Indonesia
The hall of Building B at the Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS), Universitas Brawijaya (UB), was filled with joy and melancholy as 109 students prepared to attend graduation day on Friday (30/06/2024). The ceremony began energetically with the singing of the national anthem “Indonesia Raya,” followed by the FCS anthem as a symbol of pride.
The Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Sahiruddin, M.A., Ph.D., reported the number of graduates and their graduation honours. Certificates of appreciation were then given to outstanding students from the last two graduation periods. In period 19, Cahyani Ilma from the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Programme was the best graduate with a GPA of 3.98, while Zulfa Ghefira Azzahra from the English Literature Study Programme obtained a GPA of 3.97 as the best graduate of period 20.
The event continued with the awarding of medals to student representatives from each study programme by the FCS UB Study Programme Coordinator.
The Dean of FCS UB, Hamamah, S.Pd., Ph.D., gave a heartfelt address and motivational speech. She congratulated the students on their achievements and reminded them that graduation is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new chapter as educated individuals ready to return to society.
“You must always remember to serve the community. You return to society to devote yourselves, to apply the knowledge you have gained for the welfare of society. So, the work you do is for the greater good,” Hamamah said.
Hamamah hoped that the graduates would continue to uphold the good name of themselves, their families, and their UB alma mater. She also emphasised that the graduates must remain creative and innovative individuals who can contribute to solving societal problems. Before concluding her speech, she expressed her gratitude and apologised for any shortcomings that may have occurred during their studies.
Next, Cahyani Ilma, as a representative of the best graduates, delivered a message and shared her impressions. She invited fellow graduates to remember the struggles they had gone through to reach this point.
“While studying at FCS UB, we all learned one thing for sure: our quality as individuals is formed through a journey that is not easy and very tiring. We realised that during our studies, we did not only gain knowledge but also a lot of experiences and life lessons,” Cahyani said.
She then thanked all the leaders, lecturers, and education staff at FCS UB for their support and guidance. Cahyani also expressed her gratitude to her friends for the shared experiences and camaraderie.
“Every meeting will encounter a goodbye. Let us remember fondly every corner of Malang City where we have lived. Today is not the last day of our struggle. This is the gate to a long journey that may be much more tiring. Let’s create our own version of the best life story,” she concluded.
The event was then closed with a joint prayer, where all present united their hearts in gratitude and hope for the success of the graduates. [trans.acl/ed.al/vidya/PR FCS]