Hi! My name is Otto Lehto and I have been the KY board member responsible for Culture and New Students during 2025.
At the beginning of last year, applying for the KY Board still felt like a distant idea. However, after spending the year as a KUVA committee member and Event Coordinator of Aalto BT, my desire to contribute to and develop our community kept growing. By fall the role of Culture Responsible on the KY Board felt like a true calling and oh boy, what an interesting and eventful year it has been!
Throughout the year, I’ve had the chance to meet countless wonderful people while working with the KY Office, leading my own committee, and meeting other business students from all over Finland and the Nordics. The year has been filled with traditional events like song nights, KY Annual Ball and organising of the 30th Hukkaputki in beautiful spring weather with KUVA’25. Amongst traditions there is space for changes and new ideas. Due to the unavailability of Kaivohuone, our Wappukuntis and Boston Night were held in new venues. We also strengthened cooperation with AYY’s Community and Teekkari sections, by co-organising our mimosa-filled Sitsiaamu during AYY’s Annual Ball week.
This year has also included plenty of planning for the future, both with the board and within my own sectors. The new KY building, working on the new KY strategy and Probba's future move to the Otaniemi campus have given a lot to think about. How will orientation evolve with even more students arriving in Otaniemi? What role will the new KY building play in shaping our community and our place within Otaniemi? And on what scale should we organize events towards the end of this decade while upholding our traditions?
As the year comes to an end, I can easily say that it has been one of, if not the, best of my life. All the people — both new and familiar — and the experiences I could’ve never dreamed of at the start of the year have made this truly unforgettable. If shaping KY’s cultural direction in the coming years and welcoming over 1,100 new students each year sounds like something for you, applying for the KY Board might just be your next adventure!
Otto Lehto
Culture, New Students
TG otto_lehto
