“Organisational activities prepare you for working life,” says Student of the Year Laura Junno

Laura Junno was lucky. The psychology degree programme was appealing to the high school graduate, who had focused on the arts, but at that time it was not yet available in Oulu.

Junno had moved to Oulu on her own at the beginning of high school, and moving away from her hometown felt like a sad thought.

“I was somewhat poorly prepared for my matriculation examination, and the grades in my diploma covered the full range. The coronavirus pandemic hit right after I graduated, so I spent that time working and improving my grades.”

The first psychology students started at the University of Oulu in 2021, and Junno was admitted with her certificate the following year.

"Before us, there was only one class, and we felt that we were eagerly awaited. I was so deeply inspired by this that I decided I wanted to use my own time for the common good. We also received a lot of support and encouragement for this," Junno says.

Junno was drawn to psychology studies by her interest in human behavior, both at the individual and societal levels.

"Psychology also seemed like a field that would give me time to think about my future plans. There are so many different employment opportunities."

The chair of SPOL ry wants to be an encouraging example in organisational voluntary work

Now, as a fourth-year student, Junno is involved in many activities: she is not only an active member of the Psychology Student Subject Society Defenssi, but also the chair of the board of the Finnish Psychology Students' Association for the second year running. The SPOL ry acts as an advocate for students and a unifying factor for subject societies, promoting student networking and maintaining cooperation with vocational organisations.

"The work at SPOL is largely about advocating for our field and creating a sense of community. It sounds terribly serious, but I have tried to bring the activities closer to the students. This fall, we organized the first SPOL events in Oulu. The idea is to create different opportunities for students to meet each other," Junno says.

As chair, Junno wants to be an encouraging example of an organisation actor to her fellow students.

“Organisational activities are really fun, and at the same time you get to meet people from all over Finland. I would dare to say that I have learned at least as much about my field from the people I have met through organisational activities as I have from my studies. These kind of activities also provide you with good skills for working life.”

Art remains a hobby

As a graduate of an arts-focused high school, Junno has an artistic background.

"However, at no point did I seriously consider making art my profession. I still enjoy doing all kinds of creative things and using my creativity in my work. In psychology, openness to new experiences is considered a personality trait, and I feel that this trait is strongly linked to creativity," she says with a smile.

When Junno applied to study, she didn't know what her future career would look like, but now it's starting to become clear – largely thanks to her involvement in the voluntary work in the organisations.

"I would like to do something where I can utilise my psychological expertise on a societal level," says the Student of the Year.

Original text (in Finnish): Kati Valjus
Photo: Mikko Törmänen