Four students from the Bidikmisi Scholarship Program had not expected to bring a laptop home when the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education (Menristekdikti) Mohamad Nasir was present in the Sports Building of UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta on Saturday (22/7/2017).

One of these four students, Ussholia, is a UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta student who achieved an Academic Performance Index of 3.95 in the past third semester. She, along with hundreds of other Bidikmisi Scholarship Program students attended the Declaration of Anti-Radicalism of all the universities and academies in the Special Province of Yogyakarta.

“I was delightfully surprised to receive a laptop from the Minister. I will use it for my study”, said Usholia, who is widely called Lia.

When being met in the public Relations Room UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta on Monday (24/7/2017), Lia told that her parents did not really support her idea to continue her study to higher education level, due to limited financial ability. Lia’s parents suggested that she should directly work after graduating from a vocational school in 2015.

“My parents are farmers. My father and mother were unsure where they could find the money to pay for my study,” she said softly.

She worked as an administration staff member in a home industry near her home for one year. She was trusted to handle the financial book and inventory, for which she received Rp. 750,000, - a month, which she used to pay for her needs and buy the examination model books.

Busily working did not reduce her yearning to continue her study to higher education level. In her free time she studied seriously. Finally, in 2016 this girl, born in Bantul on 23rd April 1997 was accepted in Accounting Study Program, UPNVY via the SBMPTM (Join Selection of Admission to State University) program.

“Thank God (Alhamdulillah) I receive a Bidikmisi scholarship. I don’t have to pay for the tuition. And my parents support me in the end, because I do not inflict any burden on them, she said.

The only child of Wahono and Surip, this girl has accomplished excellent academic achievements since she was studying at SMK N 1 Bantul (State Vocational School 1 of Bantul). She won the first prize for a CerdasCermat Competition on Regency level, and was a runner up in the provincial level for the same competition (cerdascermat), which was held by State University of Yogyakarta and the Regional Tax Office. 

Her love for Accounting increased after she joined the Accounting Study Club, a students’ activity held at UPNVY (wwj/humas)