Dr. Sharon Franklin-Rahkonen Named New Council Chair of the Finnish Council in America at Finlandia University

Doctor Sharon Franklin-Rahkonen has been named the new council chair for the Finnish Council of America at Finlandia University. She takes over the role from previous chair John Niska. Franklin-Rahkonen has sat on the Finnish Council of America for many years, serving as secretary of the executive committee. She says that she hopes to continue assisting Finlandia University and the Finnish American Heritage Center with the Finnish cultural festival planning, education opportunities and programming at the Finnish American Folk School. She earned her PhD from Indiana University, specializing in Finnish history. Franklin-Rahkonen retired from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2021, where she had taught Russian history, Scandinavian history, and secondary social studies education courses as an associate professor.