Reflections from Finland: Exploring Education, Culture, and Community
Last month, I had the privilege of traveling to Finland with the Class of 2024 for our annual group seminar—an experience that deepened their understanding of education, culture, and global citizenship.
Over two weeks, Scholars immersed themselves in Finnish life and learning, from touring Viikki teacher training school and attending a Finnish language class, to observing a high-energy game of pesäpallo—Finland’s unique take on baseball.
Helsinki became our classroom. We explored its historic Senate Square, visited parliament, marveled at Uspenski Cathedral, and wandered through the bustling harbor-side market. A ferry ride to Suomenlinna Island offered a deeper understanding of Finland’s geopolitical past. Built in the 18th century when Finland was under Swedish rule, the island fortress later became a Russian military base. Its layered history, particularly in light of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, prompted thoughtful discussions among the Scholars about sovereignty, identity, and Finland’s place in a shifting global landscape.
Midway through the trip, we journeyed across the Baltic Sea to Tallinn, Estonia. After a walking tour of the old city, Scholars charted their own paths: climbing the narrow steps of St. Olav’s Cathedral, visiting the haunting KGB museum, and simply savoring the winding cobblestone streets of this medieval town.
One of the most memorable visits was to Verla, where Scholars stayed in lakeside cabins surrounded by forests. There, they experienced Finnish sauna culture—including cold plunges in the lake—and reflected on the deep respect Finns have for nature.
Each activity was more than a cultural stop—it was a point of connection. Whether over school lunches, saunas, or deep conversations on public transportation, Scholars built new friendships and reflected on their place in the world.
Travel has a way of changing you, and I believe every Scholar returned with a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. The Class of 2024 demonstrated curiosity, kindness, and the courage to engage meaningfully with unfamiliar perspectives.
Of all the outcomes of the group seminar, the most valuable to me is the connection and bond Scholars created with one another. What they carry forward is not just greater knowledge or insight, but each other. The friendships forged on this journey will be a source of strength, joy, and belonging as they take on whatever comes next.
Anne
July Alumni Hour features 2009 Scholar Nesima Aberra
4-5 p.m., Monday, July 21 (Arizona time)
Join us for our July Alumni Hour as Sara Zervos (’87) interviews Nesima Aberra (’09), a writer and digital strategist working at the intersection of media and social impact. Based in the DC-Metro Area, Nesima is currently Vice President of Digital and Content at Change Consulting with past roles at The Atlantic and the Center for Public Integrity. She’ll share her thoughts on the human relationship with media, philanthropy and social impact, and how creative writing and multidisciplinary art is embedded in her life.
June Alumni Hour features 1992 Scholar Jake Batsell
4-5 p.m., Monday, June 23 (Arizona time)
There is still time to register for next week’s Alumni Hour with Jake Batsell, journalist, professor, and author of “Engaged Journalism: Connecting with Digitally Empowered News Audiences.” Jake has spent his career at the intersection of storytelling, media innovation, and public trust—first as a reporter for The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times, and now as a journalism professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He’ll reflect on the evolving role of journalists in a fractured media landscape, the ethical challenges of AI in newsrooms, and how Flinn roots and curiosity have guided his path.
Alumni Voices
Renata Keller
Flinn Scholar Class of 2000
Q: Can you share a little about your current role and what excites you most about your work?
I’m currently an Associate Professor of History at the University of Nevada, Reno. I get to spend my time researching, teaching, and writing about the history of Latin America and the Cold War. I love getting to discover new ways to think about the past and how it affects the world we live in today. I especially like working on a part of the world that is so important to us here in the United States, yet so often neglected in our classrooms and media.
Q: How did being a Flinn Scholar shape your academic or career path?
The Flinn Scholarship helped open the world to me. The travel opportunities that it offered cemented my passion for learning and living abroad. My second summer at ASU, the Flinn Scholarship paid for a summer study abroad program in Mexico, Chile, and Costa Rica—three countries I had never visited before. I loved Chile so much that I decided to return for a full semester (also paid for by the Flinn!); then, while I was there, I crossed over the Andes to Argentina, and fell in love with that country, too. After I graduated, I spent a year in Argentina teaching English on a Fulbright Fellowship before starting graduate school. The Flinn Scholarship basically set me on a path of visiting countries, becoming fascinated with them, and scheming to find ways to return and keep exploring.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to current Scholars or recent alumni?
Get to know your professors! We’re nice! Come to office hours and talk with us about your hopes and dreams. It’s much easier for your professors to help you achieve your goals when you give us a chance to know you as a person outside the classroom.
Q: Is there a project, achievement, or experience you’re especially proud of?
There are two things I’m currently most proud of: my new book, and my kids. I’ve been working on my second book for over a decade, and I’m so excited that it is coming out this fall. The title is “The Fate of the Americas: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Hemispheric Cold War,” and it’s a completely new way of looking at the history of one of the most important events of the 20th century. My book is the first hemispheric history of the missile crisis, looking at how governments and everyday people across the Americas caused, participated in, and were affected by it. And in case you are wondering, yes, it was a very convenient excuse to travel all over Latin America doing research!
I’m also the proud mother of two children. I know this is supposed to focus on our professional careers, but if I’m being honest, parenting is way harder than anything I do as a historian. I spent years and years in school learning how to think and read and write but had no preparation for parenthood. It’s the hardest and most rewarding thing I do every day.
Q: How do you stay connected with the Flinn community today?
Since there aren’t a lot of other Flinn alumni running around Northern Nevada, I mostly stay in touch through the newsletter. I love reading about all the exciting and amazing things that members of the Flinn community are accomplishing!
Q: Looking back, what’s one lesson from your time as a Flinn Scholar that has stayed with you?
Get involved. Being present and participating are the keys to success—and the keys to an interesting life.
Q: What impact do you hope to make in your field or community in the coming years?
I hope to help as many people as possible understand the importance of Latin America to our history and our lives today. I would love it if people outside the field of Latin American history, and even outside the academy, picked up my book, read it, and thought: “Huh, I never realized how closely connected we all are.”
I also hope to use my knowledge of the past to inform current political discussions. One of my proudest moments last year was when the American Historical Association invited me to brief the U.S. Congress on the history of U.S. military alliances. I hope to find more opportunities like that in the coming years, because there are so many ways that we can draw lessons from the past to guide our future.
Q: What’s one unexpected skill you picked up during college that you still use today?
I got really into ballroom dancing in college, and I still get some opportunities to bust out my salsa moves when I travel!
Q: What’s the most surprising way your Flinn experience has popped up in your life post-college?
I was pleasantly surprised when I was invited to serve for a few years on the Flinn Scholars Alumni Council. That was a really interesting way to get a behind-the-scenes look at all the work that the Foundation does on behalf of current scholars and alumni.
Q: If you had to describe your career path using only a movie title, what would it be?
“The NeverEnding Story,” because there are endless ways to learn about and from the past. Also, I love a good story.
Alumni Gatherings
Last month, Flinn Scholars from across graduating classes gathered in New York City. The evening was filled with lively conversation, new introductions, and warm reconnections among far-flung Scholars now calling New York home. Attendees swapped stories of Arizona roots, their journeys east, and life in the city—from navigating neighborhoods to navigating careers. We’re grateful to our Alumni Council members for organizing this gathering and to all who joined for a night that proved, once again, that the bonds of the Flinn community endure—no matter the zip code.
Upcoming: Seattle
Inspired by recent alumni gatherings in cities across the country, Lauren Johnston (‘09) is bringing the spirit of connection to the Pacific Northwest! Join your Flinn alumni community for an evening of connection in Seattle on Tuesday, July 15, from 6-8 p.m. Event details will be finalized based on RSVP numbers—but you can count on great conversation, new connections, and a reminder that the Flinn network is never far away.