By Sarah Thomas
Over UGA’s spring break, approximately thirty university students in the Morehead Honors College traveled overseas to Helsinki, Finland. There, they participated in a range of engaging academic activities, like a presentation from the Helsinki Think Company and a tour of two smart city neighborhoods. They also went to Nuuksio Park to appreciate Finland’s natural beauty. Among these thirty students was Sreegowri Chimalakonda, a first-year regenerative bioscience and genetics double major. In the following interview, she discusses the week-long study abroad experience, what stood out to her, and how public relations students could learn from Finland’s commitment to sustainability.
Q: Why did you want to go on this study abroad experience?
A: “I think sustainability is something that should really be brought into the field of healthcare. It’s not just like taking care of diseases and things that come about because of environmental issues… but being able to tackle issues from the systemic part. Like where they actually come from, the environment, or things not being well taken care of, I think, is also really important.”
Q: What is your favorite memory or activity from this trip?
A: “I think hanging out with my friend group. We went around and just traveled every single day, going to Kamppi and the city center–just traveling around in general was very fun!”
Q: What was the most surprising aspect of the trip?
A: “Honestly, how few people were there. Even in the trams, or when we were walking along the roads and stuff. It seemed so sparse to see, like no other people. The area in general is so sparse that it wasn’t crowded at all. I think that was very surprising to me.”
Q: What was one aspect or lesson that would be helpful to a public relations major about sustainability in Finland?
A: “One would definitely be their media building, where it was entirely clear to show the symbolism that the media in general was open about what they were doing. You could clearly see the visibility and everything. Also, public relations starting sustainability practices isn’t instant. Everyone does it one time, but people have to start it. Like one person starts it, and it goes, and kind of trickles down. I think choosing to partner with more sustainable companies would, in turn, make those companies grow more. Those kinds of partnerships would encourage even more companies to be sustainable.”
Sanoma House, the media building Chimalakonda mentions in the final question, is located in the city’s center. As she noted, the purpose of its glass exterior is supposed to represent a commitment to media transparency between broadcasting and corporate companies to the public. With this trip’s focus on the Sustainable Development Goal created by the United Nations, this particular building follows the sixteenth SDG: “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.” Now, transparency and sustainability are becoming vital qualities for public relations. Even though Chimalakonda is not a public relations major herself, she recognizes the value that these qualities bring. All thirty students selected to attend this spring break study abroad trip gained new insight and experiences they will take with them for the rest of their careers. Whether they are STEM majors, or even public relations majors, they all learned valuable lessons from spending their time in the “world’s happiest country” (Greenall and Boyd).
