Hello, fellow KY people! My name is Kasper, but you already knew that from the caption, so let's get to business! In this blog post, I’ll try to convince you to seize the opportunity and apply to the KY board, even if you feel scared. I also want to shed light on what my responsibilities have been like for those who aren’t that familiar with how KY works. First, let’s take a trip down memory lane!
When applying to the KY board last year, a lot of thoughts ran through my head. I was excited but equally frightened too. I knew being a part of the KY board would give me the ultimate opportunity to have a lasting impact on the community that means so much to me. On the other hand, I was full of self-doubt about whether I would be good enough and fit for the role – would I thrive or fail miserably? Never would I have guessed how glad I would be to be here writing this blog post one year after having the courage to make the right decision.
And oh boy, what a year it has been! Tough negotiations, routine meetings, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and straight-up clowning around – this past year has had it all! A 'normal' day can start by working on the strategy for the School of Business with the dean and faculty heads, proceed to building new sofas for BMK, and end with attending the annual ball of some other student association. Although every day is unique, some tasks and projects repeat every week or stretch over the whole year.
As Vice Chair, my primary role has been to support the Chair in various capacities. Alongside Tilda, we have attended meetings, planned board activities, and divided tasks in ways that complemented our working styles. We have supported each other when needed, ensuring a smooth workflow. In addition, as Premises Responsible, I have collaborated closely with the KY Foundation and KY’s administrative coordinator to address the community’s premises needs. This year, I have attended numerous meetings and explored options for KY’s new permanent home, which has been both a rewarding and educational experience, allowing me to work with incredible people from KY and the broader Aalto community. As for the finances role, I have overseen how the KY board has managed allocated funds and assisted the Executive Director in planning the next year’s budget. (Shoutout to ChatGPT for summarising this paragraph from my page-long stream of consciousness :D)
What about the insecurities I had prior to this year? Well, I came to realize that my fears and doubts about applying proved to be misplaced. Although I’ve had to take some serious responsibility, I never felt left alone or lost. The KY board (and employees) work together as a team and that team has been top-notch to put it mildly! “Help will always be given at KY to those who ask for it” – Albus KYmbledore, probably.
If you have the attention span of a goldfish (like I do) and still managed to read this far, you’ve probably thought about applying. My only advice is: DO IT. On the KY board, you get to experience more than you could ever imagine, meet people you wouldn’t normally meet, and have a real impact on the future of this great community (and if you think it’s not great yet, you can change that too). You’ll get to spread your wings and have a blast while doing it, and if it all fails, well, it’s not the end of the world – we’re just a student organization after all. Take the leap, you won’t regret it.
If you have any questions about my roles or board work in general, do not hesitate to be in touch!
Kasper Palmqvist
Vice Chair, Premises, Finances
050 412 0947
TG @kasperpalmqvist