(Inspirational Story) Surabaya – Becoming an outstanding student and completing her studies in 3.5 years with cum laude at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga (FEB UNAIR) is no easy feat. Widya Andika, a 2021 graduate of the Accounting Study Program, proved that perseverance and good time management can lead to this achievement.
This woman from Surabaya admitted to feeling a mixture of happiness and sadness after officially receiving her bachelor's degree.
"I'm so happy to graduate early and with cum laude, but I'm also sad that I can no longer experience learning and the campus atmosphere," she said. Nevertheless, Widya emphasized the importance of continuing to learn, even if she's no longer in college.
Outstanding Students of FEB UNAIR
During college, Widya was active in various academic and non-academic activities, such as organizations, competitions, and scholarships. The key lies in structured planning from the beginning of her studies.
"Semester 1 focuses on adapting to college, semesters 2–3 start joining campus organizations, semesters 4–5 are active in international organizations, and semester 5 and beyond focus on participating in various competitions," he explained. Entering semester 6, Widya began building experience in the professional world through an internship program while also participating in scholarship selection.
Her hard work paid off. She successfully secured two prestigious scholarships. First, a scholarship from Bank Indonesia through the GENBI (New Generation of Indonesia) program in her fourth semester. Then, in her sixth semester, she was again selected as a recipient of the Early Recruitment Program from Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), which not only provided financial support but also the opportunity to become a Management Trainee upon graduation.
Widya shares tips for passing the selection for prestigious scholarships.
"For the GENBI scholarship, create a strong motivation letter and complete the core requirements, such as a TOEFL score above 450, a strong GPA, and other required documents. Meanwhile, for the BNI ERP scholarship, prospective awardees need to broaden their knowledge of banking, as there will be two major selection stages, encompassing approximately six stages: the scholarship selection and the Management Trainee selection," he said.
Winning 30 Business Plan Competitions
One of Widya's greatest achievements was winning over 30 business plan during her time at university. However, the road to this success wasn't always smooth.
"At first, I didn't win right away. But after repeated evaluations, I finally found a turning point and started participating in 3-5 competitions at once. From there, I got used to it and discovered a trick to consistently win, even if I had to present alone," he recalled.
Widya's most memorable experience was participating in the Business Plan at Diponegoro University. The competition honed her public speaking and problem-solving , helping her face various questions from the judges. Although she didn't win the grand prize, she was selected as Best Speaker thanks to her impressive presentation.
"It was a very memorable experience because I learned to manage my nervousness, build my confidence, and hone my problem-solving skills in uncomfortable situations," he added.
Message for Students
Closing her story, Widya advised students not to hesitate to try various opportunities during college.
"Just try everything you can. Focus on yourself, don't compare yourself to others' achievements, manage your time well, and plan for the future. Most importantly, don't waste your time in college, because those 3.5 years can determine who you will become in the future," he concluded.
Author: Siti Naura Rahadatul Aisy (E-Radio FEB UNAIR)