Class V (2007-2008)

Sponsor Club: Leppävirta, District 1430 Finland

Ville was once a member of Finnish Rapid Deployment Force; a special military unit tailor-made for international crisis management. Ville has international work experience from Kosovo, Egypt and Cambodia. He has a master’s degree on social sciences from the University of Kuopio, Finland, where his studies incorporated a year of university studies in the University of Minnesota, USA.

In his previous studies, Ville has concentrated on social policy planning, and particularly in easing the life of individuals in the biggest need. In his thesis at University of Kuopio, Ville explored the definition and measurements of poverty. At UQ, he has just finished his thesis investigating UN peacekeeping blunders of the 1990s.

After graduating, Ville hopes to work within social justice issues either in Finland or abroad. As a Finn, Ville is naturally a keen follower of Ice-hockey and F1, but the time in Australia has made him a big NRL fan. He’ll certainly miss Friday Night Football back home. Ville would like to thank all the Rotarians in Australia, as well as in Finland for the chance to take part in the Rotary’s innovative study-program. Ville thanks also his home team; his dearly loved wife Liisa and his son Luukas for their continuing support.