The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
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The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
30.04.2021
Press release: 30.4.2021
The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY) has named Olli Auvinen and Aino Peltonen as the 2021 Velj’mies and Siskotyttö. The 2021 Immersed Professor is Pekka Toivanen (D.Sc. (Tech.)).
The Student Union’s Kuopio Campus Board annually names two persons who are actively involved in student’s interest advocacy and the Student Union’s activities as the Velj’mies (Brother Man) and the Siskotyttö (Sister Girl). The 2021 Velj’mies is Olli Auvinen and the Siskotyttö is Aino Peltonen. Both are long-term actors of the Student Union and organisations.
Auvinen has acted as the ISYY Representative Council Chairperson in 2020, member of the Representative Council in 2018-2020, ISYY Section for Student Organisations Chairperson in 2018, and ISYY Executive Board member responsible for academic affairs in 2017. In addition, Auvinen has acted several years on the board and as the chairperson of his student organisation Dentina ry.
– Olli has worked for years towards the common good in positions of trust in both ISYY and his student organisation. On campus Olli is widely known as a nice and trustworthy person, says Chair of the ISYY Executive Board Vesa Janhunen.
Also Aino Peltonen has acted in several positions of trust in the Student Union. Most recently Peltonen acted as the Chair of the ISYY Executive Board and Chair of the Kuopio Campus Board in 2020, and as an Executive Board member in 2019. At the beginning of the year 2021, Peltonen acted as the chairperson of the Kuopio Section for Recreation until sections were disbanded due to the organisation reform. Peltonen still acts as a deputy member of the Representative Council. In addition, Peltonen has acted on the boards of both her student organisation Kulti ry and campus organisation Loimun opiskelijat - Kuopio ry.
– Aino is seen as a person, who puts her heart genuinely into doing things with passion. She can both throw herself into situations and calm them down, which are, according to people who have worked with her, key factors in creating an honest and energizing climate of mutual trust in board work, Janhunen continues.
As the Immersed Professor of 2021, the Student Union chose Pekka Toivanen, Doctor of Science (Technology), D.Sc. (Tech.), who is the Head of Computational Intelligence research group in the School of Computing at the University of Eastern Finland. Toivonen is a merited professor, whose work is strongly reflected in the teaching of the School of Computing.
– Pekka Toivanen carries out his teaching tasks conscientiously and students have been extremely happy with his work contribution. Toivanen has also guided thesis work and to students his guidance has been meaningful and of high quality. In addition, Toivanen is on the students’ side and he has, for example, assisted the students of the computer science student organisation Serveri ry with interest advocacy matters, states Janhunen.
Choosing the Velj’mies, Siskotyttö and Immersed Professor are a part of the Student Union’s May Day traditions. Velj’mies and Siskotyttö have the special honor of capping the Velj’mies statue at the Kuopio market square, after which the May Day celebrants will put on graduation caps.
The Student Union has chosen and immersed professors on the May Day eve at the Kuopio market square since 1974. The immersion of the professor is a unique event both in Finland and internationally.
This year the immersion of the professor and selection of the Velj’mies and Siskotyttö was broadcasted on ISYY’s Wappu-broadcast on April 30th. For security reasons, the events were pre-recorded.
Vesa Janhunen, Chair of the Executive Board and Chair of the Kuopio Campus Board, the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), tel. 044 576 8404, puheenjohtaja(at)isyy.fi
Sami Tanskanen, Vice Chair and Chairperson of the Joensuu Campus Board, the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), tel. 044 576 8400, sami.tanskanen(at)isyy.fi