Rankin Inlet (Aug 09/06) - A Rankin Inlet student will be adding a little Finnish flair to her post-secondary education later this month.

Jennifer Oolooyuk, 19, will be heading to the Kemi-Tornio Polytech (University) of Applied Sciences in Finland on Aug. 20 to study business management through the North to North exchange program.

Jennifer Oolooyuk accepts her management studies diploma recently from Nunavut Arctic College president Mac Clendenning, right, and Education Minister Ed Picco at the Kivalliq campus in Rankin Inlet. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Oolooyuk completed her first year of management studies at Nunavut Arctic College's Kivalliq campus in Rankin this past semester.

She became aware of the Finnish program through a brochure posted at the Kivalliq campus. "I became interested right away because of the places the brochure listed I could go ... and the courses I would be able to study while there," says Oolooyuk.

"It sounded like a wonderful opportunity to me and I was the only student from Nunavut to apply."

Oolooyuk, who has been working as a summer student with the Nunavut Development Corp. for the past two months, will spend one semester in Finland and return to Rankin on Dec. 22. This will be her first time travelling outside of Canada, and she admits to being a little apprehensive about the trip.

"I'm feeling kind of scared inside, but I'm really excited, too.

"Linda Pemik (director of academic affairs for Nunavut Arctic College) was at the conference in Ottawa where I was accepted, and she came straight to Rankin and told me the good news in person.

"I don't know how to describe how I was feeling at the time other than to say I was really happy and excited."

Once Oolooyuk completes her Finnish semester, she plans to complete her second year of management studies in Rankin before heading south to continue her post-secondary education in pursuit of a business degree.

She says her family has mixed feelings about her upcoming European journey.

"My mom (Sandra) is really happy about me getting a chance at such a good experience, but my grandmom (Frances) is a little scared about me going so far away from home. She's all ready saying she's missing me and I haven't left Rankin yet."