The Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) alumni running community under Kagama Lari Untuk Berbagi (KLUB) has donated a total of Rp500,202,576 to support UGM scholarships for students affected by disasters in Sumatra, the Regular UGM Scholarship Program, and the UGM Endowment Fund. The donation was raised through the UGM Ultra 76K Charity Run 2025, held as part of the 76th Anniversary of Universitas Gadjah Mada.
The donation was symbolically handed over by the Chair of the UGM Trail Run 2025 Organizing Committee, Budi Susila, and received by the Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, Dr. Arie Sujito. The audience and handover ceremony took place at the UGM Rector’s Office on Thursday (Jan. 22).
The distribution of the donated funds has been entrusted to Universitas Gadjah Mada through Sahabat UGM (www.sahabat.ugm.ac.id), the university’s official philanthropic platform designed to facilitate participation from members of the academic community, alumni, partners, and the public in supporting the implementation of the university’s tridharma.
The use of this platform aligns with UGM’s efforts to strengthen a culture of philanthropy and ensure the sustainability of higher education funding.
Budi Susila expressed his gratitude for the successful organization of the UGM Ultra 76K Charity Run 2025, which was held to enliven the series of activities commemorating UGM’s 76th anniversary.
According to him, participation in this sport-and-donation initiative has increased significantly each year.
“Last year, the increase was three to four times compared to the previous year, both in terms of funds collected and the number of runners,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of close collaboration with the university leadership to continue mobilizing funds to support students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Without strong collaboration, this event would not be possible. We continue to invite alumni and the wider community who share a passion for running to take part,” he added.
Susila noted that when the UGM Ultra Charity Run was first launched, it attracted fewer than 100 participants. However, by 2025, each event recorded an average of thousands of runners.
In terms of donations, funds collected increased from Rp170 million in the previous year to Rp500 million in 2025.
“We are truly grateful, especially considering that the preparation time was very limited, less than a month, only about three weeks. Hopefully, in 2026, we can organize the event again with longer and more thorough preparation, so that we can reach our shared goal of raising Rp1 billion,” Susila said.
Dr. Arie Sujito conveyed his appreciation to the management of Kagama Lari Untuk Berbagi (KLUB). He highlighted that the alumni community has successfully fostered a strong spirit of partnership and humanitarian concern.
“After participating in the Kagama run, I found that its spirit lies in promoting health while simultaneously encouraging giving. We are grateful that this time Rp500 million has been collected,” he said.
According to Dr. Sujito, UGM is currently supporting the continuity of studies for students from underprivileged families and those affected by disasters. Assistance is provided not only in the form of financial aid but also through bicycles and laptops for students affected by the disasters in Sumatra.
“UGM continues to work hard to secure funding for tuition fees for students affected by disasters. There are around 200 students impacted, and we are making efforts to ease their burden,” he explained.
He further stated that UGM is ready to fully support the organization of the UGM Ultra Charity Run 2026 to expand its reach.
“We are prepared to assist with permits, promotion among students, and even provide temporary secretariat space if needed,” he added.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian