“While being a student, I was eager to visit abroad, enjoy the various cultures of other nations and challenge myself to study in the midst of differences, broaden my horizons. Early in 2020, I had an offer to take part in the short course program, I had completed various requirements including a passport. Unfortunately the Covid-19 pandemic stopped my steps. It was sad at that time, but Allah is Good, the pandemic actually brought me to various opportunities at the international level such as being a delegate for the International Online Summer Course, speaker at the international conference, becoming a master of ceremony for the International TVET Conference. Allah is the best director in the drama of my life. “
Muhammad Oka Ramadhan (Oka), born in Tabanan, Bali on December 15, 1999, never imagined that he would be the runner-up in the faculty-level student election (pilmapres FPTK). The title of outstanding student (mapres) was never in his life bucket list. However, when he recognized the term “pilmapres” as a freshman in 2018, without realizing it, there were similarities in his life’s vision and mission with the criteria for a mapres figure.
“I am a person who really likes social activities and self-development, being involved in organizations both on and off campus. therefore, I had the opportunity to participate in various academic and non-academic activities at the campus, national, and international levels. “
This student, who has a passion in public speaking and graphic design, is quite involved in various committee activities on and off campus, is also active in various organizations such as BEM Rema UPI, DPM Himagrin UPI, UKDM UPI, and Mentari Youth Care Foundation, Cianjur. This has made him often trusted to be the MC, speaker at various campus and off-campus activities, short film creation teams, national poster competition judges, and graphic director in the Asia Education Project International Symposium in 2020. In addition, he also participated in E-Malaysia Speaking Mind Competition 2020, and won the 1st winner in best ideas in the summer course 2020: sustainable agroindustry.
“The best is that humans are useful for other humans. Therefore, we must continue to process and progress so that we can provide many lessons for many people, ”that was the principle of his life.
How do you feel after receiving the award as the 2nd winner of FPTK mapres from the Dean?
“Thank God, mixed feelings, there is a sense of pride and happiness for the gift that Allah has entrusted to me. This award reminds me how much support the people around me, including my family, teachers, relatives and other mentors in guiding, and giving me the opportunity to continue working and achieving. However, on the other hand there is a feeling of sadness and guilt for not being able to continue the history of the previous agro-industrial study program mapres which won 1st place in pilmapres FPTK and UPI. “
Are there any preparations made before participating in the FPTK pilmapres?
“Previously, I was selected at the study program level which required me to compete with four of my friends (Tania, Ryzki, Anggarini, and Ega). This is not an easy challenge, because I know the profiles of these four great friends. however, the five of us are committed that this competition is not to beat each other, but a form of our gratitude for the best support and guidance from the lecturers and study programs. Now it’s our turn to give the best for this beloved study program. “
Early January 2021, Oka was selected as the mapres study program after going through a series of tests, presentations of scientific papers and interviews. Furthermore, he rushed to prepare all the requirements to take part in the faculty level pilmapres which was held in early February 2021. This year, the FPTK pilmapres adopted the 2020 national pilmapres so that apart from having to prepare scientific papers and CV, each participant is required to prepare a media poster for creative ideas and a poster “who am I ”to be presented.
Oka realizes that the preparation for the pilmapres is quite a long journey, starting from maintaining and increasing the GPA, collecting various portfolios such as achievements, and organizational activities. For him, the most challenging preparation process is the preparation of scientific papers where a student’s ability to create, write, and convey ideas is tested, to raise topics that are in accordance with his / her field of expertise.
Thank God for presenting a great supervisor, Mrs. Mustika and other lecturers who continuously provide support and guidance. In the process of preparing for the FPTK pilmapres, I had the opportunity to practice presentations with the supervisor and other lecturers as well as the previous mapres of Agro-industrial Technology Education. “
The series of preparations and mentoring as well as Oka’s hard work resulted in a very impressive performance for both the scientific presentation jury and the English jury during FGD (focus group discussion) session.
In FGD session, each pilmapres participant was asked to build an idea on a topic (which was randomly selected) for 30 seconds. Then the participants presented the ideas in English for 5 minutes. According to Oka, at that time, the 30-second countdown seemed like only 5 seconds. He received a topic about the disaster relieve program. He felt that it was impossible to write down everything that was in his mind and it turned out that he only managed to write 4 keywords, even though he still had many ideas to convey.
“The teapot is filled with tea, so what comes out is also tea. In my opinion, the ability to think and respond to a problem depends on the insight we have. The broader our insight, the more responses we can give. On the other hand, it is impossible for a teapot filled with tea to pour coffee, especially if the teapot is not filled at all, what might just come out is a wind of despair. Apart from that, the ability to speak in a structured manner, in my opinion, is also greatly influenced by our public speaking hours. The easiest thing to practice our communication skills is to actively organize, where we are challenged to be responsive to various unexpected problems. The more we are dealing with problems, the more opportunities we have to practice the ability to think solutions and see the most possible outcome of an event or decision. “
“During the FGD session, Allah provided calm, even though before the FGD started there was a feeling of” fear of being wrong “. But when the FGD was running, instead of being nervous, I actually enjoyed the discussion, even forgetting the time and being stopped by the jury 🙂 “
Even so, he is not sure about the grammar he uses, whether it is correct or not. For him, what had to be fulfilled at that time was how to make other people understand what he wanted to convey. He admits that he only learns English from learning at school, he has never attended a special English course.
“A lot of video content or writing that I like, using English, which eventually forces me to learn English. Maybe it has an effect on improving my language and speaking skills. “
Are you satisfied with your current achievement?
“If we are not satisfied, we cannot be grateful for God’s grace. However, being satisfied does not mean stopping to achieve other achievements. Satisfaction must immediately change to curiosity and ambition to improve yourself to become a better person in God’s eyes. “
Furthermore, what are your goals for the future?
One day a child asked his mother, “Mom, what is the most glorious work on earth?” Instead, the mother asks what the child thinks. Then the child starts to guess “Doctor? Police? or .. President? ” The mother then replied, “The most noble jobs, are those who can teach the people you mention.”
The dialogue is what makes him aspire to become an educator and create great generations in the future.
Who is the most valuable and meritorious in your life?
“Alhamdulillah, there are so many meritorious people that Allah has brought to my life. Of course Abah (Father) and Ambu (Mother) became the way of my existence in the world, through endless prayers for me. Since childhood, Abah and Ambu were the places to complain and erase my doubts. Glory also belongs to my teachers with whom I spend almost half of the time. They are my way to know knowledge and God. With his patience, persistence, and sacrifice never give up to educate me who is poor in knowledge. It is their kindness that makes me always amazed and continue to walk in goodness. So to them where should I repay. “
Do you have an ideal student profile?
“In my opinion, the tridarma of higher education already represents a mandate for a student. Education and teaching means that you must be willing to learn and teach. Research and development means innovative and solution to the problems and needs of the community, complemented by community service which means having a good impact and influence on the surrounding environment. Next, complete it with the glory of morality and the firmness of faith”.