What began as a search for NMU alumnus Thomas Kinnunen's birth parents quickly turned into an opportunity for international professional development through shared Korean cultural heritage.
Kinnunen BS ’09 was raised in Munising, attended Northern Michigan University, and has been working in local law enforcement since 2008. While he has a long history in the Upper Peninsula, in the last few years, Kinnunen has been seeking out a deeper relationship with his Korean heritage.
Kinnunen was adopted by his family in Munising at just one year old. Without knowing the circumstances of his adoption and with no information regarding his biological family, he knew the search could be a long one. From DNA tests linking him with a near cousin in Indianapolis, to personal research, to going to the Korean Consulate in Chicago, Kinnunen made a wealth of connections in his pursuit.
But this new wide net didn’t just help him get closer to finding family; Kinnunen’s connection with the Korean Consulate led to his nomination to attend the 19th International Korean American Law Enforcement Officers Conference in Seoul, South Korea, put on by the Korean American Law Enforcement Group.
One of six U.S. officers in attendance, Kinnunen was able to meet with officers of Korean heritage from all around the world, including Spain, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Officers at the conference had the opportunity to compare policing practices across cultures and discuss their differing experiences. Attendees were encouraged to share the culture they live and work in, celebrate their cultural diversity and take pride in their shared Korean roots.
“I am so happy to have been nominated and selected to represent the Chicago Korean consulate in South Korea. It’s been an honor and privilege,” Kinnunen said.
The conference provided him with new professional resources and perspectives. It also left him with a deeper tie to Korean culture and practices and new faces to share those experiences with. Kinnunen said he left the conference with new friends, and that the attendees still communicate, even across multiple time zones.
In his search, Kinnunen also developed a relationship with Heejung Park, assistant professor in the College of Business. Park not only helped Kinnunen engage with the campus community and international student population, but became another link in helping him find his biological family. While visiting Korea, Park found the orphanage Kinnunen stayed at as a child, giving Kinnunen the next step in his search.
"I am so happy to have reached out to NMU with the intention to partner as a community service trooper," Kinnunen said, adding that he also received a "bonus nugget" by discovering more information regarding his biological family.
“My different families helped shape me and gave me courage to start my search to find my biological family,” Kinnunen said.
With his affiliations with NMU, MSP’s Asian American/Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group and as an active community member, Kinnunen hopes to continue to share what he learned, create positive change and open up a wide network of relationships, professional and otherwise.
“I love my current community. It’s ever evolving and expanding. I have multiple families that have shaped me and supported me through this journey,” he said. “It takes a village, right?
“So much has come out of just sharing my story,” Kinnunen said, “but the work isn’t done yet.”
