Professor Andrew Nestingen and Acting Instructor of Finnish Anna-Maria Peltomäki had the privilege to meet with Finland's President Sauli Niinistö during his visit to Washington state on March 6, 2023. The purpose of Niinistö's visit was to address the Washington State Legislature and heighten awareness of a Memorandum of Understanding between Washington State and the government of Finland, which enhances technological, environmental, and social exchange. Nestingen and Peltomäki told the president about a long-standing model of such cooperation, the jointly funded Acting Instructorship of Finnish in the Department of Scandinavian Studies. The position is funded in half by Finland's National Agency for Higher Education and half by UW's College of Arts & Sciences. It was established in 1996. Finnish major alums have gone on to noteworthy careers in academia, translation, and architecture, among others. As interest in Finland increases, the linguistic and cultural expertise our students learn in our Finnish program make them true bridge builders and leaders, as proven by the career contributions they have made.