3 New Students from Frontier, Outermost, and Underdeveloped Areas Share Their Stories of Being Accepted Into UGM

Juan Gilbert Kakorea Dreams of Building North Kalimantan

A young man from Malinau, North Kalimantan, decided to enroll in the UGM Industrial Engineering program through the 3T (Frontier, Outermost, and Underdeveloped Regions) admission program launched by UGM with the goal of building a hydropower plant to sustain life in Nusantara, East Kalimantan, Indonesia’s new capital city.

Juan Gilbert Kakorea is among the many young people who won the fight to get into UGM. He believes that pursuing a career in engineering is the best move he can make to advance his community. 

“My objective is to become an engineer who can use the information I learned at UGM and apply it to everyday life,” Gilbert expressed.

He recalled how delighted he was to get admitted to UGM. He did not expect it.

“I saw the 3T admission program announcement while I was on my way home from taking the national entrance test (SNBT), and I am very grateful to be a UGM student,” he explained.

During high school, Gilbert was a member of school organizations and various committees at his school. He also participated in external organizations that he believed would help him establish connections with important figures in his region. 

“This aligns with my passion for expressing myself by meeting and building good relationships with everyone, which boosts my confidence,” he said. 

“When I first entered UGM and participated in the orientation, I was thrilled to meet great people from all over Indonesia, and I felt proud to carry out an action plan with my new friends,” he added.

On top of aiming to graduate with honors, Gilbert strives to engage in projects and organizations aligned with his passion to gain valuable knowledge for his future. 

“I will try to avoid repeating courses,” he stated. 

“Hopefully, after graduation, I can develop my region so that people in my area can live independently and prosperously, without social inequality. Moreover, people in my region can continue the development planned by our local government,” Gilbert emphasized.

Cece Wins Scholarship From Bengkulu Government to Study at UGM

Cecelia Rianti Monica, usually called Cece, a UGM Communication Science student accepted through the 3T admission program, took a challenging path to study at UGM.

“Many things happened unexpectedly. As a child from a family with limited finances, with my parents earning only Rp400,000/month, I chose a vocational high school because I initially wanted to start working and reduce the burden on my parents,” Cece recounted. 

“At that time, I did not pass the academic excellence selection (SNBP), but because I wanted to study at UGM, I still applied for it through the national test (SNBT),” she said.

“While waiting for the test, I learned about a scholarship for the best Student Council President in Bengkulu Province in collaboration with several universities. Of course, I would not waste this opportunity. I immediately applied and fulfilled all the requirements.”

After passing the initial stage, Cece had to travel to Bengkulu, about 2 hours from her hometown, to undergo further tests. 

“Alhamdulillah, I was selected as one of the top 10 best Student Council Presidents, and I was entitled to a full scholarship,” Cece shared.

Cece still remembers how nervous she was on the 3T admission announcement day. However, her nerves were replaced with excitement when she discovered she had been accepted into the Communication Science program at UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences.

As a representative of her region, Cece aspires to develop the world of videography and filmmaking, especially for children in her hometown who have the desire and potential but have been held back by the lack of facilities and insufficient access. 

Her love for the digital media world, which she focused on through videography, where she created many videos and won competitions, drives her to delve deeper into broadcasting and media and communication patterns between individuals and groups.

The Communication Science program also includes basic political and social sciences, which she finds very useful for developing the leadership skills that she honed as the Student Council President at her school for two consecutive years, earning her the title of Best Student Council President in Bengkulu Province.

“I was moved to be part of UGM. I learned about the uniqueness of each Indonesian region and how to communicate well with people we meet,” she expressed in her experience taking the orientation program.

In the future, Cece is determined to graduate on time and excel in her chosen field. As a student, she also aims to contribute more to UGM by joining student organizations.

Insyirah Qalbunita Rahayan Can’t Believe She’s Now Medical Student at UGM

Insyirah Qalbunita Rahayan was still in shock after being accepted into the UGM Medicine program. 

“Until now, I still can’t believe that I, a child from a remote area, could be accepted at Universitas Gadjah Mada. I am very grateful, proud, and happy,” she said. 

Insyirah was from Southeast Maluku and had dreamed of becoming a doctor since childhood. Considering her region’s severe shortage of doctors and limited job prospects for medical professionals, this motivation drove Caca, Insyirah’s nickname, to take on the challenging UGM entrance selection process.

“At that time, I was on my way to the Aru Islands using sea transportation to take the national entrance test. When the ship docked at the port, I received a notification that I had been qualified for an interview for the 3T admission selection,” she said.

“My interview schedule coincided with the national entrance test schedule.”

Caca felt panic, stress, and uncertainty. However, with the support of her parents, she made a wise decision–to sacrifice one of the two entrance paths and focus on the 3T admission interview.

She used the remaining time to her advantage. Instead of panicking, stressing out, or doubting herself, Caca wisely used the five days before the interview to study and practice her interview skills while preparing herself physically and mentally. 

“The most important thing is not to forget to pray and surrender everything to the Almighty God,” she said.

The results were announced a week after the interview. 

“I was home with my uncle and cousin when I opened the announcement. My parents were out of town. Before opening the results, I prayed: ‘Oh Allah, I surrender everything to You, whatever is best for me. Whatever the result, it’s the best. I submit sincerely, Oh Allah,’” she recalled.

She was declared a medical student at UGM.

“Seeing my name listed as ‘accepted’ in the admission portal felt like a dream.”

Caca was amazed by the UGM orientation program, which she said was exciting and fun.

“Meeting new friends and being in a new environment felt like turning a new page for me. Initially, I was afraid that it would be hard to make friends because I come from a remote area, but according to my friends, it’s unique to be friends with someone from a distant and remote region. There’s no racism or seniority during the orientation and classes,” Caca added.

Looking ahead, Caca hopes to stay on track with her studies and graduate with a GPA above 3. Despite focusing on her studies, she intends to participate in various student organizations.

She was active in non-academic fields such as sports and creative arts during high school. Caca often participated in various competitions, including badminton, short video, and dance competitions. 

This Ambon-born student also hopes that after graduation, she can return to serving as a doctor, contributing her skills as the best graduate to serve the community in Southeast Maluku.

The above stories represent UGM’s commitment to strengthening inclusion on the campus by providing equal access to education for students from 3T regions (Frontier, Outermost, and Underdeveloped) across Indonesia.

Author: Listi