Active UT role models have been selected

Nine University of Tartu employees and students have been selected to take part in all events of the Tartu Maraton series in 2027 and share their journey with the university community. The role models – Arabella Petmanson, Lilian Kreevald, Tuuli Trikkant, Yaroslav Opanasenko, Mariana Kukk, Triin Gede, Renee Stamberg, Maria Sarv and Margus Pedaste – will show, through their experiences, how to start and maintain a regular exercise routine. The aim of sharing their journeys is to inspire other university members to be more active and demonstrate that you do not need to be an experienced athlete to do so.

Interest in joining the UT Active role model programme was high. A total of 64 people applied to the programme, including 43 students and 21 university staff members. The applicants were very different: some have been physically active for many years, while others are looking to take their first steps towards a more active lifestyle. The selection process was not easy, as many candidates shared interesting, personal and inspiring stories, and showed a genuine desire to encourage others to become more active. This is why we decided to include nine role models in the programme instead of the six originally planned.

Kstina Noormets, Director of Administration at the University of Tartu, is pleased that so many different people applied to the Active UT role model programme. Their stories and motivations reflect the diversity of people’s physical activity journeys. “What stood out when getting to know the candidates was their desire to represent the University of Tartu and to inspire other students and employees. I hope that the role models’ experiences and journeys will give others the confidence to become active in a way that suits them and brings them joy,” said Noormets.

Meet the role models

The selected role models include both students and staff members.

Arabella Petmanson, a student of Special Education and Speech Therapy, applied to the programme together with Lilian Kreevald, a master’s student of Journalism and Communication. Their joint application video stood out for its genuine and engaging approach. Together, they will also prepare for the 2027 Tartu Maraton events, sharing the joys of training and the challenges of the course.

Tuuli Trikkant is the Head of the Department of Preservation and Conservation at the University of Tartu Library. Although she does not consider herself an elite athlete, physical activity plays an important role in her life, offering a chance to leave everyday worries behind and focus on herself. By preparing for the Tartu Maraton events, Trikkant hopes to challenge herself and gain new experiences.

Yaroslav Opanasenko, Junior Research Fellow in Educational Science, caught the committee’s attention with his professional application video. As an Active UT role model, Opanasenko has clear goals he hopes to achieve. It will be interesting to follow his progress as he works towards his goals.

Mariana Kukk is the Head of Marketing and Communication at the Institute of Technology. She has taken part in Tartu Maraton events before, so she already knows what lies ahead. Besides inspiring others, Kukk has a natural ability to motivate and bring people along, and she hopes to encourage as many university members as possible to get active together.

Triin Gede is a Projects Coordinator of the Faculty of Medicine. She inherited her passion for sport from her father and has a talent for passing the enthusiasm on to others. As Gede lives and works in Tallinn, she hopes to encourage the University of Tartu staff and students based in the capital city to become more physically active and to join in shared activities.

Renee Stamberg, a student of Philosophy in Practice, has participated in a variety of sports over the years and believes the events in the Tartu Maraton series suit him well. To share the enjoyment of being active with others, he hopes to organise some group activities to bring people together through exercise.

Maria Sarv is a System Analyst in the Information Technology Office. She caught the committee’s eye with her view that physical activity should be enjoyable, regardless of the goal or distance. Maria’s get-things-done attitude stands out: rather than overthinking, she is ready to take action and bring others along. This is precisely the kind of drive and enthusiasm needed to inspire the university members to get active together.

Margus Pedaste is the Head of the Institute of Education. He promotes a culture of physical activity and wellbeing every day through his work and leadership decisions. As an Active UT role model, he can share his own experiences to inspire others to find the time and opportunities to be physically active.

Now individual work begins with the selected role models, who first prepare for the Tartu Marathon in February 2027 and then for subsequent events in the Tartu Maraton series. Their progress can be followed on the social media channels of the University of Tartu and the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club.

We are grateful to everyone who applied to the Active UT role model programme and shared their story. Although the programme is limited to nine participants, every one of us can enjoy being active and inspire others to do the same. All university members are welcome to take part in Tartu Maraton events and other physical activity initiatives.

Enjoy being active! You don’t need to be an elite athlete to set an example. Taking the first step yourself and encouraging others to join in is enough.

Read more about the programme on the University of Tartu webpage.