Finlandia University is a Private university, private Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran university in Hancock, Michigan. It is the only private university in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsula. Founded in 1896 as The Suomi College and Theological Seminary, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

History

Suomi College was founded on September 8, 1896, by J. K. Nikander (b. 1855, Hämeenlinna, Hämeenlinna, Finland, d. 1919). During the 1880s, large numbers of Finns Finnish Americans, immigrated to Hancock, Michigan to labor in the copper and lumber industries. As a mission pastor of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America headquartered in Hancock, Nikander observed that Swedish and Finnish immigrants along the Delaware River did not train new ministers, and he feared a loss of Finnish identity. The college's role was to preserve Finnish culture, train Lutheran ministers and teach English. During the 1920s, Suomi College became a liberal arts college and in 1958, the seminary separated from the college. On July 1, 2000, Suomi College changed its name to Finlandia University. The cornerstone of Old Main, Finlandia University, Old Main, the first building erected at Suomi College, was laid on May 30, 1898. Jacobsville sandstone, quarried at the Portage Entry of the Keweenaw waterway, was brought by barge, cut, and used to construct the Old Main. Dedicated on January 21, 1900, it contained a dormitory, kitchen, laundry, classrooms, offices, library, chapel, and lounge. The burgeoning college quickly outgrew this building. In 1901 a frame structure, housing a gym, meeting hall, and music center, was erected on an adjacent lot. The frame building was demolished when Nikander Hall, named for Suomi's founder, was constructed in 1939. The hall was designed by the architectural firm of Eliel Saarinen and J. Robert F. Swanson. In addition to Old Main, the present day main campus consists of Nikander Hall, Mannerheim Hall, Wargelin Hall, Finlandia Hall, the Paavo Nurmi Center for Physical Education, the Kivi House, Hoover Center, the Finnish American Heritage Center, the Chapel of St. Matthew, and the Jutila Center. Finlandia University has been a university of the Lutheran church since its inception. In 1988, the university became affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The curriculum, campus events, and the community explore the value of faith, vocation, and service. Finlandia University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association for Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC). In 1996, the university transitioned from a two-year college to a four-year university. Since the 2020–21 academic year, Finlandia's admissions policy contains no requirements for academic credentials other than secondary school transcripts, such as SAT or ACT (test), ACT scores. A marker designating the college and its Old Main building as List_of_Michigan_State_Historic_Sites , Michigan Historic Sites was erected by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office , Michigan Historical Commission in 1991. The inscriptions read:

Old Main Suomi College was founded in 1896 by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The cornerstone of Old Main, the first building erected at Suomi College, was laid on May 30, 1898. Jacobsville sandstone, quarried at the Portage Entry of the Keweenaw waterway, was brought here by barge, cut, and used to construct Old Main. Dedicated on January 21, 1900, it contained a dormitory, kitchen, laundry, classrooms, offices, library, chapel, and lounge. The burgeoning college quickly outgrew this building, and in 1901 a frame structure, housing a gym, meeting hall, and music center was erected on an adjacent lot. The frame building was demolished when Nikander Hall, named for Suomi’s founder, J. K. Nikander, was constructed in 1939. The hall was designed by the architectural firm of Saarinen and Swanson. Suomi College In the 1880s large numbers of Finns immigrated to Hancock to labor in the copper and lumber industries. One immigrant, mission pastor J. K. Nikander of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, headquartered in Hancock, wanted to ensure seminary training in America. He had observed that Swedish and Finnish immigrants along the Delaware River did not train new ministers, and he feared a loss of Finnish identity. In 1896 Nikander founded Suomi College. The college’s role was to preserve Finnish culture, train Lutheran ministers and teach English. During the 1920s Suomi became a liberal arts college. In 1958 the seminary separated from the college. Four years later the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America merged with other mainstream Lutheran churches.

On October 6, 2021, the university's Board of Trustees formally accepted a letter from its and current president, Rev. Dr. Philip R. Johnson, informing them of his intention to retire at the end of the 2021–22 academic term. On May 4, 2022, Finlandia announced Timothy Pinnow would become the next President effective July 1, 2022.

Campus

Finlandia University is located in Hancock, Michigan. The town is located on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan's Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsula. The Keweenaw Peninsula stretches north into Lake Superior. Old main suomi.jpg, Old Main, Finlandia University, Old Main, between 1900 and 1906 Finlandia old main.jpg, Old Main in 2008 Finlandia hall.jpg, Finlandia Hall

Finnish-American Heritage Center

Also part of Finlandia University, and serving both the campus and the community, is the Finnish American Heritage Center which hosts numerous university and community events and houses a museum, art gallery, and theater. The Finnish American Historical Archives are located here. North Winds Shops

The Lions Den of North Wind Books offers an extensive collection of quality adult and children's fiction and nonfiction publications, and textbooks. It also sells Finnish functional design items for the home, and university logo merchandise.

Athletics

There are 10 NCAA Division III athletic sports at Finlandia, whose teams are known as Lions, competing primarily as a member of the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) since 2020. Women's athletics include: basketball, ice hockey, soccer, softball and volleyball. Men's athletics include baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey and soccer. Mixed-sex education, Co-ed Esports were added as varsity-level sports in the 2020–2021 season.

Conference affiliation

* Coast to Coast Athletic Conference: baseball, men's & women's basketball, men's & women's soccer, softball, volleyball * Northern Collegiate Hockey Association: men's (since 2004) & women's (since 2003) ice hockey * Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: football (since 2021)

Notable alumni

Notable alumni of Finlandia University include: * Trent Daavettila, ice hockey player * Ryan Donovan, ice hockey player * Sanna Kannasto, labor activist and feminist * Medaria Arradondo, Police Chief of the Minneapolis Police Department * John Raymond Ylitalo, 29th United States Ambassador to Paraguay

References

External links

*
Official Finlandia Lions athletics website
{{Authority control Finlandia University, 1896 establishments in Michigan Buildings and structures in Houghton County, Michigan Education in Houghton County, Michigan Educational institutions established in 1896 Finnish-American culture in Michigan Finnish-American history Hancock, Michigan Liberal arts colleges in Michigan Private universities and colleges in Michigan