Candidate for OLL’s board: Martta Sopanen, HYY

Martta Sopanen is a student at the University of Helsinki in the Master’s Programme in Translational Medicine. As a member of the student union board, she is responsible for communications, sustainable development, environment, and sports. She also works as an entrepreneur and group exercise instructor.

Which position are you running for at OLL, and why?

I am running for president.

I am applying to the OLL board because I want to promote students’ overall wellbeing through physical activity. My expertise, both from my studies and work, lies strongly in the areas of wellbeing, health, and exercise.

I am applying for the president because I am genuinely interested in leadership. I have experience in leadership roles, and through my studies and work I have developed excellent abilities to work goal-orientedly, listen to different perspectives, and inspire others toward a shared objective.

Can you tell us up to three of your key goals for OLL’s board?

1. Lead proactively and communicate openly: I want to promote workplace wellbeing through systematic and proactive leadership, where clear communication and a shared direction are central.

2. Strengthen cooperation between stakeholders: Increasing physical activity requires collaboration between universities, healthcare, organizations, and students. I want to build bridges between different actors.

3. Increase OLL’s impact and visibility: My goal is to raise awareness of OLL’s work within higher education communities and strengthen the organization’s advocacy and credibility among decision-makers.

How have you promoted university sports, and what other skills and experience would you bring to OLL?

At the moment, I am designing a “Finland in Motion” project application, which aims to integrate physical activity into students’ daily academic life. I also actively advocate for lecture breaks and more flexible course completion options to make more room for movement and adaptability.

I have been instructing exercise since the age of 15, and promoting physical activity has been a central part of both my work and studies. As a student of translational medicine, I have a strong understanding of the connection between health and physical activity. My master’s thesis focuses on MS rehabilitation, using the theory of value co-creation. This has many similarities with promoting physical activity, further deepening my expertise in the field.

I have served on the student union board and collaborated with various student and university organizations, so I am well familiar with the realities of the higher education sector. In addition, I have leadership experience from event production and managing large teams, which provides a strong foundation for working purposefully also on the OLL board.