Having parents or loved ones present at graduation is one of life’s most cherished moments. But for Rizki Oktavianto (25), that joy was accompanied by profound sorrow.
While his classmates in the Master of Accounting Science Program at the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM) celebrated alongside their families, Oktavianto stood alone.
Just a week before the ceremony, his beloved mother, Jariyah, passed away.
With a mixture of pride and grief, Oktavianto found the strength to step onto the stage and deliver a graduation speech as the top graduate of the Master of Accounting Science Program.
Speaking with a trembling voice and tear-filled eyes, he shared the pain of losing the person who had supported him unconditionally throughout his academic journey.
“It’s so painful to remember my mother. She always kept me going,” he said on Wednesday, Apr. 23, 2025, at FEB UGM.
Now honored as the best graduate with a GPA of 3.97, having completed his studies in just one year, five months, and eight days, Oktavianto credits the achievement to his mother’s unwavering support.
“My mother always encouraged me to keep learning and prayed for the best,” he said.
Oktavianto recalled his happiest moment with his mother on Jan. 23, 2025, the day he passed his thesis defense.
From that moment, she began preparing for the graduation ceremony, even buying a new outfit and handbag.
She also hoped to personally thank his thesis advisor, Professor Sony Warsono.
But fate had other plans.
On the final day of Ramadan 1446 H, his mother passed away, 20 years after his father’s death.
As an only child, the loss left Oktavianto especially devastated.
“It’s heartbreaking to lose the two people I loved most in my life,” he said.
Amid deep mourning, Oktavianto tried to gather new strength.
To him, perhaps his mother chose to pray for him from a place closer to God. He believes she was present in spirit on his graduation day.
“Alhamdulillah, Mom, your son Rizki Oktavianto is now officially an M.Sc.,” he said, holding back tears.
Oktavianto closed his remarks with a Javanese verse in tribute to his mother:
“Suwun ngancani, suwun sampun nyekseni padange dalan sing tak liwati. Pencapaian iki, ibuk sing ndongani.”
(“Thank you for walking with me. Thank you for witnessing the light on my path. This achievement is the fruit of your prayers.”)
Now officially holding a master’s degree, Oktavianto believes the title is both a gift and a responsibility.
He emphasized that every graduate should embody three core values: gratitude for the degree, a commitment to applying their skills to share knowledge, and a drive to contribute meaningfully to society.
“Success is when we become people who benefit and inspire others, even through small steps,” he said.
Reporters: FEB UGM/Shofi Hawa Anjani & Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna