Losing his father was the hardest moment for Deni Maulana when he was still in senior high school five years ago. The youngest of three siblings from Cianjur, he once worried about his future education. His father worked as a seasonal farm laborer, while his mother had been working as a migrant worker in Jordan since he was six years old. Fortunately, he had a mother who always motivated him to pursue his dream of continuing his studies at university.
Deni’s childhood was not like that of most children. He did not even have the opportunity to attend kindergarten due to his family’s financial constraints. When he entered elementary school, his mother had already departed for Jordan as a migrant worker, leaving him behind to ensure the family’s needs were met.
His parents only completed elementary school. However, this limitation became Deni’s greatest motivation to go further and elevate his family’s educational level.
One incident remains deeply etched in his memory. When the family was facing financial hardship, his mother secretly sold her favorite ring, the only valuable item they owned, so that Deni could continue attending school and have money for food.
“From that incident I learned that a mother’s love is not always expressed in words, but in sacrifices that are often unseen,” he recalled, Wednesday (May. 6).
Since then, dreams for Deni were no longer merely desires, but responsibilities. His journey to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) began from his passion for literature, which he had nurtured since high school. During his senior high school years, he actively participated in various language and literature competitions, collecting more than 200 awards.
One achievement that changed his life was winning the gold medal at the National Student Arts and Literature Festival (FLS2N) for poetry reading. This accomplishment was one of the key factors in his acceptance into UGM through the National Achievement-Based Selection (SNBP).
“I was accepted to UGM through SNBP. One of the things that helped me get into UGM was winning the gold medal in the national FLS2N poetry reading competition,” he said.
He is currently a sixth-semester student in the Indonesian Language and Literature Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM (FIB UGM), Class of 2023. He is also a recipient of the Indonesia Forward Scholarship (BIM), which supports his studies until graduation.
For Deni, his success today cannot be separated from his mother’s prayers and presence. Since his first semester, Deni chose to invite his mother to live with him in Yogyakarta. Using his scholarship funds, he rented a modest house so he could stay close to her.
This decision was rooted in his childhood experience of being separated from his mother while she worked abroad, as well as the passing of his father in 2021. Since then, he has wanted to bring simple happiness to his mother, accompanying her and being accompanied through every stage of life.
“For me, my mother is everything, the top priority in my life. If someone asks what the key to my success is, even becoming UGM Outstanding Student, my answer is simple: my mother’s prayers,” he said.
UGM Outstanding Student
Becoming an Outstanding Student (Mapres) in 2026 was not a sudden goal for Deni. Since his first semester, he had already prepared himself for the competition.
“The desire to become a Mapres has been there since my first semester. My motivation comes from my background as a farm laborer’s child, with parents who only graduated from elementary school. I want to prove that economic limitations are not a barrier to dreaming big,” he said.
On the other hand, his motivation to compete at the national level was to expand the impact of his social initiatives and to prove that everyone, regardless of background, has equal opportunities.
Over five semesters, Deni consistently built both academic and non-academic achievements. He actively participated in national and international competitions and organizations, engaged in community service and volunteering, became a scholarship mentor, and founded a poetry tutoring class called Puisi Akademia.
For Deni, academic performance was equally important. He consistently maintained a strong GPA throughout his studies at UGM. During his time as a student, he also earned hundreds of awards in both academic and non-academic fields.
“Alhamdulillah, to this day I have achieved more than 150 awards during my time at UGM, both academic and non-academic,” he said.
In addition, he is active as an educational content creator, sharing experiences about university admission and scholarship opportunities. Through this initiative, he even provides free scholarship mentoring classes for hundreds of students.
Deni believes that ability is not innate but formed through small, consistent habits. He believes that everyone can succeed, not because they are extraordinary, but because they do not tire of being consistent. In the Outstanding Student selection process, he submitted 10 top achievements, consisting of six international and four national accomplishments.
Some of his international achievements include Winner of the International Korean Poetry Reading Contest (South Korea, 2025), 1st Place at the International Literature Festival Poetry Reading Competition (Malaysia, 2024), 2nd Place in the International Malay Language Poetry Declamation Competition (2023), and Grand Prize at the South Korea Global Start-Up Idea Competition (South Korea, 2025).
One of his most memorable experiences was competing in South Korea and meeting participants from various countries. Another emotional milestone was being selected as part of Gita Bahana Nusantara of the Republic of Indonesia and being trusted to read poetry at the Independence Concert. According to him, the greatest challenge in becoming a Mapres is maintaining consistency.
“The key to reaching this point is not being the most perfect, but being the most consistent in continuing to move forward,” he said.
Deni’s journey toward achieving his dreams and accomplishments has not always been smooth. As a child, he experienced bullying and was underestimated.
“I was bullied, but I wanted to prove myself and respond with achievements,” he said.
When he first dreamed of studying at UGM, many people doubted him. As a child of a farm laborer, the dream was considered too far-fetched. However, Deni chose to turn limitations into motivation.
“Dreams are never wrong. The only mistake is giving up before trying,” he emphasized.
Closing his story, Deni encouraged students not to feel discouraged by their family background.
“Dreams never discriminate where someone comes from. Believe that what has been destined will not be replaced, and dreams nurtured with patience will find their way to become reality,” he said.
With his motto “Man Jadda Wa Jada,” he also emphasized that sincere effort never betrays results. Throughout his journey, he chose to keep striving, stay consistent, and never give up until his goals were truly achieved.
For Deni, education remains the greatest legacy that can transform the future. His life story today stands as real evidence that the path to dreams can open from anywhere, even from a piece of poetry, a mother’s prayer, and the determination of a farm laborer’s child who refuses to give up.
Author: Astri Wulandari
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian
Photo: Deni Documentation