond wants to embody in the upcoming meeting, and other events they present around campus.

UP NEXT ON FINLANDIA FRIDAYS

Be sure to tune in next week as we feature Sandra Turnquist, Director of Student Financial Services. Have any questions about tuition of financial aid at Finlandia University? Be sure to drop us a line at [email protected], and we will address your questions in the upcoming episode.

A full archive of past #FinlandiaFridays episodes and show notes from each episode is available at finlandia.edu/fridays.

This week Finlandia Fridays sits down with Board of Trustees President Julie Badel. Badel was in town, from Chicago, for the annual winter Board of Trustees meeting. She explains her joy of coming to the Upper Peninsula every year as it is where her mother grew up. It is a place she has grown to love and she "never complains about coming up here. It feels like home."

Badel became interested in Finlandia University while attending the Finnish American Lawyers Association meeting. She was approached by, at that time, Finlandia President Robert Ubbelohde inquiring if she'd be interested in Finlandia's Finnish Council. To which she replied "of course!" Badel goes on to reminisce of her fond memory of entering the meeting as a complete stranger, but feeling at home and welcomed the instance she stepped foot in the door.

Finlandia University, the only Finnish founded university still in operation in North America, has brought many great memories to Badel. She adores the students and their energy stating this is something she doesn't see at other universities.

Host Michael H. Babcock elaborates on that point, "there is so much one-on-one attention, which is really an awarding experience for many students." The attention to the students directly is something offered at Finlandia that is unique to other universities. At Finlandia you are not a number or a name but a friend to other students, faculty, and staff.

On this week's episode of Finlandia Fridays we are joined by guest Abigail Tembreull. Tembreull discusses an upcoming event, an art competition scholarship she was awarded that included free tuition in Italy, the fact that she was awarded the Brule Scholarship to attend FinnU and other experiences she has encountered during her three years in Finlandia's International School of Art and Design.

View show notes at http://www.finlandia.edu/news/abigail-tembreull-finlandia-fridays/

This week on Finlandia Fridays host Michael H. Babcock speaks with Rene Johnson highlighting Finlandia University's community involvement on MLK Day (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). She briefly touches on the history of the holiday and how it came to be as well as Finlandia's service throughout the day.

Learn more about MLK Day of Service at finlandia.edu/mlkday

Learn more about Finlandia Fridays, including a full archive of past episodes, at finlandia.edu/fridays

Chef Mark from Finlandia University Dining Services talks about the tight-knit community he’s grown to love in his two years at the university and previews upcoming events at the university, including Winter Welcome, MLK Day of Service and Diversity Dinner.

Finlandia Fridays is a weekly interview series from Finlandia University telling the unique stories of the liberal arts-based university in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Learn more, see a full archive of past shows and see show notes from the story at finlandia.edu/fridays.

Today on the Finlandia Fridays we have some big news! Finlandia University announces six $20,000 scholarships for students interested in studying art and design. These scholarships are made available because of the generous support Finlandia University has received from Elsa and David Brule.

To help make this announcement, this week’s guest is Denise Vandeville. Vandeville is the Dean of FinnU’s International School of Art & Design.

See the show notes at http://www.finlandia.edu/news/brule-art-scholarship-announced-finlandia-fridays

As a nursing school, it’s important for Finlandia to continue to evolve its offerings to make sure students are provided the opportunities they need. That was the thought when the university created a RN-BSN program in the early 2000s, and it’s the thought that keeps that program going strong today in its latest evolution: the university’s first fully accredited 100 percent online program.

In this week’s edition of Finlandia Fridays, the RN-BSN program is explored with Program Director Mark Miron. Miron talks about the program’s early days and introduces the new $15,000 price guarantee. That pricing puts Finlandia University as one of the most affordable RN-BSN programs in the nation – and the only one where a student will know with certainty what their total bill will be before they even begin.

RN-BSN programs are designed for working Registered Nurses who have earned an Associate Degree in Nursing (AND). The courses are all offered online, allowing these working nurses to continue their studies while they manage full-time jobs that often include extra shifts, working nights or working weekends.

Miron talks about how the program is specifically designed for local nurses – including formatting the pricing structure to make the program extremely cost effective for nurses at Aspirus clinics. It’s also a common option for students graduating with a two-year degree from Upper Peninsula community colleges like Bay College and Gogebic Community College.

Read more at finlandia.edu/fridays.

This week Finlandia Fridays speaks with art therapy major Laurin Labonte. Art therapy is a new major offered at Finlandia first made available to students in 2013. This major has a wide range of uses as Labonte outlines it can help immensely with Alzheimer patients, PTSD sufferers, and even patients recovering from car accidents. Art has been found to carry numerous therapeutic properties that can aid in emotional behavior and even motor skills with Alzheimer patients.

Labonte will be the first Finlandia student to graduate with an art therapy degree but it hasn't taken her long to find her niche in society. Laurin is doing her internship at Garden View Medical Center in Calumet working with Alzheimer patients. She works with these individuals by preforming art therapy practices with water paints helping them with motor skills and also trying to tap into memories. During the painting process Labonte will converse with the patients about their memories and what they are painting, this taps into older memories that may have otherwise been forgotten.

Finlandia University is excited to be able to offer more unique degrees such as art therapy. We love the ability to give students the option to take advantage of a program that isn't offered elsewhere and allow them to experience things that may have otherwise been unavailable.