Scholarships
AmCham Indonesia has provided full academic year university scholarships through Yayasan Goodwill International in the Future Indonesian Leaders Program.The last recipient was Erwin Fajrin, a student at the University of Indonesia, for the 2008-09 academic year. Read a recent letter (January 2009, MS Word) from Erwin updating AmCham Indonesia of his studies.
The following article from Q3 2008 Edition of The Executive Exchange magazine details the impact the scholarship has had on Erwin.
AmCham Scholarship for UI Student Provides More than Financial Help
AmCham Indonesia, in partnership with Yayasan Goodwill International, continued its support of the Future Indonesian Leaders Program by providing a second scholarship for Erwin Fajrin for 2008-2009. Erwin was a participant of the program in 2007–2008, along with Sutarto and Refi Kunaefi, both of whom have since graduated. AmCham is proud to support bright, young Indonesian students from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds to study at the highest levels.At the Blok M Café on the Universitas Indonesia (UI) campus in Depok, I sat down with Erwin to see how the scholarship has helped and changed him.
When I first heard Erwin speak, I was struck by his precious attitude. His calculated, self-effacing thoughts were not typical for a 21-year old. And perhaps, there is a good reason for this.
Three years prior, his father had passed away. His studies at the prestigious UI brought not only hope but also economic challenges for his mother. Unlike other classmates, Erwin did not have the luxury of enjoying all of the perks of Indonesia’s top university. “My mom’s salary was only 200,000 Rp,” he said. “Before my scholarship, I did not eat lunch with my classmates on campus. Instead, I ate at home.” Fortunately for Erwin, home is a short, thirty minutes away, but its close proximity could not take away the stress related to his university expenses.
“After the scholarship, I relaxed and became more focused. I could get more into my courses. It really broadened my thinking, and I got more involved in other activities,” Erwin added. Erwin felt that he could afford to take on activities that deviated from what other classmates did, with his studies financially secure.
Now in his final year as a communications major in the Faculty of Social & Political Science and with his primary expenses taken care, Erwin has flourished. In August 2008, he applied for and became Youth Tourism Ambassador (YTA) for Depok City, his hometown, at the urging of his friends.
Sponsored by the West Java Tourism and Cultural Office, YTA is a competitive one-year program that interviews candidates across four “B” dimensions – Brains, Beauty, Behavior, and Bravery. Since his entry into YTA, he has travelled to Bangdung for a week-long program with other ambassadors aged 18–25. His responsibilities as Depok Ambassador are leadership-oriented. He has moderated forums on arts and culture and acted as host for public officials visiting from other regions of Indonesia.
In the same month, he interned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is there where he saw a possible new career path. When asked what he would like to do post-graduation, he answered, “I would like to work for the Foreign Affairs. I believe that I can help shape the image of Indonesia to the rest of the world.” His goals are an example of the invaluable exposure to new ideas from his participation in new activities that were made available by the financial independence that the scholarship has provided.
When asked where in Indonesia he would like to visit, Erwin, he immediately answered, “Bungkulu. It’s my father’s hometown in East Sumatra. My relatives on his side are all still there, and they keep asking our family to come.” It will be a matter of time before Erwin makes it there – and beyond.