The Åbo Akademi University Foundation awards this year’s Ralf Törngren Prize to Social Sciences graduate Nicolina Nordman. The prize is awarded to a student or employee at Åbo Akademi University who, alongside their studies or work, has made an important contribution to the development of Åbo Akademi University or Åbo Akademi University’s Student Union. The prize is worth 7,000 euros.

Nicolina Nordman (born in Kristinestad in 1998) began studying for a bachelor’s degree in social sciences at Åbo Akademi University in 2017. Nordman has had many irons in the fire throughout her student days, including chairing the faculty association for Social Sciences students (SF-klubben), and being both a member of the Council and Chair of the Executive Board of the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University. Student wellbeing and the lives of students at the university are close to her heart.  

“What drives me to work on these issues is the people who came before me and the work they did, which inspired me to follow in their footsteps and work for a better tomorrow, and to make the work of the Student Union more visible. Working together, you can achieve much more. It feels amazing to be recognised in this way for the work I’ve done. There are so many students who do so much for their student associations and the Student Union, so I’m very humble about being awarded the prize,” says Nordman. 

Nordman was nominated for the Ralf Törngren Prize by three different bodies: the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University, the Rector of Åbo Akademi University and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Business and Economics, and Law. The Board of the Åbo Akademi University Foundation selects the winner of the Ralf Törngren Prize from among the nominees. Several of the nominations emphasised Nordman’s commitment to the wellbeing, financial situation and gender equality of students and staff alike.  

“Both at national level and locally, Nordman has engaged with everything from the Government’s cuts to Åbo Akademi University’s property plans. She has been an active spokesperson for students, the Student Union and the University itself, especially on wellbeing and gender equality issues. In her work for the Student Union, she was an excellent leader, who especially emphasised the importance of work being done with joy and a sense of humour, and worked for a sensible work-leisure balance,” says Malin Brännback, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Business and Economics, and Law at Åbo Akademi University. 

A new element this year is that a Prize Committee has been set up to work on the prize process and make a recommendation to the Board. The Prize Committee for 2024 comprised members of the Åbo Akademi University Foundation’s Delegation, Master of Social Sciences Riina Forsman, Professor Jorma Mattinen and Master of Laws Astrid Thors, who unanimously recommended Nordman.  

Rector Mikael Lindfelt also highlighted Nordman’s leadership skills in his nomination.  

“Nicolina Nordman has natural leadership skills, which can be summed up as clarity and the ability to delegate responsibility and encourage initiative, while she herself is capable of being solution-oriented in a constructive way, always encouraging and positive,” says Åbo Akademi University’s Rector Mikael Lindfelt.  

If all goes as planned, Norman will complete her Master’s in Social Sciences before the summer. She has recently moved to Helsinki and started a job as parliamentary assistant for Member of the Finnish Parliament Sandra Bergqvist.  

The Ralf Törngren Prize was awarded at the spring meeting of the Delegation of the Åbo Akademi University Foundation in Turku at 5 pm on 7 May.  

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The Ralf Törngren Prize was inaugurated by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation in 2001 to honour the work done by Ralf Törngren for the Foundation, Åbo Akademi University and its Student Union. Ralf Törngren (1899–1961) was treasurer of the Åbo Akademi University Foundation from 1931 to 1948 and was also Member of the Finnish Parliament for the Swedish People’s Party. Throughout his political career, he held the posts of Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Prime Minister and Party Chairman. He also taught economics, was awarded an honorary doctorate from the School of Business and Economics at Åbo Akademi University and was active in local politics in Turku. 

Further information:  
Nicolina Nordman  
Phone. 040 5140508 
E-mail: nicolina.nordman@gmail.com