Tears of joy welled up in the eyes of Stanggy Nirwana Putri’s (18) family, a young student from Papua, after she was accepted into the Medicine Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FK-KMK UGM).
Overcoming significant financial challenges, Stanggy is among the students who received a 50% subsidized tuition (UKT) scholarship from Universitas Gadjah Mada to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.
She shared that her ambition to study at UGM began in junior high school. A consistent high achiever, Stanggy ranked first in her class for three consecutive years, an achievement that gave her the confidence to apply to UGM.
“While studying at SMAN 4 Jayapura, I actively participated in various competitions, including Qur’an recitation, the National Science Olympiad (OSN) in Informatics, journalism contests at the National Student Art and Literature Festival (FLS2N), speech competitions, and technology contests, some reaching the provincial level,” she said during an interview at her home on Wednesday (Jul. 30).
Her father, Nuryanto, works as a construction laborer. He migrated to Papua in 2018 after leaving his job as a crew member on a fishing vessel in Denpasar, Bali. Her mother supports the family by selling yellow rice and pecel (a traditional Javanese dish) from a roadside cart.
“At first, I asked Stanggy to consider another major, but she was truly passionate about studying medicine. When I knew she had been accepted to UGM, I was shocked and deeply grateful,” he said.
When the Academic Excellence-Based Entrance Selection (SNBP) results were announced, the family gathered in their rented room. Stanggy waited for her mother to return from work before opening the results. Her mother had been praying and fasting in the days leading up to the announcement.
“When my mother arrived home, we prayed together and opened the announcement as a family. When we saw that I had passed, she immediately burst into tears and hugged me,” Stanggy recalled.
Despite the happiness, the family remained concerned about their financial condition. Nuryanto’s income depended entirely on project-based work, making it uncertain. He admitted to worrying about how they would afford his daughter’s tuition.
Not wanting to add to her parents’ burden, Stanggy searched for information on tuition waivers and scholarships. She successfully secured a 50% UKT subsidy from UGM and received the ADik Scholarship.
Inspired by Dr. Sudanto, MD
Stanggy’s desire to become a medical doctor also grew from her personal experience and surroundings. She often witnessed limited access to healthcare in her community.
She was especially inspired by Dr. Sudanto, a senior UGM alumnus in Abepura known as “Dokter 2000” for his dedication to serving low-income residents. He offers affordable medical services, and patients even come from outside Abepura to seek his care.
“I hope my daughter can help people like Dr. Sudanto. That’s how a doctor should be, serving those in need,” her mother said.
For Stanggy, acceptance into FK-KMK UGM is the result of persistence and determination. Her dream of becoming a doctor has been with her since childhood and continues to drive her, even as a student from a 3T region (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost areas), competing with thousands from across Indonesia.
“My father told me that once I become a doctor, I must serve the community, the nation, and the country. I also hope to help as many people as I can,” she said.
Author: Lintang Andwyna
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Bendina M