Laura Jouppi

Hi!
I’m Laura Jouppi, a second-year materials science student, and I’m applying to be next year’s Fuksi Captain! In my free time, I enjoy dancing and spending time with my friends.

I’m an active Prosessiteekkari and in my first year I was a Superfuksi. I didn’t miss a single CanCan performance; not even on weekends or when my injured ankle probably should’ve been resting. Whatever I do, I give it my all, and you can always count on me. Balancing dancing and studies and working in customer service has taught me how to handle busy schedules and to organize efficiently.

I want to introduce new fuksis to teekkari culture and make sure they get a warm welcome to PT. Especially through my role as an ISO, I’ve become even more excited about guild activities and want to get even more involved! Teekkari traditions have become important to me, especially through camping at Alvari Square, and as Fuksi Captain I’d have the best opportunity to cherish and develop those traditions further.

I also want to make sure that all fuksis become well-integrated as a group, and joining Chem Eng fuksis also is important in this. I want the fuksis to feel that PT is their home guild while also being confident to explore other guilds and student activities.

As a Fuksi Captain, I would be enthusiastic and caring. I’m flexible and always ready to adjust my schedule to help a friend. I enjoy working with people and I recharge best around others. Righteousness is important to me, which is why I’ve recently started as a harassment contact person. I get along with everyone and am used to a busy lifestyle, so I believe I’d make an excellent pair as Fuksi Captain.

I’m happy to answer any questions here or, for example, on Telegram @laurajouppi!
Laura Jouppi

1. If you were Fuksi Captain, what would be your goal for the next 1.5 years?

If I were chosen as Fuksi Captain, my goal would be to give the fuksis many new experiences so that we can create an amazing and unique year for them, while also making sure that everyone finds their own place in the Otaniemi community just as they are. One of my most important personal goals would be to earn the fuksis’ trust and to be someone they feel comfortable turning to. During the first spring, my aim would be to learn as much as possible from the current Captains; what has worked well and should be continued, and what could still be improved. I would also invest in building a strong foundation for cooperation with my co-captain.

My goal would also be to work well together with the ISO Coordinator, CEO, and Head of International and Master’s Affairs to ensure that the sector for new students runs smoothly and that all fuksis’ needs are well taken care of. This would also help Chem Eng fuksis to integrate better with the Finnish-speaking fuksis. It’s also important to encourage the ISOs to form friendships with the fuksis so that there won’t be large gaps between the year groups.

As Fuksi Captain, the duties also include active collaboration with other guilds and participation in FTMK’s activities. I’m looking forward to organizing and doing things! My goal would therefore be to be active in these responsibilities and to form good relationships with other guilds so that it would be easy for the fuksis to make friends with students from other schools as well, and event organization would go smoothly. Another goal of mine would be to be an active member of the board.

2. Students who do not feel that they belong to a community or have friendships with their fellow students at the beginning of their studies often lag behind in their studies. How do you manage to integrate all fuksis into a community or help them to find their own group of friends?

It is important that fuksis get a good overall picture right from the beginning of everything that Otaniemi has to offer. In addition to the activities of PT and the guilds, it is also important to highlight the diverse range provided by AYY as well as different hobby and club groups. When fuksis get to explore a wide variety of different opportunities, it is easier for them to find communities and like-minded people that arise from similar interests.

It is especially important to organize diverse and low-threshold events that everyone can enjoy and participate in in their own way. Such events could be, for example, relaxed hangout evenings, shared sports sessions, or different group activities that do not require special courage or previous experience. In these kinds of situations, it is often easiest to get to know new people naturally and without pressure.

As an ISO, together with my own group and a few others, we have also thought about ways to support networking between fuksis across group boundaries, and we have organized and planned joint fuksi meetings during the autumn. As Fuksi Captain, one idea could be to connect different fuksi groups through shared events already at the beginning of the autumn. This would help fuksis to get to know other students more broadly and to build friendships that are not limited only to their own tutor group. Such activities would promote a sense of belonging and support all fuksis in integrating into the student culture of Otaniemi.

3. PT has over 200 fuksis starting each year. What challenges and opportunities do you see this bringing to PT’s fuksi education?

A large fuksi group brings a great variety of different people to PT, which is a richness. A diverse group offers opportunities for new friendships to form, and the creation of those friendships continues even after the fuksi year. The large number of fuksis also lowers the threshold to participate in events, as one can trust that there will always be familiar faces and different groups to join.

However, the challenge with a large group is that it’s not always possible to see and meet everyone individually. For some, a large number of people can be stressful, which should also be taken into account. Paying attention to every fuksi and offering personal support requires planning and good teamwork. The cooperation between the Fuksi Captain pair and the active ISOs helps a lot with this, as more eyes and ears ensure that as many fuksis as possible are seen and heard.

All in all, the large number of fuksis brings a lot of energy and a sense of community to PT’s fuksi culture, and it provides an opportunity to develop the activities in a way that helps every fuksi find their own place as part of the community.

4. How would you promote equality between Finnish- and English-speaking bachelor fuksis?

Internationality is an important value to me. I have lived in Germany for over a year and have made friends from different parts of the world. A shared language is the key to integration, and taking internationality into account is essential when organizing events to ensure that new fuksis are included in the community.

At Aalto, everyone speaks at least some English, and it would be good to use the language already during the orientation week, so that the threshold for using it becomes lower and no major division arises between the Finnish-speaking line and the Chem Eng fuksis.

Events, such as sitsis, should include more English-language parts. For example, I have already seen English-language transitions used at sitsis, but this practice could be expanded and incorporated more clearly into the structure. Providing clearly English-language sections ensures that international fuksis can participate in the events and feel like part of the community.

In addition, communication should be good and equal in both languages. It is important to make it clear that it is possible to participate in events in English so that we can get more international fuksis involved.

ISO activities also play a significant role, as ISOs can encourage and support international students to participate. The challenge is that Chem Eng students are difficult to meet due to large course differences, which reduces everyday interaction. For this reason, I believe that special attention should be paid to events and other leisure activities that provide a natural way for people to get to know each other.

5. Being Fuksi Captain is teamwork. What kind of partner would you like for yourself and what kind of partner would you be? How would you maintain a good atmosphere and working habits with your partner?

I would be an energetic, communicative, and encouraging partner myself. I would hope for my partner to share the same enthusiasm, positive attitude, and interest in the role — someone with whom dividing and organizing tasks would run like a well-oiled machine. Shared perspectives and goals would strengthen our cooperation and create a strong foundation for a well-functioning team.

To maintain good pair dynamics, I would make sure that our communication works well and that we can trust each other. If our opinions ever differed, I would want to handle those situations openly and constructively. I would listen to my partner’s point of view and look for a compromise together that would take fuksi activities in the best possible direction.

I would be flexible and considerate of my partner’s needs, helping and supporting them whenever necessary. Everyday life always brings surprises, and I don’t expect the division of work to always be perfectly even. However, I believe that a mutual willingness to always give our best possible effort at the given time would be the foundation of our teamwork. I would like to create an atmosphere where we can get things done while also laughing and having fun together. I believe that good spirit and trust will directly show in how well we can inspire fuksis to join in and take part in the activities.