Shareent Violent Kusuma Ayu Wardhani’s long-held hope of studying at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) was finally realized on Tuesday, 18 March 2025, when she was officially admitted as a new student at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM) for the 2025 academic year through the academic excellence-based entrance selection (SNBP).
With visible relief, Shareent expressed her joy at being able to dedicate this achievement to her mother, Ekowati Susilo Ningsih (47), a single parent who has raised her and supported the family.
“My mother has been a strong supporter of my dream to pursue higher education. She always prays for me and encourages me to keep going,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes.
Since junior high school, Shareent and her two older siblings have been living without their father, following their parents’ separation.
Her mother worked tirelessly to raise all three children, taking on any job she could, including helping neighbors sell chicken porridge.
The youngest of the three siblings, she has always had a strong desire to learn.
At every level of her education, she earned recognition as a diligent and high-achieving student.
Her various academic accomplishments consistently paved the way for quality education.
Her achievements in elementary school helped her gain admission to junior high school through a merit pathway, where she also received a scholarship.
The same happened when she enrolled at SMA Negeri 5 Surabaya.
Even with her academic commitments, she actively participated in various school activities, including joining the Paskibraka (National Flag Hoisting Troop) and the OSIS (Student Council).
Rather than dwelling on the sadness of her parents’ separation, Shareent set her focus in high school on graduating and continuing to college.
She made it her goal to improve her grades every semester and rank high in her class, hoping this would increase her chances of being accepted into university without an entrance test.
And indeed, Shareent was admitted into the Management Program at FEB UGM.
As a recipient of the 100% subsidized tuition fee (UKT Pendidikan Unggul scholarship), she was overjoyed to learn she would be exempt from tuition fees throughout her studies.
“This is such wonderful news for my mother. I had been worried about burdening her financially,” she shared.
Choosing the Management Program as her first choice was not without reason.
Shareent has had a deep interest in economics since the tenth grade and aspires to become a successful entrepreneur.
Despite her outstanding performance, she admitted she doesn’t use any special tricks for studying. To her, consistency is the key.
“Set aside 2 to 3 hours each day to review lessons from school. That’s what works for me, but everyone learns differently,” she explained.
Now waiting for the new semester to begin, Shareent is preparing herself to live independently, far from her family.
She is determined not to waste the opportunity she has received, viewing it as a gateway to a brighter future.
“It won’t be easy, but I have to learn to be independent, manage my time well, and adapt to new surroundings and a different learning environment,” she said.
Ekowati Susilo Ningsih couldn’t hide her happiness.
For her, Shareent’s acceptance into UGM is a blessing.
“I’m so proud. I’ve always hoped Shareent could pursue higher education, even beyond what I could achieve as a high school graduate. As a parent, I only wish she could study smoothly and successfully,” she said.
Reporter: FEB UGM/Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna