Liisa Suvikumpu, from the Helsinki suburb of Käpylä, applied to study history at the University of Helsinki straight from upper secondary school. That was her clear goal, she had no Plan B, but when the acceptance letter came in the post, she still couldn't believe it.

–I was sure there must have been some mistake. After the matriculation examination in the final year of upper secondary school, I had been too tired to revise for the entrance exam. I had also already agreed with my parents about taking a gap year. When I went to the Student Affairs Office and they couldn’t first find my study report book – it had been misfiled – I simply remarked that the mistake must now have been fixed. The clerk gave me a look and dug out my report book from under the letter K (‘Kumpu, Suvi’) and wished me welcome to the University.

Dr Suvikumpu began studying general history in Autumn 1994. In the course of her studies, she picked art history, political science, political history, and Finnish history as her minors. In addition she attended classes in economics and sociology. Her Master’s was completed in five years.

–I have always been keen on doing lots of things. Alongside my studies, I participated with gusto in student life and the activities of Kronos ry, the association of history students. I also worked as guide at the Hvitträsk Museum and the Museum of Finnish Architecture, as well as in various positions at the Academic Bookstore, the Gummerus publishing house, and a Scandinavian logistics company.

Dr Suvikumpu sings the praises of international student exchange. She is still delighted with her year in Italy courtesy of the Erasmus programme.

–A year abroad on your own teaches you humility: you have to survive by yourself, quickly absorb new things and “people” and be eager to network. It’s an investment in yourself. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Alongside my studies I learned Italian, as well as quite a bit of Italian culture.

Dr Suvikumpu completed her Master’s in February 2000. That Spring she had the opportunity to attend a course at the Finnish Institute in Rome, Villa Lante, thanks to a grant.

–The grant was of course of secondary importance, but it did feel awesome that somebody paid me to learn from the most fabulous city in the world and from the best experts. That was also when my love affair with Rome began. You could also say I wouldn’t have my current husband or my current job if I hadn’t been to Rome and to the Villa Lante.

In May 2000, at the age of 25, Liisa Suvikumpu took part in the conferment ceremony of the Faculty of Arts and got to enjoy three days of academic traditions at their finest. But after that, there was nothing. She had graduated straight into unemployment.

–Luckily I didn’t freeze with terror. I went to the School of Economics and Business Administration to take a minor in entrepreneurship. That Autumn I was also accepted for postgraduate studies at the Department of History. Then suddenly one thing led to another and I found myself busy with several consecutive book projects as editor or photo editor.

Dr Suvikumpu was also invited to participate in a project researching the history of the Finnish Institute in Rome. At that point she deliberately set her dissertation aside for a while.