The lunch was held in a festive setting at Finlayson Palace. We enjoyed a three-course meal, had discussions, and listened to celebratory speeches. Liisa Häikiö, PI of STUE, gave the opening speech, celebrating the importance of students and graduates to the academic community and the future of research and urban sustainability. Jenna Tuominen, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in SUD, gave a heartfelt speech thanking the student life in Tampere, community in SUD with students and teachers and surviving the COVID pandemic together. Ville Mäkelä, graduating with master’s degree in architecture, emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in meeting the challenges of sustainability. SUD teachers Jonathon Taylor, Salla Jokela, Markus Laine and Anna-Kaisa Viitanen thanked the students for choosing to study urban sustainability and thus working to build sustainable societies.
All participants shared an adjective and verb or noun related to their feelings of graduation and memories of student life. Many shared similar experiences and emotions, including gratefulness, joy and feeling relieved. Verbs and nouns revolved largely around learning and collaboration in different forms, from coursework to student organisations. Towards the end of the lunch, we called each graduate to the front with applause and Liisa Häikiö offered each student a rose and a patch from STUE.
Thank you to all who participated and three times hurray to all the graduates of this academic year!
