Valtteri Lahti

Having received a lot from the community, you usually want to give something back, and that is how it has turned out for me. While studying at Aalto, I previously served as a Fuksi Captain, and that year taught me from a front-row seat how vibrant and unique our community is despite its young age. After my year as a Fuksi Captain, I found myself thinking about what I would still like to do for the good of our guild, and as a result of that reflection, I came to the conclusion that the Vice Chair position is a natural and good way to continue this journey.

In the role of Vice Chair, I want to be, above all, an “all-rounder” and a reliable background support. I am the chair’s right hand and ready to help with everything needed, but at the same time, I want to be a support for the rest of the board. I want to guarantee others the peace of mind to focus on their respective roles, while remaining an approachable person whom anyone can ask for help in any situation—whether it’s practical arrangements or event planning. Through my experience as a Fuksi Captain, I have gained a broad understanding of both our guild’s operations and the wider Otaniemi culture, which I feel will be especially useful in the Vice Chair’s role. I want to bring this knowledge and skill to the next board and for the benefit of our beloved guild.

As a person, I am approachable, and people probably know me for cracking a joke while still getting things done. It is extremely important to me that everyone in our group can be genuinely themselves, and when the atmosphere is safe and everyone has a good time together, that is when the best results and truly memorable moments are born.

I want to help build a board year where everyone feels good, the board has peace to work while everyone still gets help when needed, and things run with a smile on my face. The most important thing is to keep a good twinkle in the eye and the courage to try new things—because the best ideas often come when we dare to think beyond the usual boundaries. – Valtteri

The Vice Chair has been a separate board position for two years now and is still developing. While secretarial duties and writing minutes take up time, is there any area within PT that you would particularly like to develop? Is there a particular project that you have in mind that the Vice Chair could take on next year?

The vice chair position is still relatively new on our board, and that is precisely why it is a wonderful opportunity. Although routines like clerking and taking minutes take up their own time, there is plenty of room for the role to shape and develop. Since the structures are not yet set in stone, we have the freedom and responsibility to courageously try out new ways of operating. Failure should not be feared!

On a practical level, I would like to develop the role of the vice chair on several fronts. Alongside secretarial work, I could take a stronger grip on the board’s internal well-being by organizing low-threshold recreation and ensuring that the team has the energy to push through the year with a good drive. Additionally, I would like to improve feedback channels between guild members and the board so that the threshold for bringing up ideas or concerns is as low as possible, and take charge of practical matters such as the guild’s storage spaces. In my experience, the current storage facilities are far too small for PT’s needs, and some of the storage spaces are highly impractical considering their actual intended use (shoutout to the Head of Corporate Relations). We need clearer and more functional arrangements for this. Granted, this storage matter leans slightly into the territory of the Head of Internal and External Affairs, but in my opinion, it is also a great example of how the vice chair can act as a supportive person.

What about larger projects? Our guild turns 15 next year, which offers the perfect opportunity to tackle something bigger. I see that the vice chair could naturally act as a leader or background support for a significant anniversary project—examples could include the long-dreamed-of expansion of the pHuone, the second edition of Sidos, or generally leading the PT15 committee, which would be responsible for the anniversary’s projects and events. Such projects require long-term coordination, and the vice chair’s role provides an excellent vantage point from which to drive them to the finish line.

PT operates with around one hundred officials annually, and it is important to keep them motivated throughout their term. How do you view the current recreational activities for the guild’s officials, and how would you develop these activities further?

Officials are an essential backbone of our guild, as about one hundred officials do a massive amount of invisible and valuable work throughout the year. At this point, however, we must be honest: recreational activities for officials are practically nonexistent and are largely limited to the official sitsis at the beginning of the year, along with the fact that each committee has an 11 euro recreation budget per person. This amount does not go very far if the goal is to maintain genuine motivation and community spirit throughout the entire year.

Activities need to be developed in a BIG way so that being an official has genuine hype and appreciation. Looking at the Mechanical Engineering Guild (Koneinsinöörikilta), for example, their officials seem to have a really strong and proud community identity, and I definitely want to bring this exact same sense of community to Prosessiteekkarit. Concretely, I would like to bring officials more low-threshold events, evenings intended only for officials, private excursions, or other fun things so that community identity can be strengthened.

In addition, I would like to introduce some small, concrete symbol of appreciation and community: for instance, a stylish official pin that could be worn proudly with student overalls or on the lapel of a tailcoat/suit or evening gown at Lämmönsiirto XV. When officials are given concrete perks, proper recreation, and tangible appreciation, it directly reflects in how enthusiastically and wholeheartedly work is put in from the beginning to the end of the year.