Fulbright Finland Foundation Pre-Departure Orientation Day 2025

Helsinki

The Fulbright Finland Foundation organizes annually a Pre-Departure Orientation Day for all the grantees departing to the U.S. in the next academic year. This year, the event will be organized in Helsinki on May 13.

This seminar is part of the orientation training that includes, in addition to this in-person seminar, virtual meetings and independent studying.

Tentative program

8:30 Morning coffee

09:00  Welcome and Practicalities of the Day 
Emmi Jelekäinen, Program Manager, Fulbright Finland Foundation

09:05 Welcome, Opening Remarks and Grantee Introductions
Terhi Mölsä, Chief Executive Officer, Fulbright Finland Foundation 
Emmi Jelekäinen, Program Manager, Fulbright Finland Foundation

9:55 Break

10:05 Fulbright Finland Foundation and its Worldwide Network
Terhi Mölsä, Chief Executive Officer, Fulbright Finland Foundation 

11:05 Break

11:20 Communicating Across Cultures and Building Bridges
Terhi Mölsä, Chief Executive Officer, Fulbright Finland Foundation 
Maija Kettunen, Communications Manager, Fulbright Finland Foundation 
Bruno Jäntti, Doctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki; ASLA-Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow 2024-25; ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grant 2020-21 
Risto Marttinen, Associate Professor, George Mason University; Core Fulbright U.S. Scholar 2024-25
Joshua Wilson, Professor, University of Denver; Fulbright Bicentennial Chair in American Studies 

12:10 Lunch

13:00 Greetings from the U.S. Embassy

13:30 Coffee break

13:45 Group Discussion with Fulbright Finland Alumni 

  • Tips for preparing for your stay in the U.S. 
  • First things to do when arriving in the U.S. 
  • House hunt and housing tips, the importance of reading the small print! 
  • Life on a U.S. campus and host organization matters 
  • Living in the U.S.  - everyday issues (banking, health care, transportation, phone, bureaucracy, social life) 
  • Questions on U.S. culture 
  • Enrichment activities 
  • Bringing family to the U.S. 
  • Conducting studies/project in the U.S.  

Group 1: Undergraduate Students (Fulbright Finland Undergraduate Grants) 

Facilitator:
Saara Martikainen, Program Coordinator, Fulbright Finland Foundation

Group 2: Graduate Students (ASLA-Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Research Fellows, ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grants, Fulbright-KAUTE Foundation Awards, and Fulbright Finnish Language and Culture Teaching Assistants) 

Facilitator: 
Karoliina Kokko, Senior Program Manager, Fulbright Finland Foundation 

Group 3: FLTAs 

Facilitator:
Tarja Mykrä, Program Specialist, Fulbright Finland Foundation

Group 4: Lecturers, Researchers, and Professionals (ASLA-Fulbright Research Grants for Senior Scholars, ASLA-Fulbright Research Grants for Junior Scholars, and ASLA-Fulbright Mid-Career Professional Development Grants)

Facilitator:
Emmi Jelekäinen, Program Manager, Fulbright Finland Foundation

Group 5: Teachers (Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching) 

Facilitator:
Mirka McIntire, Manager, Teacher Exchange and Education Programs, Fulbright Finland Foundation

Group 6: SUSI for Secondary School Educators

Facilitator:
Heidi Tiainen, Program and Events Coordinator, Fulbright Finland Foundation 

Group 6: Travel Grantees (Fulbright Finland Travel Grants for Research Collaboration and Fulbright Finland Travel Grants for Institutional Partnership Building) 

Facilitator:
Mihkel Vaim, Coordinator, Fulbright Finland Foundation

14:45 Break

15:00 Bus to the Helsinki City Hall 

15:50 Group Photo at the Helsinki City Hall 

16:00 Fulbright Grantees as Ambassadors of Finland and Promoters of Our Country Brand

  • Finland’s country brand
  • As citizen diplomats, what can the Fulbright Finland Foundation grantees do to promote Finland’s country brand?
  • How can the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Finnish diplomatic missions in the U.S. be of assistance to and work with the Fulbright Finland Foundation grantees?

16:25 Rehearsal

17:00 Award Ceremony & Reception at the Helsinki City Hall 

19:00 Event Ends