Alumni Profile: Gennady Kurushin
Graphic & Web Designer, Entrepreneur, Cobalt Studio
Gennady Kurushin is a graphic & web designer and entrepreneur providing a wide range of services and digital marketing consultancy.
I remember working on a bouncy bus between Bosnia and Serbia, lobbies in Tokyo business hotels, a northernmost library in Svalbard.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are you?
My name is Gennady Kurushin. Since I moved from Russia to study at Åbo Akademi University in 2012 I have become a Finnish citizen and changed my career path to work in the digital sector. At the moment I’m working with a number of Finnish companies and non-profit organizations, helping them to build their digital presence. I’m passionate about collaborating with others, travelling and photography. I had a personal photo exhibition at Helsinki City Hall in 2017 and in 2019 a full-length documentary film that we produced together with my colleague premiered in Helsinki.
What subjects did you study? And when?
In Åbo Akademi University I have completed a Master’s degree in Electronic and Mobile Commerce, major in Information Systems. My studies took place during 9/2012 – 6/2014. Earlier I did a degree in Management that was an equivalent to a Master’s degree at Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics. I have completed both degrees with honours.
What made you choose Finland and Åbo Akademi University when there are so many other great countries and universities in the world?
I have visited Finland many times during my childhood and I was really excited when I learnt, that it’s possible to study in Finland and get to closely experience local culture and lifestyle. I have been admitted to two Finnish universities, but I found the program offered by Åbo Akademi very interesting and innovative, so I didn’t have any doubts about my choice.
Where have your studies taken you? What are you working with now and how did you get there?
Studies at Åbo Akademi had a strong impact on my career! Prior to moving to Finland, I was working in traditional marketing and analytics sector. During my studies, I became very interested in digital technologies! I worked with several tech startups in Helsinki and gradually started to develop my own business, providing a wide range of services and digital marketing consultancy. My new workstyle allows me to participate in diverse projects, help other organizations and travel freely.
This sounds very interesting. Is there such a thing as a typical day at work and what could it look like for you?
Most of my work is done remotely, so typically it’s just me and my laptop. With the help of modern communication and project management tools, location or time don’t matter. I just need to make sure there is an internet connection. I remember working on a bouncy bus between Bosnia and Serbia, lobbies of Tokyo business hotels, a northernmost library located in Svalbard. Another aspect of being self-employed is irregular working hours. Some months I might be doing work nonstop without weekends, but sometimes my schedule would be relaxed so I could spend extra free time learning something.
How do you remember your time at Åbo Akademi? Is there any special memory you would like to share with us?
I have a lot of good memories of time spent at Åbo Akademi and Turku! Studying together with classmates from all over the world was one of the best experiences I had in my life. I was very happy to join Åbo Akademi photo club Pictura as one of the organizers. If I need to name only one thing, that is special about Åbo Akademi, it is professors who made our learning process engaging and enjoyable. I especially would like to thank my thesis supervisor Christer Carlsson and Eija Karsten who made us feel welcomed at the university from the very first day and always helped with advice!
Do you have a message for today’s students, or perhaps for someone planning to study abroad?
Probably the best choice you can make!