Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

Seeing their children achieve the highest levels of education is a dream for almost every parent. This dream is also true for Sindak Manahara Rajaguguk (44) and Tiurma Lumban Raja (37) from Nainggolan Village, Samosir Regency, North Sumatra. They are determined to find ways to send all their children to university and see them graduate from the best campuses in Indonesia.

Now, that dream is becoming a reality. The eldest son of Sindak, Johan Vylvius Rajaguguk (18), has been accepted into Universitas Gadjah Mada without a test through the 2024 Achievement-Based National Selection (SNBP) in the Economics Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB). Johan has also received a 100% subsidized Superior Education Single Tuition Fee (UKT 0) from UGM, freeing him from educational expenses throughout his studies. Additionally, Johan is a strong candidate for the government's Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah (KIP-K) scholarship.

Determined to Provide Education

Sindak is aware that his family is not well-off. He works daily, tending to his parents' rice fields. During the rainy season, he plants rice, and in the dry season, he plants corn. The sales from the harvest are only enough to meet the family's daily needs. Meanwhile, his wife supports the family by selling juice at home. Despite these limitations, they remain determined to send their children to university.

"My wife and I are only middle school graduates. It's enough that we failed; our children should not be like us. So, in any way possible, we encourage our children to go to school well until university," he explained during a recent visit to their home.
Sindak admitted his concern about not being able to afford his child's university education due to the high costs. He encouraged Johan to study diligently and achieve high performance in school. He believed there would always be a way if people tried their best. Fortunately, Johan is a diligent child with a strong desire to learn. As a result, his son has achieved a series of academic accomplishments from elementary to high school. Therefore, he became increasingly confident that his son's university dream could come true.

"I cannot express in words the happiness I felt when I learned Johan was accepted into FEB UGM without any cost. We, as parents, hope Johan can study smoothly and later change the fate of our family," he said, holding back tears of joy at his eldest son's achievement.

He hopes that Johan will do well in his studies at UGM and, after graduating, quickly get the job he dreams of. He also dreams that his youngest son, who is about to enter high school, can follow in his brother's footsteps.

"We are very grateful to FEB UGM for accepting Johan. It is a great pride for us. We never expected our child to pass without a test and study for free," added Tiurma.

A Dream to Break the Cycle of Poverty

Johan's dream of attending university has been present since elementary school. He firmly believes that higher education is the way to break his family's poverty cycle.

"With university, we can change the path of our family's life," he said confidently.

Despite coming from a modest economic background, Johan dreamed of attending university. He was determined to excel at every level of education he went through. At SD N 3 Nainggolan, Johan consistently ranked first in school. The same continued at SMP N 1 Nainggolan and SMA N 1 Pangururan, where he consistently ranked among the top students.

Besides excelling academically, Johan also achieved in non-academic fields, winning first place in the National Student Arts Festival (FLS2N) Pantomime at the Nainggolan Subdistrict level (2017), second place in the Samosir Regency Cultural Festival Craft Competition (2023), and an A grade in the USU Student Olympiad Grand Final (2023).

Initially Pessimistic

Johan initially felt pessimistic about applying through the achievement-based selection route. He feared he wouldn't be able to compete with thousands of other students from various regions in Indonesia. Additionally, he was just an ordinary child from a small village far from Medan city center with limited facilities.

"Being accepted into FEB UGM was the happiest moment for me. Before, I felt pessimistic and afraid of not being accepted," he explained.

Johan's desire to attend UGM was powerful. Although his parents initially didn't fully support his decision due to financial concerns, they suggested he attend a vocational school instead. With determination, Johan convinced his parents to let him apply to UGM, promising to seek scholarships to avoid burdening the family.

"I told my parents, 'Don't worry, I will find a way and get a scholarship,'" he said.

Aspiring to Be a Fashion Business Entrepreneur

Johan has dreams of starting a fashion business. To support this, he chose to study at the Faculty of Economics and Business. Besides having an excellent record in economics since high school, he was drawn to the challenging and promising job prospects of the Economics program.

"Thank God I passed the SNBP route. I didn't expect to pass through this achievement-based selection because my school is not among the top schools," he said.

Johan's happiness increased when he learned he would receive UKT 0, so he wouldn't have to pay tuition until graduation. This achievement confirmed his belief in the power of his parent's prayers and God's power for those who strive.
"As long as we are with God, success will come to us through God's power," he concluded.

Reportage: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum

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