75th Anniversary Celebration at Mystic Seaport

The 75th Anniversary of the Fulbright Finland Foundation and Finnish-U.S. exchanges was celebrated in Mystic, Connecticut, in May 2024. The two-day celebration was organized by the volunteers of the Friends of Fulbright Finland (FoFF) Alumni Council in the United States, and it gathered over 60 alumni, current grantees, and friends of Fulbright Finland for multiple special events over the Memorial Day weekend: a guided tour of the Mystic Seaport Museum, a networking reception with special remarks, a historic steamboat cruise down the Mystic River, and a visit to the Mystic Aquarium.

The weekend was a true demonstration of the power of partnerships. Our local host Mary Anne Butler, Superintendent of Stonington Public Schools and FoFF Council Member, had arranged generous support from the Mystic Seaport Museum and the Mystic Aquarium that provided superb venues. Finlandia Foundation National co-sponsored the events.

During the celebrations, the Fulbright Finland Foundation and the Finlandia Foundation National signed a Memorandum of Understanding laying the groundwork for new collaborations between the two organizations. Mike Loovis, Fulbright U.S. scholar alum and Alumni Council member, received a special recognition for his long-term contribution as a major donor for Fulbright Finland.

Thomas Flanagan, Executive Director of Finlandia Foundation National and Terhi Mölsä, CEO of the Fulbright Finland Foundation, shaking hands after signing a MoU at a river cruise in Mystic, CT. — During the celebrations, the Fulbright Finland Foundation and the Finlandia Foundation National signed a Memorandum of Understanding laying the groundwork for new collaborations between the two organizations.

The event was an excellent opportunity for the U.S. alumni community to also meet the Deputy Consul General Keijo Karjalainen, who brought the greetings from the Consulate General of Finland in New York, and the new Honorary Consul of Finland in Connecticut, Patrick J. Trostle.

The event drew alumni from 14 states. Edward Stevens IV (2021-22 Fulbright-University of Helsinki Graduate Award) came from Pennsylvania. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Fulbright Finland 75th Anniversary celebration. It was great to reconnect with people I met during my time in Finland as well as make new connections,” he says.

The celebration in Mystic was part of a series of events honoring the Foundation’s 75th Anniversary.