Love’s Nurani Hasan (19) beamed joy upon being accepted into the Accounting program at the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM). She was admitted as a new student for the 2024 academic year through the academic excellence-based entrance selection (SNBP) pathway.
UGM granted her a 100% tuition fee subsidy, which will exempt her from paying educational costs until graduation. Love’s Nurani Hasan was pleased, as she had pinned her hopes on her future in this program.
“This has been my dream since high school, to study Accounting at FEB UGM,” she admitted.
Studying at SMA Negeri 1 Probolinggo, Love’s boasts numerous academics and extracurricular achievements. She recently won second place in the National Accounting Competition at the Gadjah Mada Accounting Days 2023, which solidified her choice of the Accounting program at FEB UGM.
Her determination to excel stems from her desire to fulfill her ambitions, especially given her family’s modest economic background. This drives her to study hard and excel.
“I’ve wanted to go to college since middle school, but I was hesitant due to my family’s financial limitations,” she said during an interview on Friday (Jun. 14).
Love’s is the youngest of two siblings born to Yuli Nur Hasan (53) and Eny Rosida (52). She grew up in a small town in Kanigaran Village, Probolinggo Regency, East Java.
The family’s financial situation used to be stable until her parents had an accident in 2017, which changed everything. Her father sustained permanent injuries and was diagnosed with diabetes, making him unable to work.
“My mother became the breadwinner, selling pecel (an Indonesian vegetable salad dish with a peanut sauce dressing) spices and taking orders for rempeyek (a savory Indonesian deep-fried cracker) from neighbors. The income was just enough to meet our daily needs,” Love’s recounted.
Struggling in such circumstances, Love’s revealed that her family’s economic condition drastically declined, forcing them to sell assets to survive. This hardship taught her to be independent.
“I tried to meet my own needs as much as possible and was grateful when I could also help my parents. Since elementary school, I sold bags, stickers, face masks, accessories, and veils,” she shared.
Love’s continued these side businesses until her high school education ended. She had to stop, not because of a lack of interest but because of low demand.
Her strong desire to continue her education after high school led her to reassure her parents that she would strive to cover her college expenses independently.
“I got used to fighting for my dreams and continued to work towards them. I even worked as a shop assistant and a live host for an online shop,” she said.
Balancing study and work forced Love’s to manage her time well. She has consistently achieved top academic rankings since elementary school. In her primary education, she completed the highest average national exam score in Probolinggo City. In middle school, she won the Probolinggo City Best Student Competition for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.
Among her other accolades, she won third place in the Probolinggo City Essay Writing Competition and published a novel titled “Love Yourself” in 2019. Her achievements continued in high school, with first place in the Islamic Music Competition and third place in the City-level National Science Olympiad (OSN) in Economics.
She also won first place in the Sharia Economic Competition, first in the National-level Accounting Olympiad at Widyagama University, second in the National Accounting Competition at the Gadjah Mada Accounting Days, and third in the National Economics Olympiad at Jember University.
“Every time I won a prize from competitions, I always saved some to buy household necessities,” she added.
Her teachers at SMA Negeri 1 Probolinggo encouraged Love’s to pursue higher education, strengthening her resolve to chase her dreams. Initially hesitant to express her desire to attend college due to financial concerns, Love’s finally consulted with the school committee chair, who supported her aspiration.
“I finally gathered the courage to tell my parents about my college dream. Contrary to my fears, they fully supported my decision,” she explained.
Love’s is immensely grateful to her mother, who continuously motivated her. Her mother’s encouragement helped her persevere despite naysayers doubting her ambitions due to her family’s financial status.
Her mother’s determination is vividly remembered, particularly when Love’s had to attend an olympiad in heavy rain. Without a raincoat, umbrella, or money for a ride, her mother ran to borrow a raincoat from neighbors.
Love’s fulfilled her promise, confidently telling others she would attend UGM. Diligent study, consistent achievements, and prayers backed her confidence.
“I’m proud, touched, and happy all at once. It’s hard to express in words. Sometimes, I still can’t believe I’ve reached this point,” Love’s said.
Despite the hardships, Love’s urges others in similar situations to never lose hope, believing everyone has the same chance to achieve their dreams.
“Work hard, strive for the best, believe in your dreams, and always pray. Never give up because the obstacles we encounter will be beautiful when we reach our goals,” Love’s advised.
Her mother, Eny Rosida, expressed immense pride and joy that Love’s was accepted into UGM with a full scholarship. She feels it is a miracle that their dream has come true. Regardless of the difficulties, they always support their daughter’s education.
“No matter how tough it gets, we will support our daughter in achieving her dreams. We hope Love’s can succeed, elevate our family’s status, and benefit those around her. We wish she becomes an inspiring woman who fears and believes in God,” said Rosida.
Reportage and photo: FEB UGM/Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
Editor: Agung Nugroho