Earlier this year, we asked students to nominate their candidates for The HAMK Person of The Year, and we received a wide range of excellent responses. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination! Students were able to nominate both teaching and non-teaching staff members for the award.
The HAMK Person of the Year was selected independently from all nominations received. The student union HAMKO’s panel made the final selections, and the recipients were honored with a Certificate of Honor at HAMK’s Personnel Days in August.
The nominations highlighted staff members who are helpful, dedicated, and genuinely caring. These individuals create safe, inspiring, and encouraging learning environments where students can grow, ask questions, fail, and succeed. Their positive and engaged teaching style makes learning meaningful and motivating – leaving a lasting impression that goes well beyond the classroom.
HAMKO’s Executive Director, Aleksi Kurvi, presented the Certificates of Honor at HAMK’s staff day to the following individuals:
- Aino Rapp, Teaching Assistant, Smart and Sustainable Design
- Anu Viherä, Senior Lecturer, Business Administration
- Markku Mikkonen, Senior Lecturer, Design Factory
The recipients were praised by students with comments such as:
Aino Rapp
“She is highly dedicated and puts in great effort to help us with our work, always striving to teach us and help us. She is kind and nice and help us every way possible.”
“Aino is a kind and caring person who always help others. She works hard and support us with patience. Her dedication makes learning new things easier and creates a positive environment for everyone.”
“Aino is very supportive, making her an excellent choice for this course. Her willingness to assist others and contribute positively creates an encouraging learning environment. Aino’s supportive nature helps foster collaboration and engagement, which enhances the overall learning experience for everyone.”
Anu Viherä
“Anu’s teaching shows that she genuinely cares about students and their development. When facing difficult topics, Anu will guide you step by step to ensure everyone understands the subject. You can ask her anything without feeling embarrassed or judged.”
“She is truly passionate about her work, which shows in every lesson. Her positive attitude is contagious, and she always encourages and motivates us.”
“What’s especially great is how she brings accounting to life and makes it interesting. Sometimes she gets so excited about a topic that she passionately dives into it mid-lesson. This makes her classes dynamic and engaging, and sparks our interest in new ways. Her humor, encouraging approach, and genuine presence make her a teacher who truly deserves recognition. She doesn’t just teach – she inspires.”
Markku Mikkonen
“Markku is always ready to help and supports us in our own projects. He’s always around at the school and puts in a lot of work. The biggest impression he made on me was during the woodworking course he organized in the fall. It was one of the best courses I’ve taken during my studies, and I’m grateful that Markku made it possible.”
“Markku Mikkonen has proven to me time and time again that he puts his students first. He is always open to questions, keeping an open mind, and is always ready to voice his concerns regarding the well being and safety of students whether it’s operating woodworking machinery, answering questions about studies or teaching material. His style of teaching creates an open and comfortable atmosphere in learning while maintaining the attention of the students. Although at the current moment I no longer have classes with Markku I continue to rely on him during my studies”
“Since the start that I’ve been here at HAMK, Markku has been helpful for my studies with his guidance. Not only during school hours, if I ask him something after school hours, he is still helping me and many other students with our questions and problems. Markku makes the Design Factory a very welcoming and open space to study, relax and work on our projects.”
The Student Union of Häme University of Applied Sciences congratulates all award recipients!