PRESTASI:

A JOURNEY
PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY

PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY

2
 CHIEF OF PARTY - PRESTASI IIEF:
Mira Sambada
PRESTASI REPORT MANAGER:
Devi Miarni Umar
EDITORS OF INDONESIAN VERSION:
Devi Miarni Umar, Lensi Mursida,

CONTENTS
Bambang P Putranto, Hari Nugroho
AUTHORS:
Hari Nugroho, Lensi Mursida,
Veby Mega Indah
LANGUAGE EDITOR
OF INDONESIA VERSION:
Introduction 5
Lensi Mursida
REPORTER COORDINATOR: A GLANCE AT PRESTASI 7
Yophiandi Kurniawan
REPORTERS JAKARTA:
PRESTASI Overview 7
Veby Mega Indah, Wenri Wanhar, Achievers of PRESTASI 9
Okky Mulyadi
JAYAPURA:
OUTREACH AND SELECTION 12
Katharina Lita Outreach 12
YOGYAKARTA AND SALATIGA:
Hari Nugroho Reaching Out Over the Country 12
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Optimization of Website and Social Media 16
Wahono Kolopaking, Ratri Pratiwi,
Bodi Chandra, Hari Nugroho, Katharina Lita Selection 18
TRANSLATOR: Tight Selection Stages, but Fair 18
Diyan Srikandini
EDITOR OF ENGLISH VERSION: Applicant Reviews with Credibility and Integrity 22
Diyan Srikandini
TRAINING AND MONITORING 39
PROOFREADER:
Patrick M Compau Three Plus One: The Powerful Supplies 39
COVER AND LAYOUT DESIGNER:
English Language Training (English for Academic Purposes/EAP) 41
Iftachul Ngumar
Statistics Training 44
Leadership Training 44
Evaluation: Induction is So Meaningful 48
PRESTASI GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP
Pre-Departure Orientation 49
IIEF – INDONESIAN INTERNATIONAL
EDUCATION FOUNDATION, From the Departure to Taking Part 50
Menara Imperium 28th Floor, Suite A, Jl. H.R. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, ACTING PLACE WHILE BACK 55
Rasuna Said Kav. 1, Kuningan, Jakarta
ALPHA-I Already Rocking Step 55
Selatan 12980 – INDONESIA
PHONE: +62 21 8370 9982 BEHIND THE SCENES OF PRESTASI 112
FAX: +62 21 83709983
WEBSITE: www.prestasi-iief.org
PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY

IIEF – Indonesian International Education Foundation - USAID Contractor

Menara Imperium 28th Floor, Suite A, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 1, Kuningan,
Jakarta Selatan 12980 – INDONESIA
Phone: +62 21 8370 9982
Fax: +62 21 83709983
Website: www.prestasi-iief.org

4
INTRODUCTION
T
his report is about the journey of the PRESTASI scholarship
program from April 2011 to September 2012. Experiences,
stories, achievements and challenges faced by the
PRESTASI team in providing services to recipients, alumni
and other stakeholders are summarized in the report
P RES T AS I: A Jour ne y .
To get a comprehensive story from various perspectives we dropped a full
team to conduct interviews with various parties, either directly or indirectly
involved in the PRESTASI scholarship program, which is fully supported by
USAID. More than 86 speakers were involved and interviewed by our team to
complete this report. Those interviewed included our team in PRESTASI IIEF -
Indonesian International Education Foundation and our partners in the United
States from the Institute of International Education (IIE) who shared their
stories of joy and sorrow in running the PRESTASI program, from the outreach
and selection stages up until welcoming the alumni back to Indonesia and their
excitement when forming an alumni association.
We also visited a number of Independent Reviewers and Regional
Interviewers who were directly involved in the selection process and noted
their experiences during the process - which is full of competition. They are
national leaders who have expertise in their respective fields within a variety
of professions, such as lecturers and professors from several universities, NGO
5
leaders and economic observers and practitioners. We see the enthusiasm of
the Indonesian national leaders who welcomed the scholarship program and
provided some valuable feedback for us. Their opinions, impressions and
interest are in the section entitled “Applicant Reviews with Credibility and
Integrity”.
In addition, we also interviewed our partners, the actors and think tanks
backstage at Pre-Academic Training (PAT) PRESTASI: representatives of the
International Language Institute, University of Indonesia (LBI-UI) that provided
the PRESTASI scholars with English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Tutorials,
two professors from the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM)
Atma Jaya Catholic University Jakarta that provided statistical and SPSS
training materials in a fun and exciting way as well as expert Human
Resources (HR) who are also psychologists, PT Daya Insani who gave
substance for Leadership Training to scholars to remind them that their
potential skills can be optimized, forming a positive mental attitude and strong
morale and a spirit of healthy competition within the scholars.
The final step was to interview 11 people, five of whom represented the
Technical Office (TO) USAID. These people were selected based on an internal
review by the team of PRESTASI IIEF by weighing factors such as being
actively involved in the decision making process in the mid-to-upper level of
institutions/organizations, both at the provincial and national levels; providing
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
services to the community and being voluntarily committed to implementing
new ideas and services to the wider community; having achieved excellent
results from institutions/organizations at the provincial, national and interna-
tional levels; making changes in the institution/organization by providing ideas,
knowledge and new skills; excelling in their career/professions such as by get-
ting a promotion and/or grades; being actively involved in representing the
institution/ organization at provincial, national and international levels; gaining
new skills and knowledge which has been recognized by the institution/organi-
zation (such as gaining extra responsibility within work) and being recognized
by their peers and the community as a leader in their field.
In order to obtain impartial information and avoid making any over claims,
we also interviewed their principals or supervisors in the institutions in which
they work as well as some of their colleagues to assess the changes and the
impact they felt after PRESTASI Alumni returned to their homeland. We got a
6
lot of answers from these alumni stories, including the stories of their
struggles on and off campus during their study in the United States and some
fragments of their stories about after they returned to take part in their
respective fields upon their return to Indonesia. A series of these interesting
stories can be found in sub-section ‘ALPHA I Already Rocking Step’.
We believe that one person can make a difference but a group of people
can make an impact. Hopefully PRESTASI: A Journey can provide a
comprehensive review of this scholarship program.
Jakarta, September 2012
Mira Sambada
Chief of Party
PRESTASI Graduate Scholarship
A GLANCE AT PRESTASI
PRESTASI OVERVIEW
The word “prestasi”, according
to the Indonesian Dictionary
(KBBI), means: achievements.
When used as a verb with “high” to
“outstanding” the meaning is:
having achievements in a case.
However, PRESTASI, which is
the name of the scholarship
program from the United States
Agency for International
Development (USAID), is not a
direct translation from Indonesian.
PRESTASI is an abbreviation of the
Program to Extend Scholarships
and Training to Achieve
Sustainable Impacts, which roughly
means “Scholarship Program for
Study and Training to Obtain a
Sustainable Impact”.
In some programs supported by
USAID in Indonesia, the U.S.
government tends to use
abbreviations that also have
meanings in Indonesian. So by
calling the program PRESTASI,
which already has meaning and is
very popular in the Indonesian
language the program is more
easily recognized and remembered
in the minds of Indonesian people.
USAID launched PRESTASI
Scholarship program in April 2011
as a continuation of the Human
and Institutional Capacity
Development (HICD) program,
7
aiming to improve the leadership
skills and performance of
Indonesian professionals, which will
benefit the development of
Indonesia. PRESTASI will
strengthen and expand the skill
base of professionals and
institutions in Indonesia, both in
the public sector, Civil Society
Organization (CSO), or private
sector. Through this program,
hundreds of Indonesian people
have had the opportunity for
education, both short-term and for
Masters and Doctoral degrees, in
the United States, Indonesia and
other countries.
PRESTASI focuses on the subject
areas of Education, Health,
Environment, Economics Growth and
Democratic Governance. PRESTASI
is open to all Indonesian
undergraduates who are eligible for
Masters and Doctoral degrees
while the requirement of
participants for short-term training
programs is modified according to
their respective areas of training.
The name PRESTASI is similar
to a number of other programs,
which are also conducted in
Indonesia. In order to avoid
confusion it is necessary to brand
the program therefore it is better
known as USAID PRESTASI.
Since April 2011 USAID
entrusted the implementation of
the PRESTASI program to
Indonesian International Education
Foundation (IIEF). IIEF is a local
organization from Indonesia
working in partnership with the
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
GRAFIK 1
Summary Description of PRESTASI
Scholars (2007 - 2012)
Institute of International Education
(IIE), an international organization
based in New York and Washington
DC, which is one of the most
experienced private, non-profit
educational organizations in the
world.
The scholarship program was
initially handled by another imple-
menter/contractor, under a pro-
Sumber: IIEF-PRESTASI Data
gram titled FORECAST-HICD
(Human and Institutional Capacity
Development). The project was
transferred to IIEF after the
FORECAST program came to an
end. USAID used his or her own
judgment when selecting an
Indonesian contractor to work on
this program. “When USAID asked,
we had to submit a proposal,” said
Mira Sambada, Chief of Party (COP)
PRESTASI.
IIEF revised its proposal several
8
times, especially in relation to the
budget. “The main challenge in this
process was because the program
was in the transition period from
the previous contractor where all
scholars under the previous
program management transferred
to IIEF. To compile a budget for a
program that has already been
running is a greater challenge than
designing a budget from the start,”
said Mira.
According to Mira Sambada,
under PRESTASI the scholarship
program offers scholarships for
master’s degrees and is open for
all Indonesian undergraduates. Of
course, there are minimum
requirements that must be
possessed by the candidates, they
must have a TOEFL®ITP score of
at least 450 or English language
proficiency test results equivalent
to the TOEFL®ITP, TOEFL®iBT or
IELTS, they must have a spirit of
leadership, good academic
achievements in a field of study
that is relevant to the development
objectives of USAID and the
Government of Indonesia, and they
must be eligible to undergo
education or advanced training.
The PRESTASI Representative
Program Manager ensures that the
scholarship applicants are treated
equally through a fair selection
process. The selection process
involves a series or stages that have
been agreed between IIEF as the
program organizer and USAID as
the donor. This means that the
determination of the candidates
who are eligible to receive the
scholarship will be made through a
tiered selection of mechanisms
starting from document review
where IIEF team will check the
administrative completeness of
applicant’s documents and
eligibility of the documents as the
requirement specify. This is
followed by criteria review, which
is conducted by an independent
appraisal panel with high integrity
that is recruited from a variety of
backgrounds and areas of
expertise. Next there is a regional
face-to-face interview to filter out

GRAFIK 2
Description of PRESTASI Long
Term Training Scholars Based on
Age (2007 - 2012)
the best candidates from the
region to compete at national
level. The final determination or
final decision is made by a team
from USAID. “This selection
process is undertaken for
transparency and fairness. Thus,
there is no room for collusion,”
said Mira, who has a degree in
Sumber: IIEF-PRESTASI Data
psychology from the University of
Indonesia.
Mira, a mother of three
children, explained that those who
were selected were appropriate
figures. Of course, besides having
academic requirements or good
English proficiency, it is also
important is to have integrity,
especially those who have a
concern for the community.
“Concern for the community can
be reflected through the activities
9
of certain institutions or
organization created to develop
the community. This is important
since the purpose of this program
is to make the recipients become
leaders in this field,” said Mira.
Due to the nature of the
PRESTASI program the program
management - starting from
information dissemination to
capture the interest of applicants
to scholars finishing their studies
and graduated - was conducted by
USAID and IIEF in a special way.
IIEF perform a series of processes:
first, the dissemination of
information to capture the interest
of applicants and to select
candidates; second, arranging
training for scholars before
departing to the U.S., finding the
appropriate universities, and
monitoring during their studies;
third, monitoring the progress of
the PRESTASI alumni in
institutions in which they work and
in the community.
So, arguably, PRESTASI
Scholarship is an integrated and
sustainable program, in accordance
with its meaning.
ACHIEVERS OF PRESTASI
Based on the results of
recruitment in 2012 for the year
2013 there were 39 PRESTASI
Scholarship recipients. 30 out of
the 39 PRESTASI recipients will
study master’s degrees in the
United States and nine will study in
Indonesia. However, there are two
people who withdrew because they
also received scholarships from
other institutions.
From a total of 37 people from
the selection process 54% of
participants were women.
Outcomes showed that IIEF
surpassed the targets required by
USAID to recruit 50% women as
recipients of the PRESTASI
scholarship program. In addition,
the geographical composition of
the PRESTASI scholars was in line
with USAID expectations to give
more attention to candidates from
Central and Eastern Indonesia.
64% of PRESTASI scholars come
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
GRAFIK 3
PRESTASI Scholars Long
TermTraining – Geographic
Representatives (2007 – 2012)
from outside Java, and 36% were
from Java. The employment
backgrounds of the 37 PRESTASI
scholars were varied consisting of:
33% civil servants, 31% teachers
and lecturers, 15% NGO, 8%
private or public institutions, 8%
research institutions and 5%
journalists and media.
Sumber: IIEF-PRESTASI Data
The number of scholarship
recipients for 2013 adds to a long
list of PRESTASI scholarship
recipients. In the period 2007 -
2012, including the program HICD
(Human and Institutional Capacity
Development), there are already
192 people who have been given
scholarships to study Masters or
Doctorates. 166 of these people
went on to study in the United
States and 26 people took
graduate courses in Indonesia. Of
10
the166 people who studied in the
United States 77 of them have
earned a Master’s degree and are
already alumni of PRESTASI.
The average age of the scholars
was also shifted significantly when
comparing the HICD program to
PRESTASI program. When HICD
operated the program the age
range was more diverse but
PRESTASI scholars were
dominated by the younger
generation. From the data compiled
by IIEF in the year 2007 - 2010 age
composition comprised 8% of
scholars aged 41-50 years, 53%
aged 31-40 years, and 39% in the
range of 21-30 years. While for 2011
zero percent of scholars were aged
41-50 years, 4% aged 31-40 years
and 96% were aged 21-30 years. In
2012 there was no scholars aged
41-50 years, 30% were aged 31-40
years and 70% were aged 21-30
years.
The data shows that the
PRESTASI program has attracted
the attention of Indonesian young
professionals. This trend has
positive implications for PRESTASI
scholars, institutions, and the State
of Indonesia in general because it
is assumed the alumni will have a
longer time to contribute their best
to strengthen their home
institution in which they work and
contribute positively to the country
as well.
Composition of the number of
recipients by region of origin
(geographical) has also changed
from year to year. During HICD
program from 2007-2010, 36% of
scholars were from outside Java.
However, since 2011 this
composition has shifted and there
has been a very sharp increase in
the number of scholars from
outside Java from 36% - 57%,
which means an increase of 28%.
In 2012, that figure increased again
to 68%. The increase in the
number of scholars who reside
outside Java is in line with the focus
of the five Technical Office (TO) of
USAID to give greater attention to
the target areas outside Java and
it is in accordance with the core

GRAFIK 4
objectives PRESTASI which want to
give more attention to areas that
PRESTASI Scholars Long Term
Training – Gender Representatives
(2007 – 2012)
continues to fluctuate from
year to year but there are
number of female recruits - well
above the target of gender
equality required by USAID of
50:50 compositions, i.e., the
period of recruitment in
January - March 2011. Within
four years of the program HICD
in year 2007-2010, total female
Sumber: IIEF-PRESTASI Data scholars were 44% of the
number of selected participants
are under-represented. throughout the program.
The gender of scholars However, since the PRESTASI
11
program held in April 2011 the
trend of the number of women
who received scholarships
showed an increase from the
required target of USAID. From
a the results of the HICD
recruitment program in early
2011 the number of female
scholars was 74% that derived
from two dropouts in USAID,
Health and Environment. While
in 2012 the number of female
scholars reached 54% from
recruitment to five DO.
However, this latter figure is
still above 50% percent of the
mandate given by USAID to IIEF
through PRESTASI.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY

OUTREACH AND SELECTION

OUTREACH
REACHING OUT OVER THE
COUNTRY
To get the best young
Indonesians to be awarded
postgraduate scholarships,
PRESTASI IIEF team uses the
technique of “jemput bola” or pick
up the balls. IIEF do not simply rely
on websites, direct mail, social
networking, and advertising in the
mass media to recruit candidates
for the scholarship recipients, but
the team from PRESTASI IIEF went
straight out to potential cities in
various parts of Indonesia to “pick”
them.
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

PRESTASI’s Booth in U.S

Higher Education Fair

12
 Jakarta and other big cities.
In addition, the PRESTASI team
needs to go to certain cities in the
central and eastern part of
Indonesia because USAID pays
special attention to these regions.
Through the PRESTASI program,
says Mira, USAID wants to
encourage the growth of quality
professionals in Central and Eastern
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

Indonesia regions to keep pace with

their counterparts in the western
part of Java in particular.
To disseminate information and

On-site presentation in Ministry of

On-site presentation in Papua
National Education Office - South State University (UNIPA)
Sulawesi Manokwari.
This strategy is preceded by are being managed by IIEF and
mapping with records and by trustees of the Civil Society
conducting preliminary research to Organization (CSO) or community
observe any city to be visited. The organizations in the target areas
IIEF team must move quickly to defined by five Technical Office (TO)
perform comprehensive mapping USAID has prepared budgets for: TO
and to make contact with the Education, Democratic Governance,
contact person in the area, either Economic Growth, Health and
through the local government (LG), Environment.
alumni HICD program and other Visiting target cities is very
scholarship programs that have and important because the area of
Indonesia is so vast and there is an
inequality of access to information.
People who live in big cities such as
Jakarta and Surabaya certainly
have much easier access to
information than, for example,
people living in Banjarmasin, South
Kalimantan or in Kupang (West
Timor). Due to these conditions the
PRESTASI team presents in
targeted cities so that the potential
field of candidates in all regions
have the same opportunities to
obtain information, along with their
colleagues just as well as those in
recruit the best undergraduate
applicants in 2013 the PRESTASI
team visited 12 cities from Sumatra
to Papua. In each city the PRESTASI
team visited targeted places such as
universities, offices, NGOs, and local
government.
Presentations in these areas
began in early September 2011 with
Medan as the first location. Overall
the PRESTASI team visited 54
places and events, which totaled
more than 1,000 visitors. Arguably,
presentations in certain areas were
more of a success and the visitors

13
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
NO. VENUE ACTIVITY ADDRESS CITY DATE
1. Fakultas Ekonomi USU Courtesy Call Jln. Prof.T.M. Hanafiah, SH Kampus USU Medan 07-Sep-11
2. Gd. Pengadilan Semu FH USU Presentation Jl. Universitas No 4, Kampus USU Medan 08-Sep-11
3. Univ. Pembangunan Panca Budi Presentation Jl Gatot Subroto Km 4,5 Medan 08-Sep-11
4. Yayasan PKPA Presentation Simpang Selayang Kec. Medan Tuntungan Medan 09-Sep-11
5. YPPIA Presentation Jalan Dr. Mansyur Medan 09-Sep-11
6. BAPPEDA Gorontalo Courtesy Call Jl. Bukit Botu Gorontalo Gorontalo 13-Sep-11
7. Kantor Program Teluk Tomini / SUSCLAM Presentation Jl. Makassar No. 40 Gorontalo 13-Sep-11
8. Pusat Bahasa Univ. Negeri Gorontalo Presentation Jl. Jend. Sudirman No. 6 Gorontalo 14-Sep-11
9. Univ. Hasanuddin Presentation Tamalarea Makassar 15-Sep-11
10. UIN Alauddin Presentation Jl Sultan Alauddin Makassar 15-Sep-11
11. Dinas Pendidikan Prov. Sulawesi Selatan Presentation Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Tamalanrea Makassar 16-Sep-11
12. Kantor Koran Fajar Makassar Courtesy Call Gd. Graha Pena Makassar Makassar 16-Sep-11
13. Kerjasama Internasional UNDANA Courtesy Call Hotel Kristal Kupang Kupang 19-Sep-11
14. Kantor Ketua Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang Courtesy Call Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang Kupang 20-Sep-11
15. Politeknik Pertanian Negeri Kupang Presentation Jl. Adisucipto, Penfui Kupang 20-Sep-11
16. Yayasan Bunda Purnama Kasih Presentation Penfui Kupang 20-Sep-11
17. Univ. Nusa Cendana Presentation Jalan Adisucipto Penfui Kupang 21-Sep-11
18. BAPPEDA Provinsi NTB Courtesy Call JL. Flamboyan No. 2 Mataram 22-Sep-11
19. Ruang Pela Perado BAPPEDA Provinsi NTB Presentation JL. Flamboyan No. 2 Mataram 22-Sep-11
20. Kantor Koran Lombok Pos Courtesy Call Jl. Tgh. Faisal No. 33 Mataram 22-Sep-11
21. Univ. Mataram Presentation Jl. Majapahit No. 62 Mataram 23-Sep-11
22. Kantor Pembantu Rektor IV UNIPA Courtesy Call Jl. Gunung Salju Manokwari 26-Sep-11
23. Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Hukum Manokwari Courtesy Call Jalan Karya ABRI No 2 Manokwari 26-Sep-11
24. Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Mah Eisa Courtesy Call Jalan Lembah Hijau Diklat Manokwari 26-Sep-11
25. Kantor Koran Cahaya Papua Courtesy Call Jl. Pertanian Manokwari 26-Sep-11
26. Kantor Koran Media Papua Courtesy Call Jl. Gunung Salju Manokwari 26-Sep-11
27. UPT Pelayanan Bahasa UNIPA Presentation Jl. Gunung Salju Amban Manokwari 27-Sep-11
28. STKIP Muhammadiyah Presentation Jl. S. Condronegoro Manokwari 27-Sep-11
Sumber: IIEF-PRESTASI Data 29. Kantor Tribun Institute Presentation Jl. Purnama Pontianak 10-Oct-11
30. BAPPEDA Provinsi Kalbar Courtesy Call Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak 11-Oct-11
PRESTASI Team in the city. 31. BAPPEDA Provinsi Kalbar Courtesy Call Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak 11-Oct-11
Participants Attended On-Site 32. WWF Pontianak Presentation Jl. Husada Pontianak 11-Oct-11
Presentation Based on Type of
Complimentary coverage was also 33. Rektorat Univ. Tanjung Pura Courtesy Call Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak 12-Oct-11
34. Univ. Tanjung Pura Presentation Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak 12-Oct-11
Employment made by Kartika Magazine 35. FISIP Univ. Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Presentation Condongcatur, Depok, Sleman Yogyakarta 17-Oct-11
36. Purek III Univ. Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Courtesy Call Condongcatur, Depok, Sleman Yogyakarta 17-Oct-11
(September 2011 issue) and even the 37. Biro Kerjasama Internasional UGM Courtesy Call Bulaksumur Yogyakarta 18-Oct-11
38. Balaikota Yogyakarta Presentation Jl. Kenari Yogyakarta 18-Oct-11
were very keen to know more about English language edition newspaper 39. Lembaga Ombudsman Daerah Presentation Jln. Tentara Pelajar No. 1A Pingit Kidul Yogyakarta 18-Oct-11
the PRESTASI program. the Jakarta Globe gave free 40. Fakultas Pertanian UGM Courtesy Call Bulaksumur Yogyakarta 19-Oct-11
41. American Corner Univ. Muhammadiyah Presentation Jl. Lingkar Barat, Tamantirto, Kasihan Yogyakarta 19-Oct-11
The PRESTASI team gained advertising space for PRESTASI on 42. Rektorat Univ. Syiah Kuala Courtesy Call Darussalam Banda Aceh 20-Oct-11
43. Hotel Hemes Palace Courtesy Call Tgk. Nyak Makam Banda Aceh 20-Oct-11
many unexpected and impressive September 16, 2011. 44. FKIP Univ. Syiah Kuala Presentation Darussalam Banda Aceh 21-Oct-11
45. Aula Kantor Walikota Banda Aceh Presentation Jl. Tgk. Abu Lam U Banda Aceh 21-Oct-11
results during the “pick up the ball” Another way IIEF spread the 46. Rektorat Univ. Malikussaleh Courtesy Call Uteun Kot - Cunda Lhokseumawe 22-Oct-11
47. Gedung ACC Univ. Malikussaleh Presentation Uteun Kot - Cunda Lhokseumawe 22-Oct-11
strategy in those areas. One was the information regarding PRESTASI 48. Univ. Sebelas Maret Presentation Jl. Ir. Sutami Surakarta 25-Oct-11
49. STAIN Surakarta Presentation Jl. Pandawa Pucangan Kartasura Surakarta 25-Oct-11
enthusiasm shown by the mass was to participate in Education 50. STAIN Salatiga Presentation Jl. Stadion Salatiga 26-Oct-11
51. International Scholarship and Education Expo Presentation IPB, Dramaga Bogor Bogor 9-Oct-11
media in Makassar, the Tribune East. exhibitions. In the U.S. Higher 52. USAID: 50th Anniversary Presentation @america, Pacific Place Jakarta 12-Oct-11
53. U.S. Higher Education Presentation Hotel Kartika Chandra Jakarta 5-Oct-11
This paper preached about the Education Fair held on October 5, 54. Auditorium Balai Pengawasan Obat & Makanan Presentation BPOM Jl. Percetakan Negara Jakarta 29-Oct-11
Sumber: IIEF-PRESTASI Data
On-Site Presentation Based on Location and Venue
14
2011 the PRESTASI booth was visit-
ed by 1,300 visitors. In October 2011
PRESTASI also participated in the
IPB Education Expo. In addition IIEF
also participated in a number of
exhibitions at the invitation of
USAID Indonesia. The latest
exhibition, which IIEF participated
in, was the EdUSA Spring Fair held
in Jakarta, Medan and Surabaya.
The result of the disclosure of
such information was an
overwhelming response. The
PRESTASI team got 1.305
applications from various parts of
Indonesia, which reflects the enthu-
siasm of Indonesian young people to
achieve advanced education. “It
really illustrates that Indonesia
needs scholarships in large quanti-
ties. The lesson for us in IIEF was
that prospective applicants
attempted to go directly to the face-
to-face presentations to make it
easier for them to dig up as much
information as possible to get a
scholarship out of the country,” said
Mira Sambada.
T
he Division of Outreach
and Selection is
responsible for visiting
the target areas. The Division is
fronted by Wahono Kolopaking
and Ratri Pratiwi, who had to use
a variety of tactics to build
public awareness about the
PRESTASI scholarship program
and to gain public interest in the
program. One of the strategies is
to go to potential remote areas.
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
A lot of unique things
happened to Wahono Kolopaking,
PRESTASI Outreach and
Selection Specialist, who is
fondly called Nano - when
socializing in these areas. One of SOCIALIZATION COMBINED WITH COWS:
the memories that left a lasting
impression on Nano was when he
visited Aceh with Hanif Saleh,
EXPERIENCE IN ACEH
Contracting Officer’s the two cities. Nano thought that them both back to Jakarta.
Representative (COR) USAID. In they could go to Lhokseumawe However, due to having to
the Tanah Rencong they had an having completed the PRESTASI travel a very winding road up and
agenda to socialize in Banda socialization agenda and return down hills and several roads
Aceh and Lhokseumawe. to Banda Aceh to catch an between cities being in bad
They were so excited to visit afternoon flight that will take condition, plus drizzle during the
15
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
trip their rented car could not go
very fast. “If we were at a normal
speed it might be that. Hanif and I
would miss the plane,” Nano said.
Because of that, he whispered to
the driver to drive as fast as pos-
sible so they can get back to
Jakarta that night. As a result, for
about five hours the car drove like
crazy while both passengers
OPTIMIZATION OF WEBSITE
AND SOCIAL MEDIA
In the era of the Internet and the
rise of social media in Indonesia
today the dissemination of
information about the program
through cyberspace is important for
the PRESTASI Outreach team to
support face-to-face visits in the
various regions. The PRESTASI
team designed a website and
uploaded allimportant documents in
to the website address at
www.prestasi-iief.org. Every
prospective applicant can access
the application form on the
PRESTASI website.
–Nano and Hanif – sat silently and denly appeared and inevitably the like this on the next journey ... It’s
were busy praying in their heart. car hit the poor cow. All of the better to miss the aircraft rather
“We do not have time to eat - passengers were shocked and for than to lose our lives.” Hanif’s
just stop for a moment to pray a moment could not speak. words could only be rewarded
and then we go directly off again,” Finally the car arrived at the with a smile and an apology from
said Nano as he tells how they airport in Banda Aceh, on time, Nano. In fact, Nano was as
hunt the time. Unfortunately the and they could catch a plane back worried as Hanif but at least one
driver hit the gas very hard and to Jakarta that night. Hanif, who more task from the Outreach
on the last corner before entering looked a little pale, told Nano, team list was completed. Well
the city of Banda Aceh a cow sud- “Mas Wahono ... please do not be done!
To be more interactive
PRESTASI also designed a Facebook
Fan Page and Twitter in order to
provide updated information. With
Indonesia’s position as one of the
biggest users of social media in the
world dissemination of information
through a virtual media proved to
be very effective, cheap and fast.
The existence of these two accounts
also contributes significantly to the
spread of information of PRESTASI
FOTO OLEH: IIEF-PRESTASI
program.
Based on data compiled by IIEF,
in the peak period of the
outreach’s implementation, as per
October 25, 2011 it was recorded PRESTASI’s Facebook
16
that there were 1.469 active followers on the PRESTASI twitter 2011. Until the end of September friends as many as 3.167 people
participants on the PRESTASI account with 300 updates since the 2012, PRESTASI Twitter followers clicked “like-button” for the
Facebook account and 685 account was launched on June 28, have netted 1.610 and 1.209 Twitter PRESTASI Facebook Fan Page.

PRESTASI FINALLY DROP

IN SIAU TAGULANDANG BIARO
2009 he decided to join the Local Government required documents and sent them to IIEF in
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

of Siau Tagulandang Biaro (Sitaro) Island, a Jakarta. It turned out that the application
new district that split from Sangihe Island in managed to attract the attention of the
2007, which is a seven-hour ride boat from selection team and he was invited to attend an
Manado. interview session in the Makassar region. David

O
ne interesting story concerned with how
PRESTASI information live in cyberspace
could reach potential candidates in
remote areas of the archipelago was narrated
by David Kuntel, a PRESTASI scholar who was
chosen from the field of Environment from the
2012 recruitment.
David was born in Manado, North Sulawesi
on December 23 1984. After completing his
bachelor degree at Sam Ratulangi University
Faculty of Fisheries (UNSRAT), Manado David
went to work as administrative staff and
assistant for professor at UNSRAT but early in
Serving on a small island, surrounded by the
Molucca Sea on the east and the Celebes Sea
on the west, with telecommunication signals up
and down did not dampen David’s spirits and he
still managed to hunt for information about
scholarships. David relied on the Internet to
find information about various scholarship pro-
grams, which would enable him to continue his
study to a master’s degree. One day in October
2011 when browsing on his mobile phone David
found information about PRESTASI, “this is the
first info I got from the phone,” said David.
David immediately prepared all of the
took a ship to Siau Island followed by a small
plane to Manado and finally Makassar.
And luck is haven for people who work hard!
After passing a series of rigorous selection
criteria David managed to rise above thousands
of other candidates and he became one of the
PRESTASI scholars. “Through PRESTASI I hope
my dream will come true which is to study at
the School of Marine Affairs at the University
of Washington,” says David who is now
following the Pre-Academic Training (PAT) in
Jakarta along with 30 of other scholars who
were recruited in 2012.

17
 TRAINING AND MONITORING
THREE PLUS ONE:
THE POWERFUL SUPPLIES
Having selected the best of
Indonesia’s children for the
PRESTASI Scholarships it’s time for
the participants elected to get
prepared before leaving for
advanced studying in the United
States.
There are three main types of
materials: English language training
materials, leadership materials,
and statistics materials.
Candidates also have a debriefing
and a Pre-Departure Orientation,
which is very important because
most PRESTASI scholarship
program awardees have never
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

Scholars attended English travelled abroad. Why is three

Language Training seriously plus one given? Here’s the
explanation.

39
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
TRAINING (ENGLISH FOR
ACADEMIC PURPOSES / EAP)
English Language Training is
very important to improve the
scholarship awardees’ English
language skills so that the scholars
have no significant barriers in
studying and communicating in the
United States. Having the ability to
communicate in English will
certainly make the awardees adapt
more easily to their new
environment and it will make it
easier for them to absorb the
knowledge that they learn.
Why is the English language
training needed? It is related to the
mission of the PRESTASI program
to provide more opportunities for
those who have limited access to
achieve higher education. English
language skills are not the main
criteria for PRESTASI scholarship
awardees but academic
competence, nationalism, as well as
his/her enthusiasm to move forward
and fight for other people are
considered priority. This is what
distinguishes the PRESTASI
program scholarship. However, it
does remain that there is a
minimum requirement of English
language skills; Candidates must
have a TOEFL®ITP score of 450 or
equivalent. “That’s the excellence
of the PRESTASI program. Those
whose English is not good enough
can still submit their application,”
said Wiwin Erikawati, Training and
Monitoring Division Manager of
PRESTASI, who handles the division
with Hafida Meutia, excitedly.
Wiwin said that the students in
eastern part of Indonesia have good
academic potential but their
English is not so good. It may be
caused by the lack of access to
English training. There are not as
many English courses in Papua
there are in Jakarta also they are
very expensive. In fact some
applicants from Papua are excellent
academically and intellectually
smart. “It’s unfair that just because
of their poor English they lose the
opportunity to get the scholarship.
So, this program accommodates
40
people with limited access,” added
Wiwin.
That is why English debriefing is
definitely needed. “Many
participants are not good at English
so we prepared a particular design
of English briefing. The program is
in line with the participants’ level of
English skills,” she said in IIEF
office in Kuningan, Jakarta.
The PRESTASI participants
were enrolled in English for
Academic Purposes (EAP) for
either a month, four months or six
months at the International
Language Institute University of
Indonesia (LBI-UI) in Salemba,
Central Jakarta. The duration of
the training is in accordance with
the placement test result
conducted by a team of LBI-UI.
The candidates all come from
their respective regions to
Jakarta for the training. They
could be sent to English courses in
their own region too, for example
participants from Makassar could
be enrolled in English Courses in
Makassar and monitored. However,
since the target to be achieved
through the EAP is very specific in
helping scholars improve their
English competency for academic
purposes, IIEF with LBI-UI design a
specific program (tailor made) so
that the target can be achieved
within a maximum period of six
months.
In addition, if the group learns
together there is healthy
competition in the group so the
achievement process can also be
accelerated. Wiwin said, “The
purpose of bringing them all to
Jakarta is to form a system of
positive competition. It is more
costly. We cover not only the cost of
the course, we also provide for their
living costs while in Jakarta.”
It turned out that the goal could
be achieved very effectively. For
example, participants with the
lowest grades at the previous test
were motivated for the course since
they have to compete against the
group. “The arousal of competition
was very interesting. We gather
people with the same mission so
 SISILIA SETIAWATI HALIMI, PHD
Lecturer
Senior Lecturer Department of English Language Studies Program and Post
Graduate Linguistics, FIB UI

They Are Taking Learning Very Seriously

Humanities (FIB) UI.
The training process of the PRESTASI participants is held in FIB UI
Salemba, Central Jakarta. The teachers are the lecturers of FIB UI who are
certainly capable in their fields. “Intensive learning every day,” said Sisilia
Halimi, who served as Director of LBI UI during the program. The alumnus of
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

English Language Training La Trobe University, Melbourne Victory Australia, played an important role
conducted intensively everyday and became the partner of IIEF in designing specific programs and
developed a module to learn English for the participants of the PRESTASI

IIEF took International Language Institute University of Indonesia

(LBI-UI) to provide training to USAID PRESTASI awardees
before heading to the United States to gain knowledge. LBI-UI is a language
institution that concentrates on training seven world languages, namely
English, Mandarin, Japanese, French, German, Dutch and Arabic. This
institution was founded and fostered by the alumni of the Faculty of
program.
LBI-UI does not want any participants who failed for lack of English
language skills to go to college in America because it can damage their
reputation. “Our commitment is to have as many participants as possible to be
able to achieve the needed requirements to be accepted at a university,” said
Sisilia who specializes in Applied Linguistics for English Language Teaching.

they may compete positively to get
a high score. High scores certainly
have a good impact and they could
find schools more easily,” said
Wiwin about the plus point of the
tailor made programs of EAP IIEF-
LBI UI.
Three Classes
Before the training begins, LBI UI
map the English participants’
competency through preliminary
tests. From this they know where to
place each participant and it
provides a reference for making and
designing the training program, for
the English language skills of each
participant are different.
Sisilia explained that although
there are only a few participants it is
impossible to put them in one group
from the beginning of the training
because of the various levels of their
language skills. Dividing the
participants according to their
competency is much more effective.
“We usually divide them into
three classes. The first class has 120
hours of learning and this is for

41
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
those who already have TOEFL®ITP
500’s. The second class is for 450
hours and is for the average
competency. The third class is for
630 hours for those with a low grade
of TOEFL®ITP, “she said.
According to her the first
class’s training focuses on English
for academic purposes. At this
level the participants are allowed
to take the TOEFL®iBT that will be
submitted as a condition of
enrollment into the target college.
As their language skills are no
longer to be worried about Sisilia
said, “There is special material for
them.” Meanwhile, the two other
classes are more focused on
speaking and writing. “Of course
the material is different, although
the class will eventually be in the
same level.”
Although divided into several
classes the teaching mechanism
which is applied to all levels tends to
be the same, namely communication
language. Sisilia said it is to ensure
that participants do not only learn
about the language but it is also to
ensure that they can use the
language to communicate.
LBI-UI has experience of

P
RESTASI Scholarship Awardees also get
academic aptitude packages, one of which
is SPSS. The statistical package is taught
with computer software, which makes it fun for
the participants and easy to understand without
awardees being traumatized by numbers. Before
A Foothold in Working on Numbers
flying to the United States the PRESTASI
Scholarship recipients first get a foothold. Besides
money, the most important foothold is non-
material forms of English, Statistics, and
Leadership. The three main materials were
provided through training; each handled by a
different team of trainers and teachers.
For statistical training participants are trained
in the Institute for Research and Community
Service (LPPM) Atma Jaya Catholic University
Jakarta, for three days from morning to evening.
They learn SPSS (Statistical Package for the
DR. IR. HERU PRASADJA, M.SC
Experts and Lecturers SPSS Statistics
Unika Atma Jaya, Jakarta
Social Sciences). The mentors are Dr. Ir. Heru motivation to get to know statistics. During the
Prasadja, M.Sc and Drs. Herry Pramono, M.Sc. participants debriefing Heru analogized that
As a lecturer of statistics at the university statistical learning is like a boy learning to ride a
since 1985, Heru Prasadja has understood that his bike. At the beginning the child often falls and is
courses were considered frightening for some even scolded by his parents. However, with all his
students. So when he was in front of the trainees effort the boy can finally ride a bike. “Just like
from PRESTASI, who have a variety of science learning statistics. I motivate them by telling
backgrounds. Heru was prepared with the them that you learn this now for you will need it
understanding that he had a strategy and that the and use it later. It is not just about simply passing
Awardees were not afraid of learning statistics. a statistics course,” said Heru, who holds a
Heru did not directly teach the science of doctorate in sociology from the University of
statistics but he built on the participants’ Indonesia.

42
providing language training for
various groups ranging from
government departments, non-
governmental organizations (NGOs),
scholarship recipients who will go
out of the country and so on. For
the group of scholarship recipients
who departed in 2012 this was the
first year for PRESTASI working
with LBI-UI. “My impression for
those who departed in 2012 was
very positive. They seemed very
serious. I believe this selection was
unbelievably good. They learned
seriously. Their potential can be
maximized. Their learning attitude
is very positive with high
motivation,” said Sisilia.
Seeing the seriousness of the
participants Sisilia assumed the
participants were well qualified. She
hopes the participants are able to
complete their studies well then
return to Indonesia to develop and
apply their knowledge. “They’re the
ones who are well-qualified. If they
can contribute their knowledge to
our country it will be a better
country,” said the senior lecturer in
the Department of English Language
Studies Program and Post Graduate
Linguistics, FIB UI.

Besides the motivating touches, Heru and
Herry used the method of “friendship”. The brief-
ing was for participants who didn’t understand
statistics so they approached them by a chat,
which was not directly related to statistics. This
created a good atmosphere in transferring the
science.
“Since the first day I invited them to talk and
tried to encourage them. I do not want to push
them, I am afraid they will be traumatized by
numbers,” he added.
Heru and Herry composed the easy to
understand method of teaching from a variety of
knowledge backgrounds. First they emphasize
understanding the meaning of symbols and
formulas that look complicated then they step up
to numerical problems.
By explaining the meaning of the symbols and
formulas clearly before processing the data, Heru
and his colleagues hope to hone the participants’
logic. Formulas are not considered terrible anymore
but they are recognized as an instrument that
makes research easier. They ensure accurate data
processing. Heru wants students to understand that
statistics can be understood with the right logic and
not just by memorizing formulas and counting.
“Then we discus the method, how to use and how
to process it, so the formulas are proven to ease
the process of our research,” he added.
Did it work? “At least the participants did not
complain and they enjoyed learning the formulas,”
he said, laughing.
At the end of the debriefing Heru was just
amazed. All participants were enthusiastic about
the training from morning to evening. Heru and
Herry were bombarded with a variety of
questions. Starting from questions that required
discussion with the questioner to the questions
that required the basic principles of statistics to
be re-explained. “I was comforted by their
enthusiasm. Perhaps those who haven’t learned
statistics before got a new piece of knowledge,
while the ones have the knowledge could refresh
their memory,” said Heru.
Based on the experience of debriefing in July
2012 Heru suggested the next briefing is better
divided into two classes based on the participants’
competency. The scholarship candidates who
seem to take majors that rely on qualitative
logical thinking such as anthropology should be
better able to understand training method
according to the field. “For some whose majors
are in qualitative studies they are not required to
study statistics. Pity them,” he added.

43
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
STATISTICS TRAINING
The second provision the
participants get is statistics
training. The participants are
trained in the Institute for
Research and Community Service

FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
(LPPM) Atma Jaya Catholic
University Jakarta, for three days
from morning to evening. They
learn SPSS or Statistical Package
for the Social Sciences. The mentor
Christian, Rina and Since actively
is Heru Prasadja and Herry involved in in-door activity in
Pramono who both wrestle with Leadership Training
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

statistics day-to-day.
IIEF has a special reason why help organizations and individuals
the very specific provision needs to identify, uncover, develop and
to be given to PRESTASI optimize the potential of the
Hand stamps and Expectations
scholarship awardees. “Statistics is LEADERSHIP TRAINING of scholars
individual in the workplace and in
important to assist them in The next provision is leadership social daily life.
researching and in data training. Unlike the EAP, which took leadership training including the For one night and two days the
processing,” Wiwin explained. six months, the training was held training of human resources who PRESTASI participants, who are all
Most importantly statistics for one night and two days in will continue their studies to a from different backgrounds and
teach a logical way of thinking. It’s D’Agape Residence, in Ciawi, Bogor, higher level both domestically and regions - Jakarta, Jambi, Papua,
clearly fundamental since they will West Java, in early December 2011. abroad. The company which is Central Java, East Java, and others
have to be able to produce For this leadership training IIEF managed by a couple of - do various activities as a group
scientific papers and the real work worked in cooperation with PT psychologists, alumnus of the that can reveal the character and
is built on correct and appropriate Daya Insani (www.dayainsani.com), University of Indonesia (UI), Sri the potential of each person.
reasoning. a training provider that has the Hastari Biran and Zainul Biran is “During the leadership training
expertise and experience in engaged in the field of services to their personalities come out. For

44
 FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
Cooperation of a team in an
out-door activity

him/her to succeed. So, his/her real

character has come out,” said Wiwin
laughing, “I’m excited to see it.”
As well as being able to reveal
the character and potential of each
participant leadership training also
gives a variety of dynamic group
games that create the feeling of
binding togetherness. “The training
succeeded in making them feel the
same. The training provider made
them feel equal so after the
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

leadership training no one looks

down on other people or otherwise
assumes others are higher.
Togetherness was successfully

Out-door activity to foster example, A who seems calm turns out games in the course, which shows created during the leadership
cooperation in team to be very ambitious. There are that A justified the means for training,” said Wiwin.

45
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY

DRA. SRI HASTARI Z. BIRAN - Direktur PT Daya Insani

Revealing the Real Character, Forging Unity

F
or the leadership training for the PRESTASI and there were participants various activities or
participants IIEF works in cooperation with PT that accepted the rules. simulations. One is through
Daya Insani, which has much experience in this When the session the sharing of the work
field. started on time there were environment or the
“At the beginning of training we invite participants some participants who were bureaucracy of each and

to sing Indonesia Raya in order that they have a sense
of responsibility for the country,” said Director of PT
Daya Insani, Sri Hastari Z Biran as she talks about the
training process that lasts for two days and one night.
It is not without reason that the opening of
training starts with the national anthem. In many
cases people go abroad to study but then they do not
return home. Some return home but bring their life
from abroad home too so they lose Indonesia.
Therefore this training, she said, meant that the
Indonesian people should have a commitment to
Indonesia. The process towards the realization is done
with the various training activities that seem “trivial”.
For instance, there is a rule requiring all participants
turn off their cellular phone during activity sessions
and there is the rule that participants should be on
time. The rule raises pros and cons among the
participants. There were participants who protested
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
not already in the place. The
session was postponed until
all participants were
present. This method also
Reflection session
caused debate among
participants. From the spontaneous reactions from the
participants the coaches of Daya Insani gain input on
the character or nature of each participant. Then the
trainer asked participants to take time to self-reflect
on their attitudes.
An understanding of the personal character of
each is also obtained by using some short tests. “I’m
oh so, so ... my friend,” the UI Psychology alumnus
described the reaction of the participants after taking
the test, and an explanation of the meaning of the
test.
Awareness of self-character and leadership
abilities and togetherness were also built through
their role in that
environment. This type of
sharing can help to reflect
the role they should contribute to create a better
environment.
Leadership and a sense of togetherness were
raised and built through games that seemed trivial.
Through outbound activities such as a number of
outdoor games participants are invited to reflect on
the meaning of that game.
The core lesson of the game is that if you
succeeded in solving the problem alone you can be
successful but you sacrifice your friends. You
succeeded but others did not. So inevitably you have
to succeed together. The Awardees must decide how
to succeed together. That’s what makes the games
contrary to their ego. Some think that if they are
successful together with others then their success is

46
 FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
only 50 percent. In fact they want to success
completely. But others say, maybe I’m not as good as
you, but I also want to feel successful, help me please.
“That’s it. So this game builds awareness of the
importance of togetherness. The beauty of unity. Each
has its advantages and each has its drawbacks. If they
can complete one another they will be stronger,” said
the experienced practitioner in Human Resource
Management (HRM).
At night there was a ‘watch together’ session. The
committee played a documentary film about Indonesian
nature without text or narration. The committee did not
mention what the title of the movie was or where it
was set. The documentary showed the scenery at Lake
Toba, natural beauty at Kelok. Ampek Puluah Ampek,
the romantic Ngarai Sianok, the famous underwater
Bunaken, the fascinating stretch of Raja Ampat
archipelago and even more beautiful places. But, no
kidding, no participant knew the places. Halloooo ... it’s
Indonesia! “Oh, Indonesia!? There are so beautiful
places, aren’t there?” Some participants exclaimed
surprised. Of the many participants there was only one
person who called a location correctly. She also
hesitated.
According to Sri, Daya Insani they play this movie
to remind them of Indonesia and to remind them that
they have a responsibility to this country. There are
A qualified psychologist
social problems, cultural problems and so many other
problems that must be solved. “Hopefully they will be
involved in the process. They can make something
useful. So we remind them that we are the people of
Indonesia. That’s the goal. We are Indonesian. Do your
best for this nation.”
Then there was a discussion that the trainer
opened with a touching story from his heart. “You are
to be schooled abroad but do not bring back here all
the forces from there. We are here and we do not want
to lose our Indonesia.”
At the opening the participants were reluctantly
singing Indonesia Raya but not this time. All were
singing heartily, full appreciation and full of love. The
participants could not control their emotions and were
hugging one another tearfully. The trainer of Daya
Insani couldn’t help crying they were all in tears. They
were all emotional and in love with Indonesia.
In this emotional situation, Cultural Observer M.
Sobari, one of the guest speakers in the training
expressed his annoyance at the people who had
47
studied abroad, but after returning home made no
contribution. What’s their contribution to this country?
Why aren’t they visible? Where are they hiding?
Two days training is not enough. Sri herself said
two days is a very short time to establish the
characters. “But at least we can help them to be able
to study there,” said Sri, who had served as a HR
manager in a clinical laboratory that has more than 50
branches spread across various places in Indonesia.
It is expected that after the training the
participants will keep in touch with each other. While in
America they are usually on their own as they are
spread over various campuses and cities. If they keep
in touch, they will never feel alone. They can talk to
each other and if there is a problem there will be a
friend who is willing to help.
Before leaving Ciawi participants wrote their plan on
a piece of paper. As a leader what they will do? What
will you do after studying in the United States? The
paper is collected and stored by IIEF. When they come
home they are reminded of their initial intentions. Do
they still remember their intention? Change is fine, as
long as it is for his own good, other people and their
environment. “Hopefully, when they get back here it is
to refresh and to remind them that now they’re home
they should recall the first intentions that they made
before leaving the country,” said Sri.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
EVALUATION: INDUCTION IS SO
MEANINGFUL
An important induction is given
to the PRESTASI scholarship
recipients. But how does the
induction benefit them?
Opinions, attitudes and
suggestions from the participants
are very important for IIEF. IIEF can
find out if the services that they
provide are in accordance with the
needs of the participants before
they jump on the new campuses
both in the U.S. and in Indonesia.
For that purpose a team from
IIEF led by Devi Miarni Umar, a
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
from PRESTASI have designed 20
questions with closed and open
systems to all debriefing
participants to evaluate the
meaning, function and impact of
these supplies. The closed questions
were regarding the material being
taught, mentors, training facilities
and so on including the level of their
acceptance. The questions are
multiple-choice ranging from very
good to bad, from very satisfactory
to not satisfactory at all, from
useful to useless.
Open questions are related to a
number of issues regarding the
implementation of the debriefing
and especially suggestions.
Participants are free to deliver their
opinions and comments here.
“Ideally to evaluate or assess an
activity we should have a baseline.
Unfortunately PRESTASI does not
have baseline information from
previous programs that could be
used as a reference against which to
review the impact of an intervention
at the end of the activity. Therefore,
to work around this the team and I
at IIEF designed tools to measure
the impact with the use of
quantitative and qualitative
methods to approach retrospective
and current situations,” said Devi
about the tools used to evaluate the
scholars. This approach allowed IIEF
team to dig up information before
and after the intervention by IIEF
through a series of activities
prepared for the scholars.
From the results of the
48
evaluation of the induction
participants, Devi concluded the
following:
Training or induction provides an
opportunity for the PRESTASI
scholarship awardees to improve
their knowledge and skills in the
fields of academics, leadership
and writing.
In terms of training time and the
number of participants they
consider their ratios to be
adequate, although some found
that the statistical training time
was too short. “Statistical
learning materials aim to teach
too much for just three days,” –
this was the feedback taken from
one of the course participants.
When appraising the series of
training arrangements in place
the awardees think it’s already
good, particularly in terms of
materials and schedules. They
think it’s managed very well.
The materials used were
considered important to support
the training, while the handouts
used were considered to be good
quality and relevant. The facilities
were also considered to be
appropriate and in accordance
with the activities session.
The classroom environment is
very supportive of the
participants learning especially
for English training sessions and
leadership. One participant
wrote, “The class was able to
help me to be actively involved in
every session of activities.”
The facilitators at the
International Language Institute
- University of Indonesia (LBI-UI),
University of Atma Jaya and PT
Daya Insani were thought to be
experts in their field, well
prepared, well organized,
responsive to participants, and
with capabilities to create an
atmosphere of learning and have
the appropriate ways of teaching.
The training participants
proposed additional time for
statistics training and leadership
as well as more time for
preparation for TOEFL®iBT than
TOEFL®ITP.
 Here is a summary of the views
of some student candidates after
attending English Language,
Statistics and Leadership Training.
These comments come from the
written evaluations submitted by
induction participants. Some
entries submitted by the scholars
will certainly be used by IIEF in
designing future programs. Here
are some excerpts of their
comments:
“Induction really helped me in
preparing to continue my study in
the United States,” wrote one
participant.
“English Training really helped
me in improving my English skills.
While statistical training would be
better held after the English course
was completed in order to make
our brains fresh” said a recipient of
PRESTASI scholarship.
“The time for statistical training
is too short, so we do not have
enough time to understand the
material,” said another participant.
“I got a lot of capacity building
from the induction. It increased my
confidence,” wrote a third
participant.
PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION
Besides getting English,
statistical science, and leadership
training PRESTASI scholarship
recipients still need to get another
induction before they enter college
in the United States. The induction
is in the form of self-readiness -
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
anything needed to support their
studies running smoothly. The
induction was obtained through
activities during the three days
named Pre-Departure Orientation Theophanny Rampisela shared
period in the USA. This activity is
(PDO). experiences and stories while in U.S. an invaluable session, which also
During this event the PRESTASI involves sharing the experience of
scholars, from various regions in management of their time, etc. With the alumni as well as realizing the
Indonesia, gathered in Jakarta. In such a comprehensive induction the need for self-management skills in
this PDO activity the participants participants are expected to be the USA,” explained Mira Sambada.
are given various information about ready to leave with no issues left The three-day event was varied
the role of IIEF and IIE; latest uncovered. and dynamic. The participants were
developments regarding the “This orientation is intended to sometimes fed up but they mostly
PRESTASI program; the terms and explain in detail about the role of listened seriously to the facilitators
conditions of the contract of the stakeholders that are useful for for they felt that all the material
PRESTASI recipients with USAID; a the PRESTASI recipients to presented were useful for their
list of needs before departure; understand their roles and readiness to arrive and settle into
information regarding their responsibilities during their study the United States of America.
49
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
Briefing on the general
information and picture of the
life and education in U.S.
“This induction provides
comprehensive information about
what to do before, during, and after
studying in the United States,”
commented a participant through
an evaluation sheet. “All the
materials delivered (the facilitators)
are new to me, and very helpful,”
said another participant, “Induction
gives a lot of information before we
leave for the USA.”
Amongst the briefing material
deemed relevant to their needs
there is technical information on
various things allowed and
forbidden in the USA and the
regulations regarding USA
immigration. IIEF has prepared
50
various types of relevants materials
for participants but some want
additional material about cultural
shock, credit systems and
universities grading systems in the
United States. Therefore some
people suggested that there was a,
“Need to add another night to the
orientation.”
Another thing that is very
useful for the participants in the
PDO is a meeting with fellow
PRESTASI scholarship recipients.
They feel there are similarities of
“fate” that make them united. “It
was great being able to meet up
with fellow scholarship recipients
who will get the same experience,”
said one participant.
Overall, based on the evaluation
results, which the participants
delivered, the participants were
extremely satisfied with the
activities of the PDO. They were
satisfied with the material
presented and they also gave the
thumbs up to the facilitators that
they thought were excellent.
The PDO induction makes them
become more confident to go, stay,
and struggled with the course
material in the United States. “This
event makes me able to prepare all
the things needed to study abroad,”
said a PRESTASI awardee.
FROM THE DEPARTURE
TO TAKING PART
While the PRESTASI recipients
are taking the induction, the
Training and Monitoring Division of
PRESTASI are struggling with the
following matters; preparing all
their needs and documents etc.
until they are completed and ready
to go. Communication with IIEF
partners in Washington DC during
the pre departure stage is
intensified.
One of the most important
things is to get information from IIE
about colleges that most deserves
the recipients. They certainly need
to know the requirements in detail
to facilitate their registration.
Having completed the induction
it was time for the scholarship
recipients to choose colleges, and
to fill out the application, which the
details of requirements had been
prepared by the PRESTASI IIEF. The
applications were then sent to the
United States. Then there is a
waiting stage, waiting for
information from the U.S. about who
has been offered an acceptance and
who has not been offered an
acceptance.
Participants who do not pass
generally do so because they chose
excellent campuses, or their
TOEFL®ITP score is not enough. An
excellent campus usually requires
the equivalent score of TOEFL®ITP
of around 580. But their
TOEFL®ITP score were only 500 so
automatically they have a limited
choice. “The participants who are
not accepted by their chosen
college have not failed – they will
just have to take additional English
classes in the U.S. or choose
another campus. That’s why we
always remind participants at the
beginning that if they are good at
English, they will automatically
have more choices,” said Wiwin of
the Division of Training and
Monitoring of PRESTASI.
Another obstacle, according to
Wiwin, is that sometimes scholars
are selected for colleges chosen by
the IIEF team and actually the
scholar wants to go somewhere
different. If this is not
communicated until late in the
process it becomes a difficult
problem with the deadlines
looming. Addressing the same
issue, Wiwin claimed to be careful in
making him/her understand.
“Simply this,” Wiwin pointed out, “if
you’re good at TOEFL®iBT you
have many school choices. And vice
versa. In principle scholars should
also measure their own capacity.
But basically this program allows
them to apply to any possible
college.”
The next obstacle is related to
the funding. Popular schools are
usually very expensive. On the
other hand this scholarship has
tuition cap (maximum tuition fees
can be paid by USAID). That’s why
the university tuition chosen by
51
scholars must comply with donor
funding capability.
There are many ways to Rome.
There is always a way out. Having
experience and good networking in
the United States, the IIEF and the
IIE sometimes register scholars
with additional scholarships. This is
because almost all universities have
scholarship programs. There can
be a kind of cost sharing to cover
the cost margin of university with
the funding cap by the donor. “For
example, if tuition at the college
was $ 50,000 they are given a $
10,000 discount which is really
good. That’s one of the things that
we can do - It’s one of the ways.
From the data IIEF recorded
approximately 56% of PRESTASI
scholars obtained cost sharing from
the universities,” said the traveling
and enthusiastic woman who has
visited many countries.
For her, the success of
dispatching and placing
participants according to their own
choice of campus has its own
happiness. “Many participants have
entered prestigious schools in the
United States such as John Hopkins
University, Duke University,
University of California Los Angeles
(UCLA) and UC Davis. Even one of
our participants qualified for Yale
University - one of the American
universities that fall into the Ivy
League. Due to our team, both in
Jakarta and in Washington DC, we
always try to prepare scholars to be
able to compete at a global level
and get the best results,” said
Wiwin.
For the participants themselves
who have also worked hard and who
take the whole program prepared
by the team of PRESTASI very
seriously - it is certainly a good
fortune. In their next curriculum
vitae they will be noted as USAID
PRESTASI and the great campuses’
scholarship awardees.
Wiwin shared with us the secret
recipe of IIEF, which is why many
PRESTASI participants received
scholarships at prestigious
campuses in America. With
experience of dealing with the
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
scholarship program for more than
20 years IIEF is well aware of a few
things that attract the attention of
the leading campuses when they
are reading applicants’ essays.
Essay writing is one of the most
important application processes.
Training in essay writing for the
participants before leaving is very
useful. EAP participants were also
trained to write essays in English.
“Through the program modules
that we have designed with LBI-UI,
we train scholars to prepare essays,
although the application process
may be done there (America). We
review their essays here. Well, a
good essay is one of those
provisions to enter the top campus
there,” said Wiwin again.
Having placed each awardee at a
college either in the United States or
in Indonesia the next task of IIEF
team was to dispatch the scholars.
For those studying in the United
States the departure is usually
conducted in August before the
semester starts. For about two years
they will study in the country (U.S.).
However, the IIEF task is not
automatically completed after the
participants finish their study
periods in the USA or Indonesia.
There are still other important
tasks such as monitoring the
development of each grantee’s
study. This task is very important
to know the constraints faced by
each student and then to take steps
to address them so that each
grantee can study well and on
schedule.
Endah Tri Kurnawaty, while
studying at Indiana University
proposed to get the additional
Academic Writing Skills to the
PRESTASI scholarship program. “I
was asked to write a brief proposal
and sent it via email and the
proposal was accepted,” she said.
Nia, the nickname of Endah Tri
Kurniawaty, then took a class in
academic writing skills outside of
the regular class schedule. The
entire cost of the course was fully
funded by the PRESTASI
scholarship program
administrators. “I was greatly
52
supported by the program, as I
often have to submit my work in
writing,” she explained.
Not only that but as the subject
field studied by Nia required
additional charges she submitted
additional fund proposals in order to
attend the courses. The proposals
were accepted. “I think at that time
I could give a good reason, so my
request was granted,” she said.
Baryanto had another similar
story. When he was in a period of
studying at the University of Gajah
Mada there were representatives of
the AED (Academy for Educational
Development) who met with him to
ask if he was having difficulty in
taking his scholarship program.
“Even the staff of the AED asked
me whether I was active in my
college and asked for my grades
from the rector’s office,” he said.
Although Baryanto doesn’t have
difficulties during his study he
considered it was a form of very
good monitoring to find out if
students were having problems in
their learning process.
Also be Seen on Campus
The task of monitoring in the
United States is carried out by a
team from PRESTASI IIEF partners
based in Washington DC, Institute
of International Education (IIE). The
IIE-PRESTASI team directly saw
that PRESTASI students were
enrolled at campuses in the USA.
One example is PRESTASI students
at Saint Louis University (SLU) and
the University of Missouri, Saint
Louis, in the State of Missouri. At
that time, there were four students
taking studies at the Faculty of
Public Health (School of Public
Health) at SLU.
According to Rachael Fellabaum
one of the IIE-PRESTASI Program
Officers the four students were
close to one another. In fact there
were two students who were late
for about two months due to
delayed visas. However, two
students who had already been in
SLU welcomed the two students
and introduced them to the town
and campus. The warm welcome
made the new students comfortable

FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
Lindsay Hillenberg visits Tyas at
Florida Atlantic University
and helped them in adapting to the
new environment and made their
relationship closer.
When Fellabaum met the
PRESTASI students she felt the
same hospitality as she got before
via telephone and email. However,
when meeting them directly she
could know more about the
development of each student and
their ability to conduct themselves
in areas where they attended school.
From these encounters
Fellabaum was very impressed not
only by the familiarity between
PRESTASI students at SLU but also
by their activities in the School of
Public Health and in their
communities. Fellabaum got the
information from the faculty that
each PRESTASI student had
contributed valuable knowledge to
their classmates about the
information and typical viewpoints
of Indonesia. The PRESTASI
students, said faculty members,
also showed willingness to
understand America, as well as a
sincere wish to share about their
culture and traditions to the people
they met in Saint Louis.
Their hospitality was also shown
to Fellabaum when they invited her
to come to their apartment. She
got treats of typical foods from
Indonesia plus typical candied
sweets of Saint Louis. That night
they had a party filled with life
stories and stories of their cultural
background and the Indonesian
National Anthem was sung
53
solemnly. The memorable night
showed the close relationship
between staff and PRESTASI
students.
As a member of staff at IIE-
PRESTASI, Rachael Fellabaum felt
very fortunate to be able to witness
the development of each student of
PRESTASI during their study in the
USA. Most of the students thought
Fellabaum did not realize that they
had changed after two years of
living and studying outside of
Indonesia. They have turned into
more independent people, self-
confident, attentive, knowledgeable,
and focused on their future.
Fellabaum also said, “We
sincerely hope the scholars will
continue to grow and develop after
their return to Indonesia. Surely they
will face the challenges of their
future but we hope their experience
during their stay in the USA will be
able to assist them in meeting these
challenges in a creative and critical
way. In addition, we also expect them
to share the knowledge and
experience to the work environment
and their community. Once they are
back in Indonesia with their advanced
skills, we hope they will re-enter the
work environment and their
community by upholding the values
of lifelong learning. Every experience
they have is an opportunity to grow
and develop. By keeping on learning
along their life the PRESTASI
scholars will definitely achieve
extraordinary success as individuals,
as professionals and as citizens.”
Towards the end of the
semester the PRESTASI scholarship
recipients who have graduated
gathered at IIE offices in
Washington DC to participate in a
Re-Entry Workshop. This workshop
provides an opportunity for them to
reflect on the experience and
describe achievements and plan to
apply their knowledge and skills.
This meeting is also a great
opportunity for them to develop a
network and to celebrate the
outstanding achievements that
they have achieved.
Before they come to the
workshop they have been told in
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
advance that they should bring a
hat and shirt or graduation toga.
Having finished the workshop
sessions, wearing a toga, they pose
together in front of the Presidential
Office of the USA, The White House.
Of course this photo action along
with the toga, in front of the White
House attracts the attention of
tourists visiting the place. Some
tourists even ask students to
explain where they came from.
They also asked the scholars to
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
explain PRESTASI program, what
they have achieved and their plans
for the future.
Keep in Touch
Another task to be done after
the scholarship recipients complete
their studies is the welcoming back
of the PRESTASI alumni’s in to the
country and to report their arrival
to USAID sponsor.
The process of returning usually
has no significant obstacles. No one
was missing or did not want to go
home as the program does require
them to return home at the end.
Rachael Fellabaum meets Bernie
at University of Nebraska
Moreover, their visas are only for
one single entry to the USA so the
validity period of their visa expires
on the day that they leave
There is a funny story related to
this visa deadline. There are some
universities that hold graduation
ceremonies after the scholarship
recipients’ visas have expired.
Surely they could not wait for
54
graduation ceremony because their
visas had already expired. They
certainly couldn’t come to the
graduation because they have to go
back to their country. Well, they are
just preposterous. So that there is a
keepsake, the PRESTASI
scholarship recipients held their
own graduation.
Having returned to their
homeland and back to their
respective working environments
they still keep in touch with IIE.
The relationship was developed
through joint work plans, through
the organization of alumni
PRESTASI called Alumni
Association PRESTASI–HICD
America Indonesia (ALPHA-I). This
is one of the advantages of the
PRESTASI program, which other
scholarship agencies do not
possess
“Because our binding feeling is
not only when departing but also
after returning home. At least the
relationship is still maintained. If we
have a project in an area, we have
people to help with the project,”
said Wiwin about the importance of
the alumni organization.
PRESTASI Staff hope that the
graduates will continue to grow as
mature people in the future. They
all have great potential to grow as a
leader in the workplace and their
communities. PRESTASI staff wants
to keep on providing support and
guidance to equip them with a
completeness they need to become
successful members of society and
care.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION,
ACTING PLACE WHILE BACK
ALPHA-I ALREADY
ROCKING STEP
Having completed their studies in
the United States and Indonesia the
PRESTASI scholarship recipients and
HICD (Human and Institutional
Capacity Development), of course,
have to apply their knowledge in their
environment. In spite of returning
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
home and serve to their respective
institutions as required by the contract
between the donor (USAID), scholars
and implementers (organizers of the
program), how do the best people of Alumni meeting to prepare the Seriously formulate the
this nation payback to Indonesia and establishment of ALPHA-I concept of Alumni Association

the public at large.

The idea of an alumni association program implementers of HICD team of alumni as a result of the first Darsono was elected as chairman of
has been initiated by USAID and the program. On receiving the PRESTASI alumni meeting attended by about 61 the Formation Team (representing the
Academy for Educational Development program in May 2012, IIEF knew that alumni in February 2012, organized by Development Objective Team/DOT
(AED), previously in charge of the USAID and AED had established a AED. In the meeting, Boediono Economic Growth), Silvy Andika Sari

55
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
Joshua dan Sylvi are having
a discussion
(Education) as a secretary and three
members of the formation: Jatmiko
Wahyu Nugroho Joshua (Democratic
Governance), Ni Ketut Susilarini
(Health) and Rosmala Daud
(Environment).
To follow the formation of an
alumni organization, Chief of Party
(COP) PRESTASI Mira Sambada and
her deputy, Deputy Chief of Party
(DCOP) Lensi Mursida held an initial
meeting with the formation team,
followed by a series of meetings
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
Glenn E Anders, USAID
Indonesia Mission Director
involving some of the alumni who organization of alumni, some even
graduated under the program HICD as worried about if their activities in the
well as with PRESTASI. alumni associations could hamper their
Initially IIEF was doubtful as to careers in the office.
whether an alumnus association could But, after going through some
be formed and whether there were intense meetings and discussions with
alumni who will take the time to take alumni, IIEF and the alumni finally
care of the organization because the agreed to hold the second National
alumnus is generally busy with their Alumni Meeting in March 2012, in
mounting activities after returning which IIEF acted as a facilitator of the
home to Indonesia. The same doubts meeting and was responsible for the
were owned by some of the alumni logistics and administration, while the
when told about the plan to form an Alumni Steering Committee formed a
56
team (Steering Committee) and the
Organizing Committee (Executive
Committee) was responsible for the
agenda, the content and material that
would be discussed in the alumni
meeting. “We had long days full of
lengthy discussions and sometimes
there was a sharp conflict of opinion
among alumni but it was really fun,”
said Lensi who was actively involved
with the alumni at the Alumni
establishment plan when it was
initiated and finalized.
The ideas were rolling and were
discussed intensively. Preceded by a
small working team consisting of about
ten alumni - who were in charge of
preparing the national alumni
gathering - and supported by IIEF and
USAID, the event, called National
Alumni Gathering, was held at Cemara
Hotel, Jakarta, on March 2 to 4, 2012.
It was attended by as many as 61
people from various parts of the
country. The alumni gathering
atmosphere was so alive and full of
spirit. Three short days but three
historic days. An agreement was
reached to name their organization the
 form a complete management at central
and regional levels, which will serve until
2014. The first national meeting of the
full board was successfully held on 26-
27 May 2012 at the Hotel Bluesky
Pandurata Jakarta. In this event
statutes, systems and the completeness
of work organization of ALPHA-I were
formulated as well as the work plan for
the year.
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

USAID and IIEF Representatives receive
book titled “Indonesia Optimis” from Alumni
ALPHA-I, which stands for the
Association of Alumni PRESTASI -
HICD America Indonesia.
As well as the name of the
organization being agreed the alumni
meeting also selected three people to
form a “working cabinet” for ALPHA-I.
The three figure were Akhmad Safik,
an alumnus of the School of Law,
University of Washington, who teaches
at the University of Al-Azhar, Jakarta,
as Chairman; Zaenal Arifin, an alumnus
of the University of Pittsburgh School
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
To vote, to elect a leader
of Public Policy, who works at
Bappenas, the Secretary-General; and
Novi Anggriani, short-term training
program alumnus who works at The
Asia Foundation as Treasurer.
Safik was called to actively initiate
the life of ALPHA-I because they feel
that it is proper that PRESTASI Alumni
should do things together - as they
have been facilitated in the scholarship
program. If done individually it will be
less effective. With this organization,
and with Safik as chairman of the
ALPHA-I he hopes that the alumni can
do something meaningful for Indonesia.
It is one of the intellectual
responsibilities to be properly
managed.
The secretary general Zaenal Arifin
had the same recollection as the
chairman. “It’s a mean of exploration
and an appropriate organization for our
souls,” said the BAPPENAS employee.
Safik, Ary, and Novi moved quickly to
carry out the mandate, which they hold.
Just a few weeks later they managed to
The work program, said Safik, was
made with measurable impact.
ALPHA-I plan to, at least once a year,
hold an international event, several
events nationwide and some of the
routine events on a smaller scale. The
focus of the work program is in the
areas of health, economic growth,
environment, education and the
strengthening of democracy and good
governance. Safik hopes that ALPHA-I
will develop programs that are able to
contribute to a vision of ‘Re-inventing
Indonesia’ and to build a new
Indonesia.
Having agreed the work program
the board is moving quickly to
implement it. One of their inaugural
programs is ‘Climate Change Goes To

57
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
Green Radio Jakarta. While interactive
discussion was held on 4 September
2012 at @america, Pasific Place
Jakarta.
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
The realization of the next program
is a workshop on the preparation of
local budgets that are participatory.

Voting Result Mira Sambada, COP PRESTASI pinned ‘a pin’ to the

Through this activity they want to
The elected board forms a cabinet
of ALPHA-I Secretary General of ALPHA-I in its first Rakernas transmit an understanding that good
governance and clean environments
require active involvement of
communities in development planning
and budgeting. The workshop was held
FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI

FOTO: IIEF-PRESTASI
Bingo Band in ‘Climate Change Interactive discussion on Climate
Goes To School’ activity Change for youth
School’, specifically for Jakarta and its Indonesia, third, interactive
surrounding areas. These activities discussions, experience sharing, and
include: first, a writing contest with the seeing a movie concerning climate
same theme for all of the students, change together. The campaign against
secondly, interactive discussion on the climate change is rallied through the
radio to discuss climate change from song with Bingo Band, which will
the perspective of health, education hopefully establish a youth community
and the environment published by KBR who are aware of climate change.
68H Radio and relayed by the 50 radio According to Safik the activities
networks in KBR 68H throughout are aimed to provide insight for the
Workshop on participatory budgeting
in Banda Aceh
high school students about climate
change and they are expected to
change their behavior patterns with
respect to the environment.
The series premiere ALPHA-I
program was held. The writing contest
began on July 2012 and ended on 17
September 2012. Interactive dialogue
on the radio was already held on
August 14, 2012 in collaboration with
in Banda Aceh, September 2012.
Workshop participants were young
people, especially university students,
along with local community leaders,
journalists, NGOs and local
government officials.
ALPHA-I stepped up pretty quickly.
Born just a few months ago it has
made concrete steps. And the next
steps to be taken have been arranged,
- all of which are just merely for the
sake of many people, for a better
Indonesia. Starting from something
small and done with joy. “I am always
glad to do good things for other
people,” said Zaenal Arifin.

58
 AGUS YUDI WICAKSONO Coming and serving a two-year
Master in Public Policy, Michigan State University, East Lansing school period in the United States
Staff at the Center for Strategic Policy Studies, Ministry of Home Affairs make him amazed at the country’s
sidewalks. He even has a collection of
ALUMNI GAIT Reflecting on Connecticut Sidewalks photos of these sidewalks! According
By the end of the to him, the pavement is a reflection of
PRESTASI program a country’s services to its people.
in September 2012
about 89 alumni of
the Long Term
Training (LTT)
W hen he first set foot in Dulles
International Airport,
Washington DC, in August 2009, Agus
program of HICD and Yudi Wicaksono was gob-smacked. His
PRESTASI eyes were amazed by airport buildings
scholarship program in the United States capital. When
have completed their taken to the Inn at the Churchill Hotel,
studies and have located directly across from the Hilton
returned to Hotel, he was even more amazed.
Indonesia. Together “There was a really great sidewalk,”
with 162 alumni of said the man from Papua amazed.
Short Term Training The sidewalk is located on
(STT) program, total Connecticut Avenue and is five feet
alumni of FORECAST wide. The edge of the sidewalk that
- HICD and faces the street is made like a ramp.
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI

PRESTASI program The sidewalk allows people in a

totals 251 people. wheelchair to easily roll down the
Here are excerpts sidewalk after they get off the bus.” In
from some LTT An asset in Ministry
Indonesia the sidewalk is made
alumni gait compiled of Home Affairs perpendicular to the curb so that
by IIEF team. motorcycles cannot pass. In the U.S., it

59
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
is made to decline so that people in PRESTASI program when the
wheelchairs can go down without any program was called FORECAST -
help,” told the second of four brothers. HICD - when he took an English
Since then he began photographing course at the Central Administration
the pavements on various roads in the of International Cooperation,
United States to be a collection. For Ministry of Home Affairs. At that
him the pavement becomes a mirror of time he was frustrated because his
how the government functions in desire to continue his education was
terms of community service. “I utterly tumbled by the education system’s
felt it was a public service,” said the mechanism in Indonesia, including
graduate of Michigan State University. information on scholarships in the
The sidewalk gave him the country are closed. Thus, civil
inspiration and self-confidence that his servants like him can only hope for
position as a civil servant is serving a the ‘goodness’ of information from
public function. “If our principle is the International Cooperation
service, serve it well,” he said with a Administration Center.
serious face. Yudi, was known in the The second obstacle he faced, as
neighborhood as a very serious the Government High School
person. Once, when received as a civil graduates in the State (STPDN),
servant, the father of two children did Jatinangor, he just got D4 (diploma
have the principle of serving in doing 4). “For S2 (master), I must take the
his tasks. The implementation, said S1 (bachelor),” he said. However, after
Yudi, is not only serving the a team from the Academy for
FOTO: PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION

community but also have to make Educational Development (AED), the

coworkers comfortable when serving contractor HICD program, verified to
one another. STPDN and finally obtained an
explanation, despite STPDN being D4
Fortunate after Frustration Sidewalks in Michigan
the number of credits (semester
Yudi got information about the that interest Yudi credit system) required by STPDN is
equivalent to S1 and Yudi finally went
through.
When registering for PRESTASI
Yudi found it difficult to qualify. His
TOEFL®ITP score was only 463, much
lower of the requirements for
placement at a university in the land of
Uncle Sam, which requires 550.
“Perhaps the reviewer saw my resolve,”
he thought. Due to his strong will Yudi
continued and he participated in a
‘debate’ in front of six reviewers. “I’ve
been like a vent, explaining my anxiety
about the service and why I want to
learn in the United States,” he said.
His sincerity to re-learn was costly
as when he had to go to America his
wife was pregnant. “It’s hard for me to
leave my wife,” he said.
Arriving in the United States was
also not easy for Yudi as the United
States was the first foreign country he
had visited. He had many difficulties.
For example, although his TOEFL®ITP
score was already qualified 550 Yudi
was still not good at writing so he had
to take English classes in the morning
and in the evenings - for an entire
semester he could take one subject
only. “Oh, I was depressed,” he said. In
the classroom he could not respond to
the ongoing discussions. “Sometimes I
feel that my work was well written but
my professor did not understand what
I wrote,” he recalled, laughing.
His confidence appeared after two
semesters in the U.S.. He began
actively participating in the
discussions. Even in the class he
became an unofficial resource for
undergraduate students at Michigan
State University about the history of
Indonesia in the subject of Indonesian
Politics and Moslems (Indonesia and
Muslim Politics).
His unyielding spirit enabled him to
overcome challenges gradually. Having
succeeded in finding ‘the light’ at the
campus he also enlightened us about
where he lived which was fairly far
away from the campus, especially he
had to go home in the evening. “It was
easy to find transport but I had to
concentrate on where I was going,” he
said. He had only three days of
preparation prior to arriving in
America.
Although there were four seasons,
61
Yudi had no problem with the change
of weather in the country. Because, he
said, he was familiar with the heat and
cold temperatures from his childhood
in Papua. “Wamena was bitterly cold,
Abepura was hot. It was not so
different,” said Yudi, who spent his
childhood until his high school in
Papua.
The problem he had was when he
lived in a university apartment for the
second half of his stay. “Once the
heating was turned off I finally learned
to use heating blankets,” he said,
laughing.
Once back in Indonesia Yudi
became a mainstay of his office in the
Central of Strategic Policy Studies,
Ministry of Home Affairs. Yudi has to
analyze the policy quickly for
consideration and report to the
Minister of Home Affairs Gamawan
Fauzi. The report should be brief and
clear. “Top management do not have
time to read long reports so they
should be clear and concise,” said
Public Policy graduate of Michigan
State University.
Yudi applies two approaches in
analyzing. The first is the qualitative
provision of STPDN. The second is
quantitative analyzing - a
characteristic he learned at his U.S.
College. “I used to read the data and
quantify the phenomenon and then
explain it in a qualitative way,” he said.
For example, he said, when the data
from the Central Statistics Agency
(BPS) gives figures for the number of
high school teachers in 2004 and says
that the number decreased in 2009 by
15% the data would not be ‘read’. “If
you go down by 15% it is necessary to
find the number of 15%,” he said.
Yudi know the 15% reduction rate
occurred because many people
actually still want to become civil
servants (PNS), but they were stuck
for the policy of the government of
Indonesia, which imposes civil servant
moratorium so they finally moved into
the teaching profession. “Apparently, it
was a strategy of many people in the
area to remain as civil servants,” he
said.
Yudi’s expertise is greatly
appreciated by his boss, Chief of
Center for Strategic Policy Studies of
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
the Ministry of Home Affairs, Anselmus
Tan. “He was the mainstay of my
confirmation,” said Anselmus. Yudi, said
Anselmus, became the person to ask to
confirm various things to get the basic
logic of an academic issue.
Yudi, according to Anselmus, is
very strong in issue comparison. “He
can compare the problems in detail
and help me decide which one is the
best solution,” he said.
Anselmus praised Yudi’s
progressive attitude. “His affection is
good which is also a nice surprise,”
said Anselmus. He thinks that now
Yudi has become wiser in delivering his
opinions. “He’s more polite,” he added.
His politeness, he said, was not
seen when he recently graduated from
STPDN. “In STPDN the one who was
wrong used to be grounded as though
everything is black and white.” It’s a
habit that Yudi brought to his office at
the Ministry of Home Affairs. “I
directed him to be more flexible,” said
Anselmus. However, sometimes the
‘real character’ still comes out. “He’s
from Papua and sometimes quite
stubborn,” he said. After returning
home from Michigan some colleagues
in the Ministry considered his actions a
little vain just because he is from
abroad. If it were so, Anselmus said, he
would take Yudi to his room to halt his
actions.
In short, Yudi is very fortunate to
have a leader like Anselmus who
considers him a cadre in the MOHA.
Yudi, as revealed by Anselmus, has
been an outstanding member of staff
since he arrived in his new office. “I’ve
known him since 2008, he has a
strong will and stubbornness,” said
Anselmus. But he did not think his
stubbornness affected his will to learn,
Yudi will spend a lot more time on an
English course at the British Institute.
“Finally I asked him to borrow books
from there.”
Not only that but with his improved
English skills Yudi is Anselmus’s
mainstay in every moment that
requires English. “I asked him to make
the resume of books borrowed,
Handbooks of Regional and Local
Government.” After Yudi came home
from the United States Anselmus gave
him additional tasks such as
62
conducting meetings in English.
Anselmus praised Yudi’s speed in
making reports. One day his division
got the task of designing bureaucratic
reform from the minister. He worked
along with other fields working on
projects to improve performance.
Reports were given by each field and
the department at the ministry. The
reports were all compiled and analyzed
by Yudi. Anselmus asked for the
reports to be completed on that day,
because it will be submitted to Minister
Gamawan on the next day. “At two in
the morning I was relieved – he sent
me good reports via email,” he said.
Wildan Fathurahman also confirmed
Anselmus praise. “He was already
smart by nature,” said the graduate of
the University of Indonesia about Yudi.
Wildan has known Yudi since February
2009. Wildan saw that the father of two
children has rapidly progressed. Yudi, he
said, “is not only good in terms of
concept but also at implementation. All
he did was feasible.”
He also formed the habit of making
reports while on duty outside Jakarta.
Wildan said that as a civil servant the
working relationship to the area is
usually just to request data from the
local government and then to process it.
At least, go to Regional Planning
Agency (BAPPEDA), or the Regional
Secretariat in provincial, district or city
level. “But he has also widely
requested feed back from the
community and included it in the report.
Thus the performance evaluation,” says
Wildan, “becomes more ‘alive’.”
According to Wildan Yudi become
more humanistic after returning from
America. “He was stern, A is A and B
is B - probably because of his
militaristic education. Now he wants to
learn to understand others.” It is
apparent when he is arguing. Although
he makes strong quantitative
arguments backed up by qualitative
data Yudi sometimes will also concede.
Because of all his achievements,
Agus Yudi Wicaksono is well known
throughout the MOHA, both for his work
contribution and for his stubbornness.
Secretary General and Director
General are well aware of his
achievements. Wildan asserted, “He is
an asset to the Ministry.”

AKHMAD SAFIK
Master of Economics Legal - University of
Washington School of Law, Seattle
Lecturer of University of al-Azhar Indonesia
Considering Law in
Economic ‘Scale’
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
Person who have a
strong will
His love for the intellectual
world led him to leave his S-3
college, and chose an S-2 college
in America through the PRESTASI
program. As a result he viewed
legal problems in Indonesia more
clearly.
It was not difficult to feel
comfortable with a man born
in Tegal, a region on the North
Coast of Java, which became his
foundation for religious life,
independence, egalitarianism and
inclusiveness. The Senior
63
Researcher at the Center for the
Study of Law and Economics,
Faculty of Law, University of
Indonesia and Lecturer at the
Faculty of Law of the University of
Al-Azhar Indonesia, is known as a
fun person who is easy to respect
even to those who have just met
him. Safik is known as someone
who has a high interest in the
intellectual world. While he was still
a student, Safik together with Anis
Baswedan, his younger classmate
and several other activists of the
Student Senate at the University of
Gadjah Mada (UGM), founded CSCD
(Center of Student and Community
Development).
His love for the intellectual
world also drove him to be a public
policy consultant in the Land and
Law Initiative project funded by
the USAID-led by the Rural
Development Institute (RDI),
Seattle, United States of America,
in cooperation with the National
Land Agency and the University of
Indonesia. It apparently drove him
to the scholarship in the United
States. RDI is a nonprofit
corporation based in the U.S. and a
unique organization in which the
lawyers devote their time to
studying and dealing with problems
of land reform and related issues in
developing countries and in
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
Sharing knowledge with students
across majors
countries with economies in
transition. RDI has conducted field
research and provide advice on the
issue of land reform in more than
40 countries in Asia, Latin
America, Africa, Eastern Europe
and the Middle East.
64
The Land Law Initiative Project,
under the coordination of
Economic Growth (EG) USAID
Office, involved him with a world he
longed for - that is working in the
environment of international
institutions. Through this project
he studied law and land policy
which took him to work closely
with Professor Roy L. Prosterman,
Professor of Law at the University
of Washington who has been
nominated as an awardee of the
Nobel Peace Prize three times. In
October 2006, together with
Professor Prosterman and Senior
Attorney Robert Mitchell, Safik
launched the RDI report entitled
“Productivity of Intensively Used
Homestead Plots in a Central
Javanese Village” which is the
result of field research into land
problems in Central Java for the
project of the Land Law Initiative.
Because of his expertise and
knowledge in the field of law and
land policy Safik is often invited to
participate in USAID activities,
especially in the office of Economic
Growth, to discuss the various
programs and issues related to
land with guests and experts from
the United States and the National
Land Agency. Safik said that at the
beginning he was not really
interested in applying for the
scholarship program because he
was still in his first year of doctoral
study at the University of
Indonesia.
But after discussing the
program with colleagues and
seniors at the Center for the Study
of Law and Economics Faculty of
Law, the University of Indonesia, as
well as with the staff of USAID
Economic Growth Office, Safik
believed that the program was
interesting and provided new
challenges for his career and life.
Finally in 2008, the man who had
completed his undergraduate
college in the social economics
agriculture department, Faculty of
Agriculture, graduated from Faculty
of Economics University of
Indonesia and Master of Law
Economics UI, sent an application
to continue doctoral studies in the
United States.
From a varied educational
background Safik seemed to be
destined to focus on the field of
agrarian law. It also made him
interested in exploring and
developing the theoretical
relationship between law and
economics. Because, according to
him, the legal approach has many
obstacles so the law should also be
approached from the principles of
efficiency in economics, so
normative considerations are
completed with cost and benefit
considerations to ensure that
justice should provide greater
benefits to society than the costs
to pay.
Feeling reluctant to leave his
doctoral program at UI he was
relieved after he passed the
scholarship selection for a PhD
program in the United States. But
his happiness was limited by
constraints. Safik was hampered
throughout his college because it
was hard to find a campus for the
purposes of studying Law and
Economics. From the information
about the colleges in the United
States he acquired online and from
discussions with colleagues in the
65
United States and Indonesia, he
discovered that the PhD programs
and Economic Law turned out to be
in the Departments of Economics
instead of the Law School. In other
words if he wanted to continue his
studies in the field of law and
economics – it was tantamount to
an economics PhD program where
the main subject is pure economics
and quantitative as calculus,
integral, differential, econometrics
and statistics. Unfortunately his
goals could not be met and with a
heavy heart he finally decided to
take a masters in the field of law
and economics at the University of
Washington School of Law.
Following intensive talks his
family finally let him step off to
achieve his dream in America.
Having arrived in the United State
and starting his study, he got an
impression that is far from his
expectation and this new impres-
sion more or less has made up his
disappointment no to pursue his
PhD. Apparently, according to
Safik, lectures for S2 in the U.S.
are totally different from Indonesia.
Even when compared to S3 in
Indonesia, a Masters Program in
the United States is more heavy
weighted. Because studying in
America, if we can use his
expression, is “total football”. “The
facilities and infrastructure of
higher education there (University
of Washington, Seattle) cannot be
found here,” he said excitedly. The
excellent combination of qualified
professor, educational facilities, the
interaction of the international
academics community and
excellent curriculum provides a
very important experience.
New Perspective
Having studied for two years in
Seattle (2009-2011) Safik admitted
that there were two significant
benefits: firstly, degree (of course
including the quality of science),
and secondly, the more extensive
networks (intellectual networking).
Upon returning home from
America, he has a new perspective
to look at an issue. In the legal
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
sector, for example, he believes he
learned a lot and he was always
encouraged to see the issues more
clearly and comprehensively. The
former campus activist soon
realized how many things must be
developed and improved in this
area. He hopes that with his
knowledge and networks he can
improve himself as a scientist in
order to bring more benefits to the
community. Not only in the
academic sphere, Safik, who is
often a consultant in projects of
USAID, World Bank, International
Finance Corporation (IFC), the
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
and other international agencies,
wants actively to give ideas as part
of his contribution in the search for
solutions to the many problems
faced by the nation of Indonesia.
The man who had studied at
boarding school is always reminded
by the words of his wife: “If I
already knew a lot of things now I
know how to make it happen in the
community.” Real action after
returning back home is certainly
just as important as the struggle to
study in America. As a lecturer at
the Faculty of Law, al-Azhar
University, he did not hesitate to
share knowledge, perspective or
just a casual chat with the
students, both in class and in the
coffee shop at the back of the
campus.
More Cool, Open and Realistic
Safik, who is also a frequent
guest speaker at various
discussions in the House of
Representatives, is known to his
colleagues as a strong-willed
person. One example of his strong
will is that he studied the law
without having any legal
background. “Despite his
undergraduate background not in
the field of law, he has shown that
he is able to conquer the
challenges,” said Rahmat Bagja,
alumni of the University of Utrecht,
who was also his colleague at the
University of Al-Azhar.
In the eyes of Rahmat, Safik,
who he has known since 2006,
66
was changed after returning home
from the United States. “Safik is
more ‘cool’ and open and his
scientific expertise is increasingly
sharp especially for the field of
economic law and land law which
is the area of his expertise. His
capacity exceeds beyond the
knowledge of professors,” he said.
However, Safik is still the same.
He has not become arrogant
because he is an American
graduate. As a colleague and a
friend Rahmat hopes Safik is able
to complete his education to
become a professor in his field.
Moreover, Safik who is also
actively involved in various
activities on campus and the
community is now also actively
participating in designing the
post-graduate program at the
University of Al-Azhar. Almost in
line with Rahmat, the other
fellows of Safik such as Dr. Fooky
Fuad, SH. M. Hum thought that
Safik deserved scholarships
because of his high intellectual
and his positive attitude towards
academics and research. Fokky
also thinks that Safik deserves
another scholarship to continue
his doctoral studies.
According to Fokky, Safik has
changed a little since coming
home from studying in the United
States. Fokky said that Safik’s
style previously was more ‘Java’,
now he’s ‘American Style’, more
straightforward and more
concrete. In his view of the legal
issues Safik is more critical and
does not want to play in opinions
but he is always based on legal
facts. “The style is very Anglo-
Saxon,” said Fokky.
Not only that but Fokky also
feels that after returning from
America, Safik was no longer just
an average lecturer. Whereas in
the past he would just teach and
go home, Safik is now a lecturer
who stays longer on campus and
actively involves a number of
students in informal discussion
forums. Through forums often
held in coffee shop at the back of
the campus Safik shares
knowledge and enlightens
students across majors to see the
problems more clearly and
critically and not to get stuck in
the paradigm of others. “Meeting
and chatting with young people
reminds me of the days when I
was a student activist,” said Safik
happily.
Another souvenir that Safik
brought from the United States is
his more realistic view of the law
and not just relying on quotations
of existing legislation. As a
colleague, Fokky hopes that Safik,
with other colleagues, will make
an innovative breakthrough at the
campus of Al-Azhar.
In line with Fokky, Prof. Erman
Rajagukguk SH, LLM. Ph.D., Dean
of the Faculty of Law, University
of Al Azhar Indonesia who was
also Safik’s leader, called him a
‘young talented man who reflected
spirit’. Safik often writes with
Prof. Erman. One article titled
Land Law in Indonesia, which was
written with Herman Slaats,
Erman Rajagukguk, and Nurul
Elmiyah selected for inclusion in
the book entitled Legalizing Land
Rights: Local Practices, State
Responses and Tenure Security in
Africa, Asia and Latin America,
edited by Janine M. Ubink, André
J. Hoekema, and Willem J. Assies.
The Books that are distributed for
Amsterdam University Press
presented 20 interesting scientific
articles about the problem of land
rights in different parts of the
world, including cases of land in
Indonesia.
Safik’s productivity in writing
has added his value in the eyes of
the law professor. For Prof. Erman,
the measurement of an academics
person is not only if they can
teach, but also if they can actively
do research and write. He did not
hesitate to give
recommendations for Safik to
continue his studies in the United
States because the professor
thinks Safik as a ‘full figure’:
talented with great intellectual
capacity, strong and with good
English language skills.
67
Erman is sure that with his
qualities and willingness, Safik will
be successful if he continues to
pursue a doctorate in the United
States. Holders of LLMs and PhDs
from the same alma mater as
Safik, he saw Safik as a team
member who quickly adapted to
the working environment - a fast
learner and dynamic. “I just gave
him a little guidance and he was
able to do what was asked,” said
award-winning Chapter of the
Order of the Coif from the
University of Washington in 2001,
smiling.
Deputy Secretary of the
Cabinet since President Habibie to
President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono from the years 1998 -
2005 also saw that education in
America made positive
contribution in changing the
mindset of Safik which made him
more realistic and always focusing
on the facts and not getting
caught up in opinions which can
sometimes be misleading. Erman
who has been a promoter of more
than 40 doctoral Legal Studies at
the University of Indonesia, North
Sumatra University, and other
universities took a book from a
shelf in his office. While showing
a book titled Economic Law he
said, “The way of analyzing which
Safik brought from the United
States is a new perspective in the
completion of the law.”
Wanting to Reinvent
Indonesia through ALPHA-I
After receiving a scholarship,
according to Safik, it is proper for
those who are fortunate enough to
have the opportunity to continue
their studies to do something for
Indonesia. “We have to pay back
to Indonesia because it has funded
a two-year college program
through the cooperation between
the government of Indonesia and
the United States,” he said.
However, if the effort to “pay back”
is done individually, Safik thinks it
will not be so effective. Therefore
Safik did not refuse when the
majority of alumni friends and
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
colleagues of HICD-PRESTASI
chose him as the first chairman of
the alumni association in the
second alumni National Meeting in
March 2012. Through ALPHA-I,
Safik hopes the alumni can do
something meaningful for
Indonesia, as one of the
intellectuals’ responsibilities is
proper management. “Our vision
at the ALPHA-I is to rediscover
Indonesia which is great and
glorious, or, as we call it ‘ Re-
inventing Indonesia,” said Safik.
For the father of five children, with
the surge of globalization, the
Indonesian nation must find the
strength within itself, the true
identity and power of local policies
(local wisdom) that should be the
supporting of the strength of
nation and country. In that
context he considers that ALPHA-I
is an intellectual project that is
expected to contribute meaningful
values for a better Indonesia in the
future through the program design
which has measurable impact.
One of the programs they’ve
run and gained success in is the
program ‘Climate Change Goes To
School’ (CGTS). This is a program,
which aims to provide an
understanding to high school
students about climate change and
its impacts. It is packaged in an
exciting series of events suitable
for young children: it starts with a
Radio Talk Show on climate change
issues at KBR 68H which was
relayed by 50 radio of KBR 68H
networks throughout Indonesia;
there is also an essay competition
for high school students in
JABODETABEK; Interactive
Dialogue on Climate Change with
experts and public figures - which
was attended by more than a
hundred high school students and
teachers aides; a campaign for
awareness of climate change
through a song with the Bingo
Band which launched four songs
about the environment and
climate change. “Through a series
of activities that - albeit small - we
hope can contribute to change our
behavior to be more
68
environmentally conscious,” said
Safik.
As an organization with a
measurable program, ALPHA-I is
planning to organize an
international event at least once a
year, several national events and
several regular events that are
smaller in scope. “Comrades of
ALPHA-I that are now onboard are
now in high spirits. It is nice to be
back in an inspiring environment,
which is full of motivation,” said
the former activist.
So how did he manage his time
in his variety of activities, ranging
from teaching, a consultant and
speaker for several national and
international projects, taking care
of ALPHA-I and being a father?
Safik replied, laughing, “That’s the
art. However, if we go through it all
with sincere heart, everything
feels wonderful anyway.”
Today, in addition to teaching
on campus, filling various scientific
forums, Safik, who recently
completed a study on the impact of
legislation on investment in the
horticulture sector, financed by the
World Bank and Prof. Erman
Rajagukguk, has immediately
moved on to a study of the Land
Registration Strategy with the
support of BAPPENAS conducted
in the province of West Nusa
Tenggara, Lampung and Central
Java. At the same time, Safik is a
member of the team that helped
prepare the Land Bill, which will be
an important legislation product in
development of land policy in
Indonesia in the future. He was
also a legal specialist for the ADB
to study Law Number 2/2012 on
Land Acquisition for Public Interest
and many other implementing
regulations. This study is very
important in building and designing
the concept of a Social Safeguard
System, which is very important in
economic infrastructure
development in Indonesia.
In the midst of mounting
activities Safik was preparing to
re-design his future to achieve his
old dream: to go back to Seattle
and take a Ph.D.

After receiving permission from
his boss Baryanto rushed back to
his official residence. The Judge of
the Semarapura Court, Bali, is about
to be interviewed by the AED
(Academy for Educational
Development) in connection with his
application for the PRESTASI
scholarship program. He could not
BARYANTO, SH., LL.M
Master of Law, Magister of Law, University of Gajah Mada
(MIH - UGM), Yogyakarta
Wates Court Judge Jogjakarta
Want to Provide Prima Legal Services
Baryanto was also asked about his
integrity as a judge. “I was asked
many things, but what I remember
most was the question that led to
my integrity as a judge,” he
explained. It was fair. This
profession is in the spotlight of
FOTO: PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION
society and considering the numbers
of rogue judges who abuse their
authority and the quality of justice in
Indonesia.
Social minded judge A few weeks later Baryanto
received information that made
accept interview requests in his him happy. He had passed the
work place. Besides the noise, selection and been awarded a
answering the phone at home, would scholarship from the PRESTASI
be more comfortable and he would be program. “I passed the selection
able to focus more on the answers. with a note,” he said, because, at
that time he had three choices in
In
the interview, in addition to Indonesia Universities, namely the
being asked about his University of Gadjah Mada (UGM),
knowledge in the field of law, University of Indonesia (UI), and
69
the University of Diponegoro
(UNDIP).
“I chose UNDIP because the
criminal law faculty in UNDIP has
received the title classification of
A,” said Baryanto but, he failed to
get his university dream to study at
UNDIP because the committee did
not want PRESTASI recipients to
study if their results were not
objective. Meanwhile UI had already
closed its enrollment for master
students. “So the choice is UGM,”
continued Baryanto. As a
requirement to take the master’s
program, prospective students must
pass the tests conducted by UGM.
“Therefore, I pass the PRESTASI
selection program with a note. The
note is, if I pass the entrance test,”
said the man born in Salatiga in
1976.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
Answering the Challenge
with Action
Now accepted as a master’s
student at UGM, Baryanto feels
very fortunate to have the support
of his superiors. He did not need to
take a leave of absence for leaving
Semarapura court, Bali instead his
boss moved him to Wates District
Court, Yogyakarta, in order that the
alumni of the Faculty of Law, 1995
class can still perform his duties as a
judge at the same time as studying. In
fact he was just serving his duty in
the District Court Semapura for eight
months from a three-year of his
official duty.
“My superior facilitated me by
moving my post, in addition the
number of judges is very low,
therefore I was requested to still
work while studying,” he explained.
Taking a master’s program or S2
while still working is not an easy
matter but for Baryanto it became a
challenge. “The challenge is, will I or
won’t I be able to arrange my
schedule between working and
studying,” he explained.
Baryanto tackled the challenge
with a very tight schedule. From his
residence in Kulonprogo he should
arrive in Yogyakarta at six in the
morning. “Since the course starts
at seven in the morning and goes
through to 12 o’clock,” he
explained. After that, at one
o’clock, he should be in Wates
District Court to convene until five
in the afternoon.
During his duties in Wates District
Court, Baryanto has the support of
his boss again and the understanding
of a number of colleagues. If any
proceedings involving him as the
judge commence and Baryanto has
still not arrived from Yogyakarta the
leader of the court allows the trial
to be postponed until Baryanto is
available. Of course this does not
happen often, but the policy was very
helpful for me,” he said.
As a result of being able to
overcome his challenges Baryanto
graduated cum laude. He even
completed his theoretical courses
ahead of schedule – in just a year
and eight months. “I completed my
70
study more quickly. Just because the
graduation was held at a certain
period, then I have to wait a few
months to take the graduation
ceremony,” said the sports and
reading fan.
Rooster Crowing Luck
Whilst being hard working and
disciplined, Baryanto comes from a
modest family. “My parents were
only civil servants - category II, it
was almost impossible for them to
finance their children through
school,” he told. However Baryanto
never gave up and during his time
studying at UNDIP he also worked
as marketing staff in an electronics
company to pay his way through
college. It is Baryanto’s journey
through life that is full of passion has
inspired him. “Life must have a
target and we must fight to reach
the target by answering all of the
challenges along the way,” he said
excitedly. The work he did also
taught him lessons that he did not
have on campus. “Another lesson I
learned in my job as a judge is that
we have to make decisions and
breakthrough our struggles in life,”
he added.
When Baryanto graduated from
college in 1998 he did not just jump
in to the legal world but he worked
as a general affair in a foundation
that rents a multipurpose building
for a variety of events, including
weddings. In this place, he was also
forged to be professional. As a
general affair, he had to take care of
everything and make sure that all
went well, ranging from scheduling,
business cleaning service, study,
going down to the parking lot where
the parking attendants needed help
etc. “The impression was that I was
working odd jobs,” he said with a
laugh.
A funny story happened when one
of the wedding guest in the building
where he worked was also a friend of
his mother. “At that time I was
helping a parking attendant who was
very busy,” he recounted. “A few days
later the guest asked my mother
whether I worked as a parking
attendant,” he said, laughing.

Often appointed as a
mediator judge
Luck, according to Baryanto, also
plays an important role in his life.
“This could also be a gift from the
Almighty,” he said. When receiving
PRESTASI scholarship brochure, for
example, it was actually too late to
send in his proposal. He received a
brochure that was sent from the High
Court of Denpasar to the District
Court of Semarapura. There were
71
day of the acceptance period,” he
admitted. Fortunately, AED who was
managing the PRESTASI program still
considered his proposal.
Passing the selection for the
PRESTASI scholarship program also
involved an element of luck for
Baryanto. “While being interviewed
his neighbors rooster kept crowing,”
he relates. The rooster crow was
apparently heard through the phone
though Baryanto himself did not
realize there was a rooster crowing
during the interview. The cock
crowing sound seemed to make the
interviewer want to laugh. Even
when Baryanto had an opportunity
to see Kay Ikranegara, Chief of
FOTO: PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION
Party (COP) Program HICD, Kay
immediately greeted Baryanto by
saying “I heard the back sound when
you were interviewed.” Baryanto did
not understand the sentence so Kay
went on to explain that there was a
only two days to complete the cock crowing sound during the
requirements. “I received the interview with him. “I wonder if I was
brochure on Wednesday, I completed qualified for the selection because of
the requirements on Thursday, and I the crowing cock, maybe they took
sent it on Friday which was the last pity on me,” he joked.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
Improving Legal Services
Having completed his studies
Baryanto feels more open-minded in
the legal field particularly on issues
relating to the community. One issue
is the long legal process in civil
cases. “The judge was given six
months to resolve the civil cases.
It’s too long,” said the father of
three children.
That’s why when handling civil
cases he tries to maximize the
efforts of both parties to pursue
peace efforts. “I give input on the
side of law to both parties. If the
parties to the dispute are willing to
take the peace efforts, they do not
waste time and the case is
completed with peace,” he said.
The legal mechanism for the
management of birth certificates
according to Baryanto is also
inefficient. Law no. 23 of 2006 on
Population and Civil Registry,
Baryanto explained, states that
when the birth certificate was made
more than a year after the child’s
birth there must be a determination
of the court or it must be requested
through the courts. “The problem is,
the Act does not mention the
procedures in detail,” he explained.
In general, obtaining a birth
certificate requires at least six
months.
“I’m looking for a way to shorten
the process of maintaining the birth
certificate,” he said seriously. The
trick is, when submitting a birth
certificate, the applicant should
already know the registration
number, when and who will convene
at a scheduled time. In short, all the
necessary data must be known once
the applicant has filed the
application letter. That way the
applicant will not run out of time
and can always check the schedule
for when the trial will be conducted.
“At first it was hard and there was a
lot of resistance, so I implemented
the mechanism on my own,” he said.
Even the arrangement of a birth
certificate is getting cheaper. With
the old pattern, people needed to
spend between Rp 500,000 to Rp
600,000. With this new pattern
people just need to spend only Rp
72
180.000 and the processing time
becomes just two weeks. “In
principle, I just want legal services
to the community to be as excellent
and as cheap and fast as possible,”
said Baryanto. This mechanism is
apparently welcomed by the
community and eventually
Baryanto’s principal allowed another
judge to apply the same pattern.
The Hidden Desires
The improvement in legal
services is Baryanto’s obsession.
According to him judges should have
the opportunity to enhance their
knowledge and skills through a
variety of training. “By improving
their knowledge and skills, the judges’
integrity and attitude to service will
be more alert to provide as excellent
legal services as possible and as
cheaply as possible to the
community,” he explained.
Improving the skills and
knowledge of judges, continued
Baryanto, should be regarded as an
attempt to provide an opportunity
for the judges to be able to contribute
something to the supreme court.
“People sometimes think that a
small salary is the cause of judges
not having enough skills but there is
no truth in this story that a small
salary cannot provide good services,”
he said.
Baryanto recounts the story of a
judge during this time that was
recruiting fresh graduates then
bringing them up from zero. “So
since they were recruited, these
judges have no experiences,” he said.
A judges’ position is supposed to be
one of a problem solver and they
must sit with various authorities -
judges must have good integrity and
comprehensive knowledge
capabilities. “Honesty will
increasingly appear together with
education,” said Baryanto. He hopes
that scholarship programs will reach
many judges in rural areas and
communities in remote areas of
Indonesia.
Baryanto also hopes that the
entire justice system is in the
process of working towards being
better and faster. One of the ways to
achieve this is to synergize and
harmonize the existing systems in
the court office by applying
Information Technology (IT) in the
right order. Baryanto exemplifies the
application of Case Track Systems
(CTS), which are now beginning to
be set up in some of the district
courts. “This technology allows the
public to monitor the progress of
the case, the number of registers,
where the judicial processes are
happening and the decisions and
how much it costs,” he explained.
“Indeed CTS in Palembang was just
a form of Local Area Network (LAN)
or a connection between computers
in that office,” added Baryanto. If
the system is running by connecting
information from the District Court
to the Supreme Court, “it will
undoubtedly bring many benefits,
especially to ease the access to the
information and control over the
practice of law mafia,” he assured.
Professional Judge
in Social Soul
“Baryanto has a highly social
spirit,” said Kun Tri Wibowo
Haryanto, SH, MH, colleagues in the
Office of the State Court Wates.
When there was a celebration for
Independence Day in the institute
he worked, for example, Baryanto
participated by giving gifts. “He is
also contributing to an orphanage,
his personality is good,” Kun added.
In line with Kun, Emma Sri
Setyowati, SH, MHum thought
Baryanto was a flexible figure and
good at associating. “He’s got a lot
of ideas, like giving reasonable
input, this is our favorite thing
about him in the association,” she
said.
According to Emma, with the
knowledge he had and his good
personality, Baryanto was appointed
as a mediator judge in civil case
several times. “His efforts to find
common ground between the two
disputing parties was excellent,” she
said. It is no wonder that in some
civil cases, Baryanto has succeeded
in reducing the number of claims on
one side, so that the other side can
meet the demand. “The judicial
73
process now runs faster,” said Emma,
who has known Baryanto since 2010.
A similar opinion is voiced by
Acice Sendong, SH, MH, Baryanto’s
superior. “The panel of judges
assessing Baryanto found that he
was frequently appointed as a
judge mediator,” said Acice
Sendong, SH, MH. “He does not
always successfully reconcile the
parties because it is sometimes
impossible to reconcile their
differences but at least he has tried
so hard to find common grounds,”
she continued.
Baryanto’s superiors in Wates
court often give him positive
feedback. “His performance is
pretty good, he often gives positive
feedback and scientific input,”
explained Acice. One of Baryanto’s
inputs, said Acice, is the system of
“one day service” which means
work being completed on the same
day as it comes in. Although the
processes still need to be
implemented at least the concept is
very good for Acice to improve
legal services for the community.
Acice hopes Baryanto remains
consistent and honest person. “He
was included in the category of a
good judge, hopefully he will stay
consistent and become more
knowledgeable and increasingly
professional as a judge.” During her
lead in the Court Wates, Acice
claimed not to have a negative
record on Baryanto.
Better Real Actions
Baryanto has a number of
expectation on ALPHA-I. Baryanto,
who lined up to star as the Vice
Chairman of the Democratic
Governance Division, hopes ALPHA-I
can be a pressure group, which is
able to contribute positively to
government programs. “We can
provide input or real actions, for
example to follow up programs that
have been set up by the government
to be more effective, feasible and
appropriately used.” According to
him this will prove that education
and scholarships are good for the
nation rather than undermining
state policy.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
BINTARTI YUSRIANA
Master in the Field of Science Education (Curriculum and Instruction),
University of Illinois, Urbana
Lecturer of the State Islamic University (UIN) Gunung Jati, Bandung
Shy at First, Full of Confidence Now
The change is quite striking in
Bintarti since returning home from
America. Bintarti has much more
confidence, which is important for a
teacher.
On a Thursday in the month of
November 2008, Bintarti is
engrossed in front of a computer. She
was surfing the Internet and visiting
various sites. The veiled woman
gasped as she opened the site of the
Ministry of Religious Affairs. There is
an announcement on a scholarship to
the United States, sponsored by
FOTO: HARI NUGROHO/IIEF-PRESTASI
USAID.
Bintarti was immediately
interested in the program. She had
been looking for an announcement of
Known as a smart and this kind for a long time. She had the
diligent person dream of going to school abroad
74
through a scholarship and had been
preparing for TOEFL®ITP diligently.
She then nodded her head in a sign of
understanding when she read about
the requirements that must be met.
“It was my TOEFL®ITP 550,” she
said.
On the website, the only subject
offered was education. At least that
was what she understood after
reading it again. She pondered for a
moment whilst she tried to
understand if she was in a position to
qualify for a scholarship.
At that time Bintarti was teaching
at Tarbiyah Faculty, at the State
Islamic University (UIN) Gunung Jati,
Bandung as a lecturer. She only
taught once a week and at the same
time she was active in the Faculty of
Medicine UPN Veteran in Jakarta. Her
activities meant that she had to travel
back and forth from Bandung-Jakarta.
In Jakarta she lived with her relatives
and she lived with her parents in
Bandung.
The offer is for education
schools. It is not proper to ask for
recommendations from the Faculty
of Medicine of UPN so I should just
ask for recommendations from the
Faculty of Tarbiyah UIN Bandung,” she
muttered to herself. Just for a note,
Faculty of Tarbiyah is similar to the
Faculty of Teacher Training. She was
really counting on the
recommendation, as one of several
conditions is a recommendation from
the institution where she works.
The announcement for the
scholarship said that the form should
be submitted no later than Saturday.
It meant that Bintarti had only two
days for all the requirements to be
met so she moved quickly. Having
prepared all that she needed, she
went to Bandung on the next day.
On that Friday she was in Bandung
seeking recommendations from
superiors and colleagues. Luck was on
her side and she achieved all that she
sought on that day, including meeting
the lecturer who is known to be
difficult to meet. “Thank God I was
lucky there. All gave me their
recommendations even though I’m
not a lecturer there. They only asked
normal matters, nothing
adventurous,” she recalls.
Chairwoman of the Biology Study
Program Faculty of Tarbiyah UIN
Bandung, Dr.Hj. Tuti Kurniati, M.Ed,
said, she recommended Bintarti for
the progress of UIN. She said that in
Biology Education there is no lecturer
who has studied abroad. “Later she
could share her experience of
studying abroad with lecturers here,”
she said.
Her superior in UIN, Dr. Ir. HM.
Subandi, MP did not hesitate to
recommend Bintarti because his
assistant was indeed qualified
academically. He said, “Bintarti is a
nerd. She can answer any question.
She has mastered a lot of science.”
Subandi now serves as Dean of
the Faculty of Science and
Technology, UIN Bandung. He also
75
taught in Biology Education Tarbiyah
where Bintarti serves as Subandi’s
assistant lecturer.
Bintarti is greatly happy and she
has thanked God many times for how
smooth the process was for her. She
was becoming more confident after
repeatedly taking the tests in a
number of scholarship programs but
always failed. She had already
pocketed the recommendation and
rechecked the requirements. Besides
academic papers she had already
prepared the day before in Jakarta
there was apparently another one
that was an essay.
On Friday night, the woman who
had been teaching Biology Education
for seven years at one of private
campus in Purwokerto, wrote an
essay. “Of course the essay should be
in relation to my work,” she said.
In her essay she wrote about the
uniqueness of students from
elementary schools to university
campuses. According to her every
individual has his or her own
uniqueness. Teachers need to
understand this uniqueness. Some
students easily understand by
listening, others understand easily by
seeing and there are also students
who understand their lessons better
by reading. As a teacher, she wrote in
the essay, she should understand her
student’s characters and not discredit
them. “It should be a one-page essay
but I just wrote a third of the page. It
was a short one,” she said, smiling.
The completed documents were
sent to Jakarta on Saturday morning
via travel services. She kept on
praying in order that the documents
arrived in Jakarta safely for that was
the last day for submitting the
applications.
The Selection Process
In February 2009 the long-
awaited news arrived. Her phone rang
and an interview was held. Bintarti
went to the battlefield. She followed
the processes. TOEFL®ITP test was
prepared and she did well.
“I was just interviewed once and
that was followed by the
announcement – I got it! The time
went so fast. Compared to other
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
scholarship, it was the simplest and
not at all complicated. I was asked to
prepare a passport immediately. In
August 2009 I left for the U.S.,” she
said, happily.
She was so happy and she has
shared her stories with colleagues,
both in Bandung and Jakarta. “What I
remember most is the day she was
called to Jakarta for the interview.
Then she told us that she had passed
the selection and would go to the U.S.
for studying,” said Subandi as he
recalled Bintarti’s face while she was
telling them the good news. “She
looked great,” he continued.
Another comment came from Tuti.
She was not so surprised when
Bintarti qualified for the scholarship.
“She’s really smart. Her
undergraduate from Padjadjaran
University, Post graduate S2 at ITB,
and her TOEFL®ITP was good. I
believed she would be accepted.”
Bintarti also had to say goodbye
to her colleagues at the UPN Veteran
Jakarta. She had a principle to clear
all her work before leaving for her
study to America so she will not be
haunted by her unfinished work.
Bintarti had doubts about the
reaction of her UPN superiors
because she was still new at the
campus. But when the good news was
delivered to her boss, her boss was
happy. “She was calling other
colleagues and screaming. Bintarti
got a scholarship to America ...
“Bintarti imitated her bosses’ reaction
while laughing.
All accepted her good news
positively. Dean Assistant (PUDEK) 2
UPN offered her the opportunity to
come back to UPN after returning
home from America, she’s even
striving to be a permanent employee.
This means that she will still get basic
salaries during her study time in
America. But she has to wait for three
months to meet the administrative
procedures of appointment at UPN.
Bintarti wanted to but her ticket to
the U.S had been booked already and
everything was scheduled and cannot
be postponed.
In short, she flew to America to
gain knowledge in another country.
She was very happy that her dream
76
came true. When the plane landed in
Washington DC, she was picked up by
the contact person of AED,
(scholarship providers and
contractors), and taken to the
apartment. Everything was prepared
and her colleagues who picked her up
were Indonesian and they also
brought food!
“The next day someone brought
me a microwave and household
appliances. There is apparently
togetherness among Indonesian
people. There is a tradition that when
the students return home after
completing their study, their goods
are collected and handed over to the
new student. In the first days there I
was always accompanied to the
market to find food and to the
campus, just like a child,” she giggled.
Bintarti attended the University of
Illinois. The campus is located
between the two towns of Urbana and
Champaign. Some colleges are in
Urbana area and some are in
Champaign. There are many
Indonesian students in the border
college. Most of them take
undergraduate courses at their own
expense.
In September 2009 lectures
began. Bintarti admitted to feeling
battered at the beginning. She only
got B scores for all subjects. B was
the lowest score but means you pass.
Grade C there means you fail. So
there are only A and B. But she
continues to improve. Her results
were quite satisfactory and she
progressed each semester.
After three months in America
Bintarti received an electronic mail
from UPN Jakarta with an offering
from the 2nd Vice Dean. The email
asked Bintarti to go back to UPN
after returning from America, with
the basic salary each month and SK
(letter of order) permit to study
abroad. This meant she was
regarded as a permanent employee.
She would get a basic salary during
her study period. Bintarti realized
this was a kind of binding. After
considering and thinking for a
moment she printed the letter,
signed it and then scanned it and
sent it back to Jakarta. “When
returning home, I am going back to
UPN. Even UIN,” she said.
In December 2010 Bintarti’s study
was complete, but she still can take
other courses that she needs.
Return to Indonesia
After graduation Bintarti returned
to Indonesia. She’s not the type of
person who is like a peanut
forgetting its skin. Upon arriving in
Indonesia she came to UPN Jakarta
and UIN Bandung where she received
many congratulations and warm hugs
from colleagues.
She resumed teaching at two
different campuses in the city, fulltime
at UPN and once a week teaching in
Bandung. She was back with a little
more knowledge and experience, which
she gained in the United States and
she was ready to apply it. According to
colleagues at UIN, Bintarti has changed
in many ways - most striking is the
change in her personality; first she was
shy now she is confident.
“She used to be shy. I knew that
because she was my assistant in
microbiology,” said Subandi as he
sees the development of his partner,
“now she looks very good when
teaching, so brave and so confident.
Alhamdulillah (Thanks God).”
In fact, Subandi continued, he
wondered why Bintarti got home so
quickly. He thought Bintarti took
doctoral programs in the United
States because she has already got a
Master degree (S2). “She apparently
took another S2 there. I guess the
scholarship is for a master’s degree,”
he said. Previously, he thought
Bintarti already held a doctorate, as
according to him, Bintarti’s
performance after returning from
America is similar to that of a
doctorate indeed.
Fellow lecturer at UIN, Sumiyati
Sa’adah, S.Si., M.Si said, a scholarship
opportunity for Bintarti to take
doctorate program (S3) should be
widely open. Bintarti, in the eyes of
Sumiyati, is very smart and diligent
especially if she takes pure science.
“But, Teh Ati-so she called Bintarti -
even took S2 in science education.”
Tuti has also felt changes in
Bintarti’s confidence, she is now more
77
confidence in herself. “Bintarti was
from pure science. In America she
took science education. Mastery of
these two sciences is good for
Bintarti. She looks confident now. She
even motivates her colleagues to
write in international journals.”
Tuti, Sumiyati and Subandi found
that after returning from America
Bintarti is academically better. Her
methodology and her way of
teaching is also very good. She
always evaluates herself at the end of
the lecture. “Evaluation is the final
stage of the process of teaching.
Teaching is not just about delivering
a lecture then saying goodbye. She is
more communicative. This seems to
be a method she has brought from
the U.S. and is applying here,” said
Subandi. Tuti also expressed the
same thing.
Students that were asked about
how Bintarti taught even gave a
positive response. “The microbiology
course for most students is a stressful
subject. But when Teh Ati is teaching,
she uses teaching aids and all her
students can follow,” said Sumiyati
who is in Bintarti’s younger class.
Another change that has occurred
in Bintarti, according to Sumiyati, is
the matter of her time management,
which is now much better. Although
teaching as a well-respected lecturer
in two places, Bintarti who now
teaches biology and nutrition, is
always on time and she is a master in
the material she teaches. Also, now
she prefers to use her time to
motivate others and does not like
small talk.
All three hope Bintarti succeeds in
her personal career and brings
benefits to others by sharing
knowledge and experiences from
across the country, applying
intelligence to the nation’s progress
and giving encouragement to other
teachers who have a passion to hunt
for scholarships abroad.
As Chairwoman of the Biology
Education Studies Program, Faculty
Tarbiyah, UIN Bandung, Tuti divulged
a little secret. She said, Bintarti was
proposed to be a lecturer at UIN
Bandung - If it runs smoothly she will
become a civil servant.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
ENDAH TRI KURNIAWATY
Master in the field of biodiversity, Indiana University, Bloomington
Head of Sub-Division of Protection Plan and Environmental Management
Ministry of Environment
To be the “Child of a Jock” in the States
Endah Tri Kurniawaty, who is
fondly called Nia, had been worried
about the negative associations of
wearing a veil in the United States
but her concern was not necessary.
Several times during her stay she
even visited pubs and bars at the
invitation of fellow students. Although
she did not drink alcohol during the
parties she had felt what it was like to
be amongst ‘jocks’ in America
N ia’s eyes - Endah Tri
Kurniawaty nickname - stopped
on a page with an announcement in
the morning papers. In the
announcement she read about the
chance to receive a scholarship. One
of the programs available in the
announcement was very specific
and relatively rare: environmental
public affairs.
Nia had an interest in the study
about the environment, particularly
in terms of biodiversity. Moreover,
there is no university in Indonesia,
which has departments of public
affairs in the field of environment.
She rushed to meet the
requirements requested by the
announcement. Writing essays and
preparing administrative docu-
ments was the requirement for the
selection. The alumnus of Bogor
Institute of Agriculture’s Forestry
Department has a Master’s Degree
in Public Policy from the University
of Indonesia and the field of study
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
offered in the announcement was
ideal for her. Nia was selected to
join the selection process and had
to undergo an interview. “There was
nothing difficult when the interview
To be the “Child of a
took place because I was being
Jock” in U.S.
78
asked about my work at the
Ministry of Environment.” However,
Nia claimed, at the beginning of the
interview, she was nervous.
“Initially it was quite thrilling, it
reminded me of the atmosphere in
the campus hearing,” admitted the
girl born in Jakarta in 1974.
As with other PRESTASI
scholarship program participants,
before leaving Nia had to undergo a
period of preparation by following
some course materials, including
language skills by increasing the
TOEFL®ITP score. But the most
interesting thing to Nia was the
material provided by the tutor
named Michael Douglas about the
habits of Americans. “The material
was not boring because he talked
about the unique things and habits
of Americans.”
Nia remembers the example that
Michael Douglas told her about
Birthday Parties. When you are later
on campus and there is a friend’s
birthday do not expect treats. “So
even though you are invited and
encouraged to eat dinner you have
to pay for yourself. This is unique
because it is very different from
Indonesia,” Nia said laughing.
The Days in Bloomington
Nia was very sad just before
departure because she had to leave
her two small children. At first she
was hoping to bring along the kids
and her husband during her study in
the USA and she even had intended
to cancel her departure at one
stage. Nia thought that as a civil
servant the master’s degree would
Not have much effect on her as she
had graduated with a master’s
degree (S2) from the University of
Indonesia. Thankfully, due to the
encouragement of her husband, Nia
continued with her intention to
study in the United States.
Her husband’s encouragement
took her to Bloomington, a small
town famous for the corn production
on the outskirts of Indianapolis,
about two hours drive from
Washington DC. In this quiet town, in
January 2010, she arrived and was
greeted by very thick snow. While
79
Bloomington residents chose to
remain in their house, Nia and her
two colleagues had to walk outside
carrying several large suitcases
without knowing which streets they
had to go. “I feel now that it must be
very funny to look at,” she laughed.
“No shops were open, restaurants
were closed, people were in their
house due to heavy snow and I just
realized that the day was a holiday,
while we walked on the streets
starving,” she said. She said that
Bloomington at that moment was like
a ghost town.
After making “extra efforts” Nia
finally found a rented apartment for
her to stay. It was not far away from
campus and quite comfortable. But
she had to shop for her daily needs.
Together with her roommate she
went shopping to a store - the only
store that was still open, and quite
far from the apartment.
She was having so much fun that
she did not realize that she had
selected a lot of groceries, so many
that she and her roommate had a
problem to bring them all to the
apartment. Aha! There’s still a taxi,
thought Nia. But this is
Bloomington, not New York. There
was no cab in such deep snow.
Finally they both could only look
around running out of ideas.
Fortunately, after a while a car
approached and there was an old
couple in the car. They offered to
take Nia and her roommate to their
apartment. “Thank God,” Nia said to
herself at that time.
At that time, Indiana University’s
campus was still quiet. Students
were still on holiday for two weeks,
but Nia and her friends who
departed from Indonesia had to go
to campus to do their registration.
The distance from the apartment to
the campus was not too far “But
mounds of heavy snow made the trip
seem far away,” she recalls. When
she arrived on campus, it was very
quiet, there were no people passing
by, not like she imagined before. “Ah,
it seems I was wrong to choose this
campus,” so thought Nia, looking at
what was in front of her.
Feelings of it being the wrong
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
campus soon vanished when the
lectures began. The academic
atmosphere immediately built up in
the first days of classes. The
campus was not quiet any more and
students with sweaters were seen
walking around the campus. At the
beginning of classes she admitted to
being stunned when the lecturer
began to talk. “He talked very fast
and his dialect was very different,”
she said.
She had to overcome the
difficulty by bringing a tape
recorder. After the lecture finished
she listened to the recording of the
lecture to understand it better. She
did the same thing when discussing
with her group. “At the beginning of
the lecture when we were
discussing I always talked first then
later others chimed in. I was often
confused if I had to talk in the
middle of a discussion,” she said
with a chuckle revealing her tips to
remain active in class.
She continued recording for one
semester. “Gradually, I was able to
follow and became confident enough
to talk in group discussions,” she
said. For her to overcome problems
by understanding how the teachers
and students talk there was very
important. The class culture there is
very different from the class culture
in Indonesia.Communication is not
in one direction and students are
free to speak. Even when lecturers,
talk students are allowed to
interrupt,” said the person who
loves photography.
There were no other difficulties
faced by Nia after that. Lecture
materials was provided through
Indiana University’s website so
student can download course
materials in anytime. Moreover, the
campus library was open 24 hours.
“So there’s no reason for students
not to understand because they
have many materials to read,” said
Nia whose hobby is traveling.
Moreover, continued Nia, a custom
which requires the college students
to actively participate in discussion
will point out which students have
read the course material and which
of them have not.
80
The custom required Nia to read
many thick books and write lots of
papers each term. She often had to go
home from the library at 4 am “I once
fell asleep in class,” she said as she
described how dense and exhausting
the activities on campus were.
Fortunately lecturers at the
college always had time for
students. “Lecturers are committed
to not leave the classroom unless
there is a snow storm,” said Nia. “If
I have any troubles, I can ask, I was
helped by the openness of the
lecturers,” she added.
No Shower for a Week
One time, Nia felt the need for a
break in the middle of the crowded
schedule of lectures and her pile of
thick books. At this time there were
courses that required students to
conduct research in the wild. During
the one-week field study the
students had to sleep in a tent - Nia
did not want to miss this course.
“Learning while taking a refreshing
break,” she said.
So with a few college friends she
camped in the Smoky Mountains,
the hills across the border of
Tennessee and North Carolina. This
place is famous for its diversity of
plants and animals, and was
declared a World Heritage Site by
the United Nations (UN), the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Between the trees and the cool
air of the hills Nia and her group
underwent field lectures and
completed group tasks. For the first
time in her life Nia did not shower
for a week. “There was a river but
no showers and toilets, and you may
use the river to shower,” said Nia.
“If you wanted a shower you have to
go further down and you had to pay
and it was a bit expensive,” she said,
explaining why she chose not to
shower.
In America, Nia did not just
study. She still had time to travel
out of the campus. Even though she
was wearing a veil/hijab, she took
part in a screening event at a
church with the church activists.
Together with her college friends
 she also often go to the basketball
competitions.
Not only that but with some
students from Indonesia she also
held a fund raising event to help
victims of the earthquake in
Yogyakarta. In this activity Nia and
her friends auctioned various
typical items of Indonesia. “We were
auctioning batik, handicrafts from
Indonesia and Indonesian food
menus,” she said. The show
apparently got the attention of the
Bloomington City Hall and the City
Hall donated $200. “In just two
hours the committee managed to
raise a thousand dollars to be
donated to the earthquake victims
in Yogakarta,” she explained.
No less fascinating was joining
the breaking of the fast during
Ramadan by bringing non-Muslim
Americans to join in. During the

FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI

event students from various
countries were invited to show
cuisine of their home country. “I was
Like to work active in the committee for such
systematically and fast events. These cross-cultural
activities and interfaith is very

81
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
memorable,” she said.
Nia was also always present in
events held by non-Muslim students
or American students. In
celebrations at the end of the year,
for example, Nia did not hesitate to
go to pubs for the feast. “There was
no need to take off the veil or to
drink alcohol. They understand and
respect my choices,” said Nia. In
fact, Nia had assumed that she
would be excluded from society
because of her headscarf. “But I
realized, the bar and the beer is a
tradition of the West, I just attended
the invitation in honor of a friend
without having to be westernized,”
said Nia. “I am just a kid hanging out
in America,” she said in laughter.
Culture Shock
After Return Home
After one and a half years
studying Nia finally passed through
a non-thesis. Nia must work in local
agencies, usually on a research
project of the campus or local
government projects. After that the
work is presented to the local
government. This process went
through smoothly and without any
problems. Nia’s Master’s degree was
awarded. The time for Nia to return
to Indonesia had come.
“Honestly, I actually experienced
culture shock in Indonesia,” she told
shortly after she arrived in the
country. The first day Nia admitted
to feeling dizzy from the congestion
and noisy horns in Jakarta. “This is
in contrast to Bloomington which is
so quiet,” she explained.
Nia actually fitted and is
familiarized with the American style
to-the-point. But apparently this
style does not fit in the institution
where she works. Luckily Nia
realized this, and began to re-adjust.
“Her scientific capacity has
increased,” explained Bambang
Noeryanto SP, Head of Sub Division
of Development and Utilization of
Genetic Resources, Ministry of
Environment. Yanto also considered
that in addition to her increasing
relations Nia is also capable of
working better and faster. “In
dealing with funds Nia completed
82
her work within two months while
the others completed it in five
months,” said Yanto. According to
Yanto, Nia can establish a good
relationship with other ministries
related to the Ministry of
Environment.
With her intellectual and net-
working skills, Yanto hopes Nia can
be more successful. With her
capacity, Nia should deserve to get
a higher position or work in an
international agency that can
assistthe Ministry of Environment
such as the World Bank or UNDP.
Yanto saw that Nia who is often
involved in the delegation team to
international negotiations under the
United Nations related to
biodiversity, is worthy of being in a
higher position to articulate her
brilliant ideas.
In the eyes of Titi Astuti, Staff of
Supervision and Monitoring Genetic
Resources, Ministry of Environment,
Nia is a very smart person, open-
minded, willing to share and transfer
the knowledge she has, responsive
and focused on working. “Nia works
very systematically and fast,” said Titi.
The same thing was also
expressed by Lien Rosalina MM,
Head of Eco region Application
Inventory and Protection Plan and
Environmental Management, Nia’s
superior at the Ministry of
Environment. In Lien’s observations,
Nia is a hard-working figure that can
work well in a team. “Nia adapts
quickly enough to new fields
assigned to her,” said Lien.
She thought that Nia deserved a
scholarship for she is smart and has
a good learning spirit. After
returning from the USA she felt that
Nia worked fairly and swiftly. Nia’s
ideas in the field of Biodiversity are
great and needed. Nia also has good
network, when the work requires
specialists and experts in the field
of the environment and biodiversity
Nia could connect with the experts.
“Hopefully Nia can lead our team
well in order to finish the
preparation of Plans and
Environmental Management
(RPPLH) to protect the environment
of Indonesia,” Lien hopes.
 FARIDA DWI HANDAYANI S.SI
Master in the field of Microbiology, University of Nevada, Reno
Head of Sub Division of Research and Testing Facility Health Research and
Development (LITBANGKES), Salatiga

Get a Degree and Promotions

because her first son, Ilham
Wahyudi Rayyan, was aged two
years and six months. However, she
realized that this opportunity may
only come once.
After a 2 month period of
The eggs have a different taste
there, they smell more fishy and
make me sick,” said the woman who
was born in Cilacap in 1978.
Although she sometimes could
not avoid all the foreign foods,

FOTO: PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION

Like to cook
while in U.S.
Farida completed her studies in
the United States a semester
earlier. Not only did she get a title
she also succeeded in slimming her
body. Returning from school, she is
elected to be the Head of the Sub-
Division of Research and Testing
Facility. The mother of three
preparation for the program, she
left her children and husband to go
to the land of Uncle Sam. “The
strongest motivation for studying
was that I had to struggle to provide
the best for the kids and my job,”
she said emotionally.
children is also pointed as the Not only feeling the guilt of
coordinator of several projects at leaving her children, having arrived
the institution. in America, Farida had culture
shock, especially about the food.
F arida was somewhat depressed
when she was notified she was
accepted as a participant of
She did not like foreign food. “I
don’t like all foreign cuisine. I don’t
like burgers, hot dogs or French
PRESTASI Scholarship program fries. I could not eat all the food.
Farida would rather cook for herself
by creating dishes that fit with her
Javanese tongue. “Looking for the
same ingredients here (read:
Indonesia), is certainly not easy but
at least I can improvise to make my
own dishes,” she said. “But if I do
not have time to cook, I just eat a
little,” she added with a laugh.
Homesick,
Telephone Costs Swell
Studying at the University of
Nevada, Reno, United States, is
actually not so difficult for Farida as

83
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
the professor are very open to
helping the students with problems.
Even outside of the regular learning
activities the professor provides
time for anyone who wants to ask
or talk to her for an hour or two –
they use the term ‘open hours’. “I
always took the time to ask at the
open-class hours,” said the woman
who has a nickname of Yeni.
Farida also felt very fortunate to
have a very active discussion group
who were so helpful. At break time
this discussion group frequently
held presentation training,
explained what it had in mind and
gave feedback to one another.
“Discussions with this group also
made me more confident and feel
comfortable dealing with people,”
she admitted.
In campus, Farida really felt like
it was an atmosphere conducive to
studying. “There, everyone is
conditioned to appreciate people
who are willing to learn,” she said.
Even though Farida had a problem
with language in the beginning of
the term, she got an A for the
course of Molecular Biology.
“Professors do not judge from
just one side or only consider the
grade or value, but they also saw
students’ efforts to try and reason,”
said Farida, who received her
bachelor’s degree (S1) from
Diponegoro University, Semarang,
in the field of biology. According to
her, Indonesian people are actually
superior in terms of working
persistence and in the ability to
reason.
Despite the ease of undergoing
the process of learning it was
difficult for her as she was so
homesick and missed her only child.
She was “feeling guilty about
leaving,” she admitted. Meanwhile,
the children and her husband lived in
the village of Karang Tengah, District
Tuntang, Semarang, and it was very
difficult to get an Internet
connection to talk to them. “The
connection is difficult to connect in
the village,” she explained.
Therefore, she could not contact her
child and husband through Skype.
Instead she called her husband
84
and son from the United States. “A
big bill,” she said. Consequently,
she could not really save any of her
allowance. “I called once a day so I
had no chance to travel because my
money was sucked into the cost of
the phone,” said the devotee of
singing and culinary tours.
To overcome her homesickness
Farida tried to do exercises. Almost
every day she went to the gym or
took yoga. There were three gym
facilities near campus. Most
students in the United States, said
Farida, love sports. Most of them go
and come back from their courses
by walking or riding a bike. “I
started to do exercise and practice
yoga diligently.” As a result her
weight dropped from the weight of
94 kilograms on her arrival in
America to 68 kilograms. “I am
getting slimmer by exercising and I
don’t like eating there,” she recalls
happily.
Building a State in the
Laboratory
September 2010 Farida returned
to Indonesia and to where she
worked in the Center for Research
and Development of Disease
Vectors and Reservoir, Research
and Development Agency, Ministry
of Health Salatiga, she was purely a
researcher without any title. But
after a short while she was
appointed Head of Sub Division
Research and Development,
Research and Testing Facility
Salatiga. She now leads a
laboratory. “I want to develop this
laboratory with international
standards and accreditations,” she
explains.
“On her return from America
her insights have grown. In some
cases she really became a master
for example in the case of
leptospirosis diagnosis and
Molecular Biology,” explained Drs.
Ristiyanto, M.Kes, her co-worker.
According to him, with the ability
she has now, Farida could bring
her obsession into reality. “She
has good vertical and horizontal
relations. She often gives ideas
and absorbs ideas well. This

Making an International
Laboratory in Indonesia
attitude was accepted well by her
friends,” said Ristiyanto. In the
eyes of her colleagues, who entered
Litbangkes Salatiga in the same
year, Farida has advantages over
others; she always has systematic
thinking, she is brave but careful
in making decisions and she is
eager to take the opportunity,
research program for developing the
laboratory and bringing in experts
from the U.S. and India as referral
speakers.
“A lot of initiatives are proposed
by Farida such as requesting
funding from WHO,” said Prof. Dr. M
Sudomo, WHO National Consultant
for the H5N1 Bird Flu Virus
Research. “Her proposal is not long,
but rational and convincing,” added
FOTO: PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION
Sudomo.
In fact, says Sudomo, Farida was
previously less confident. “Now her
English is better. She made a
presentation in English to my boss
(WHO) so fluently that her proposal
discipline, and she has the ability was accepted,” he explained.
to manage this laboratory very Several training programs and
well. “Not everyone has a talent comparative study missions to
like that,” added Ristiyanto. For Thailand were also approved by
this reason he considered it was WHO. “Farida can convince us,” said
fair that she got a scholarship to Sudomo. “We have even made work
study abroad. plans for Farida up to 2014,” he
Farida’s desire to develop a lab continued.
that is now being realized and she The work plan, said Sudomo, is a
is making a series of breakthroughs series of programs to improve the
such as collaborating with WHO and quality of the laboratory as a
USAID, for example, propose a reference laboratory for specific
85
diseases caused by viruses and
bacteria or diseases transmitted by
animals. Sudomo is sure that a
laboratory led by Farida could be
the WHO Collaborating Centre. “It
means we will be on a par with
foreign laboratories and be
recognized internationally,” said
Sudomo. “I hope Farida can take a
PhD,” says Sudomo hopefully to the
mother of three children. “I’m sure
she can, she’s a good worker and
her capability is above average and
she has a high level of dedication,”
he said. “That’s why I gave my
recommendation to Farida to learn
in America,” said Sudomo. To make
this desire into reality Farida had
the best strategy. “I want to take
advantage of opportunities, for
example, in the form of foreign aid.
From the aid we can do a lot to
improve the quality of human
resources and the quality of the lab.
There is no need to wait and rely on
this country,” said Farida. “So I
want to take advantage of these
opportunities to build the country,”
Farida concluded.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
IRMA SRI WULANDARI
Master in Public Health, George Washington University, Washington DC
Board of Directors Yayasan Pulih
There is No Struggle in Vain
Those who fight will get what
they want. Presumably this advice
can explain Irma Sri Wulandari.
Since she graduated from her
undergraduate in 1994, she tried to
get a scholarship to study abroad.
I rma is a typical of person who has
love for science and love for
adventure. She was eager to
continue her master’s abroad. “In
addition to science and adding to
my title, I also want to add my
knowledge,” said the graduate of
Psychology, University of Indonesia.
She does not remember how many
application forms she has posted.
She was almost in despair in 2008
when Livia Iskandar sent her a
scholarship form via email. Her hope
was arisen even though she was a
little hesitant. The hesitation was
normal though because she had not
studied in college since 15 years
ago. Moreover, she was married and
had three children.
“You will be able to. Sure you
can,” said her friend, Livia, pumping
her spirit. Livia has been Irma’s
friend since 1988. They are in the
same year in Psychology at the
University of Indonesia. Since 1988
they have been good friends.
Livia Iskandar is one of the
founders of Yayasan Pulih, which
was established with Kristi
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
Poerwandari, Ali Aulia, Saparinah
Sadli, Irwanto and Karlina Supeli on
July 24, 2002.
At the beginning of the Pulih
Foundation in 2002 Livia served as
a general coordinator. She
86
 maintained this position until 2006
when she left for the U.S.
Before leaving Indonesia she
needed a friend to help her friends
at the Yayasan Pulih. To replace her
the choice fell on Irma. She said,
“Irma’s potential is great. The result
of our discussion that day showed
me that Irma was willing to be
active in Pulih.”
At that time Livia told Irma that
if we want to improve our
knowledge we should go to NGOs
such as Pulih, if we work at
companies, there will be no
opportunity to improve our
knowledge. Moreover, Pulih can
issue a letter of recommendation
for people studying abroad.
“It’s interesting because Pulih is
a small NGO but we’ve sent people
to learn S2 and S3 (Masters and
Doctorate) abroad. We also send
people training and workshops
abroad,” said Livia.
Since 2006 Irma held the General
Coordinator position of Yayasan
Totality in helping others
Pulih. In 2008, after two years in the
post, Livia kept her promise.
87
According to Irma, at that time many
people did not know the scholarship
program to America sponsored by
USAID. There was not a big
campaign. Irma got the information
from Livia through email.
Irma immediately took the
opportunity to study abroad. At the
same time Irma had to manage the
pilgrimage departure and represent
Yayasan Pulih to Sweden. Irma felt
her dreams must be pursued so she
fulfilled all administrative
requirements, including seeking
recommendations from Miryam
Nainggolan, Chairman of the Board
of Yayasan Pulih.
Without a second thought
Miriam immediately gave Irma a
letter of recommendation she
required. “There’s no reason not to
give recommendations to Irma who
wishes to continue her education,”
said the silver-haired woman.
Good News
Irma departed on her pilgrimage
to perform the fifth pillar of Islam.
“In fact, at that time, I was like
standing at a crossroads. I want to
do something not only for myself
but also for others. I prayed in the
holy land giving myself to God
including expressing my desire to
continue my study,” Irma shared her
spiritual experiences. “There
(mecca) I prayed that if God doesn’t
allow me for the scholarship to
America, I begged to be given the
next best. I wanted to continue my
education and if it is not abroad I
could study in my own country. I
really wanted to return to school
again.”
Last December Irma returned
from Hajj. Just after two weeks
back in the country she got an
interview call from the agency that
held the scholarships to America.
“At that time I was not expecting
too much and I had nothing to lose,”
she said.
The news was immediately
conveyed to Livia. “Being called
upon for interview means a greater
chance to be accepted,” Livia again
motivated Irma who’s already in
despair and worrying. Irma is very
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
happy to hear that. The dream is in
front of her!
In early February, the news she
was waiting for at last came. Irma
was accepted. She had successfully
won a scholarship for a Master
Program at George Washington
University, USA. It is a well-known
and favorite campus in Uncle Sam.
According to Livia Iskandar, Irma
managed to get a scholarship
because she has lots of potentials.
The same phrase was also
expressed from the mouth of Nirmala
Ika, Irma’s best friend in Yayasan
Pulih. Ika claimed she was not
surprised at the news. She said, Irma
has totality been helping people. She
does not even hesitate to sacrifice
her time and money. “So it’s
reasonable that she got a
scholarship to study in the U.S. to
explore the study of social services.
Moreover, she’s smart,” said Ika.
Gain Experiences and Sciences
This was indeed good news. Irma
was very giddy, “At that time I was
happy but confused. On one hand it
was my dream to study abroad. On
the other hand it’s hard for me to
leave without my family.”
Irma then discussed this with her
husband. Fortunately, before that,
Irma and her husband were already
planning to go back to school. They
have been saving for that. Irma then
tried to persuade the organization
that provide the scholarships so
that the family would be allowed to
take part without the extra cost.
However, the lobby was
unsuccessful. “You go ahead. This is
a rare opportunity. Then if there is a
way I’ll meet you there,” her
husband said as quoted by Irma.
Irma then appealed to the
organizers of the scholarship in
order to postpone her departure to
2010. She should have left for
America in 2009. The reason was
she had to fix the family first and at
that time her youngest child was
still very small.
The time came and in 2010 Irma
left the country as well as her
husband and children. This was the
first time that she was alone for a
88
long time.
In the United States Irma met
Livia. The two friends had missed
each other. Livia took Irma to her
home in Maryland. It was very near
the train station. “I like living here,”
Irma expressed.
“The next-door neighbor never
accepts people from Indonesia to
stay at her house, “said Livia. “Why
don’t we try to talk,” Irma said. She
had the unyielding spirit. “That’s ok
if you want to,” said Livia.
Luck was on her side. The
person was willing to accept Irma in
to her house. During her stay Irma
even got food. “This seems like an
answer to my prayer when on my
pilgrimage,” said the woman, born in
Jakarta, October 31, 1969, smiling.
Irma’s boarding house was next
door to her best friend, Olivia in
Maryland. However, they were in
different campus. Livia’s college was
in Hawaii, Irma in downtown:
Washington DC.
Greeted Blizzard
In early January 2010, when
Irma just arrived in America, a
snowstorm has hit the state. The
snowstorm hit again several times
later. In American’s history, the
storm was the biggest ever. The
thickness of the snow reached
approximately two meters. People
remained at their home. Nobody
came out of their house.
Transportation was not available.
The big snowstorm lasted for
three days in a row and apparently
hits only once a hundred years. For
Irma it was certainly something new.
It was the first time in her life that
she saw snow. Not wanting to lose
the memory, in the early morning
when the snow was still thick, she
left the house to capture the
historic event with her camera. It
made the people there amazed.
What Irma did became the talk of
the citizens in Maryland. Once the
storm subsides and people have
started to go out they started to
talk about it because it felt strange
that there were some people who
wanted to get out in the middle of a
thick snow. “There were people who
 left the house while it was
snowing...” “Yeah, I saw it too,”
was chatter among neighbors.
The questions reached Irma and
Livia’s ears, also the owner of the
boarding house. “Ooo, that’s the
lady staying in my house. She
comes from Indonesia and goes to
school here. This is the first time
she saw snow, so she took pictures
of it,” so the owner of the house
where Irma is staying explained to
her neighbors as recounted by Irma
and Livia separately.
Online Business Solutions
and Ask Uncle Google
Irma, who usually takes care of
her children and husband, was now
a boarding student. She became a
student again after graduating from
her college 15 years ago. Firstly she
thought she would be the oldest
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
student in the class, but when she
settled into the class there was
apparently another older student.
“I went to school in a different
era. I used to be in lectures at times
Developing the foundation
is her dream when there was no internet. Now,
89
it’s absolutely different, an online
era. The learning tasks can be done
anywhere with no need to linger in
the library. Lecture materials are
scattered in cyberspace. It could
also be studied from the house with
versatile library-style facilities
online. Accessing the journal is also
very easy,” said Irma comparing her
past with the modern world.
Irma admitted that at first in
America she would often lose
direction. Left alone, around the
town, she often lost the way to
school. Washington University is
located in the city center, a few
blocks from the White House. The
position of her campus was not on
the campus zone. So Irma would ask
people here and there everyday. For
American people who tend to be
individualistic what Irma did was
weird. Later Livia told Irma that if
she wanted to go somewhere she did
not need to ask people but could just
simply find its location on the
Google search engine. Irma tried it
and she got new knowledge that is
not learned in college.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
Start Mingling
When she first went to the
campus, she did not know anyone.
During the orientation Irma met a
student from Uzbekistan. As fellow
foreigners, they were immediately
close. The student from Uzbekistan
was very warm and friendly.
“The first time we met, we
embraced each other just like two
best friends who haven’t met for a
long time. She’s good and we
became very close in the next
days,” she recalls. The first meeting
was memorable for Irma. In
America, as told by Irma, it is not
easy to find friends. Most Americans
are working people who work or go
to college and then go home.
“Washington DC is a big city like
Jakarta. The people there are busy.
There are no students or people
hanging out there, unlike here.”
The first semester passed. The
holiday time was used to see the
family in the homeland. Not only to
see family but to be together with
her husband. The plan was again
delayed, finally though her family
agreed to leave for America. Not just
for a visit but her husband would
also continue his studies there.
United with her family gave her
energy and her lifestyle shifted.
Irma began to interact with the
Indonesian community and the
Muslim community there. With the
widespread promiscuity, Irma began
to know many things.
“I started to know where to find
halal food, there are many places
actually. Apparently, Americans are
not as I imagined. It is easy to find
places of worship. And there is no
discrimination. Life as a Muslim is
easy there, though you are still a
minority.”
With the background as Yayasan
Pulih Coordinator who is active in an
organization, Irma became involved
in various activities held by the
Indonesian Muslim community there.
She was asked to be a speaker
several times. Once the community
knew she was a psychologist Irma
was asked to provide counseling for
parents and also to the women
muslim gathering.
90
“Indonesian psychologists are
rare in the U.S. Oh well I’m glad to
do it all. I also wrote in a column of
Muslimah once a week. Muslimah
was the mailing list of the Muslim
women’s organization in America,”
she said.
Designing the Future
Foundation
With all her business in America
Irma remained in contact with her
colleagues in Yayasan Pulih via
mailing lists. “Through the mailing
list ‘kerabat Pulih or Pulih’s relative’
Irma often provided important
information linked to Pulih
activities,” said Miryam Nainggolan.
Livia Iskandar did the same
things. Livia and Irma even always
sit together discussing the future of
Yayasan Pulih at breakfast before
doing their daily activities. The
situation in Pulih was changed at
that time. Previously, Previously,
the NGO previously got assistance
from international donors, now it
doesn’t. The organization now has
financial problems. Nirmala Ika,
Irma’s best friend in the
organization, has already resigned.
In the current situation, Irma
had an idea to help the organization
to survive, even develop. “On
campus Irma studied public health
and social marketing which includes
the use of social media in spreading
messages to the public. The
knowledge she learns on campus
directly implemented into Pulih’s
program,” said Livia.
From across the country Irma and
Livia prepared a program to be
implemented in Indonesia. The result
was that the campaign ‘Stop Violence
Against Women’ was innitiated. The
two companions made a proposal to
be submitted to UN Women.
According to Irma all knowledge
of the campus poured into the
proposal to the UN Women. The
contents of the campaign Stop
Violence Against Women focus on
ways that are more preventive. At
the same time she was also
preparing her thesis on the subject
of violence in dating. The thesis for
the master’s degree has the same
spirit as the ‘Stop Violence Against
Women’ program. It is like the term
drinking water while diving. Again,
Lady Luck was on her side. Her
courses were completed and the
proposal accepted by UN Women.
The fund was released.
Miriam, who was having
difficulties in managing Yayasan Pulih
in the country, would certainly be
happy. “The issue is very important
for Pulih. I truly appreciate what
Irma did in America for Yayasan
Pulih,” she said in a tone of
emotion.
Pulih staffs in Indonesia initially
held the program. Upon returning to
Indonesia, Irma directly involved
herself to make the program a
success. They began a roadshow in
campaigning for ‘Stop Violence
Against Women’ program, which
they took to several high schools
and universities. At the same time
they are also using social media
such as Facebook, Twitter and
YouTube to campaign. “The
achievement levels of the program
were very high,” added Miriam.
Promoted to be The Board of
Yayasan Pulih
Having returned from America
Irma has made much progress. At
least that is what her friends say.
Yayasan Pulih where Irma worked
was like getting fresh ideas.
Miryam, known as the big boss of
Pulih, proposed to the foundation
officials, in order to appoint Irma
as the Board of Yayasan Pulih. The
proposal was accepted and Irma
was ready. So, Irma is now the
Board of Yayasan Pulih. Before
leaving for America she was just
the general coordinator of the
foundation.
“We entrust Irma to manage
Yayasan Pulih. It’s about time she
participated in strategic matters,”
Miryam said.
Livia Iskandar and Nirmala Ika
appreciated that Irma was willing
to take the responsibility.
Moreover Yayasan Pulih needs to
be recovered. They expect a lot
from Irma to make Yayasan Pulih
recover. “Irma is not only on the
name list of Yayasan Pulih Council
91
Board but also participates to
help to raise funds as well as
finding a program that can be
done. It’s a good sign for Pulih,”
said Ika and Livia who were found
in separate places. Ika thought
that upon her return from the
United States Irma had become
broad-minded.
Her family has also changed
including Irma’s children who
shared their life-style in the
superpower country. “I think the
effect is quite positive for her and
her family. The life there is very
different from life here,” said the
woman who has resigned from the
main management of Yayasan Pulih.
“More recently she also
started to invite me to join in the
main team of Pulih and she
started talking about the concept
for developing Yayasan Pulih,” said
Ika who claimed to frequently
communicate with Irma via BBM.
Since her return from America
they met only a few times. “The
idea that Irma wants to develop,”
said Ika, “is making Pulih more
professional and more self-
financing through a profit unit.
Pulih is going to try to develop a
more professional clinic.”
With all her experiences and
knowledge that she got from
America, Ika hopes, Irma can use it
not merely on paper but also in
implementing it to the public, like
her dream when she went to school
abroad.
Miryam Nainggolan conveyed
similar expectations. Mrs. Boss is
actually hoping Irma will be the
future leader of Yayasan Pulih.
She said, “I cannot continuously
lead the foundation. I hope Irma
can be the future leader.”
Irma is now more active in
Yayasan Pulih. However she still
takes time to get together with the
alumni of the USAID scholarship
program. Irma actively
participates in ALPHA-I. “It is a
new organization and I hope of
course that this organization can
provide something useful for the
country,” she said,
optimistically.
PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
RENNY ARIYANNY
Master in Law, University of Washington, Seattle
Head of Design and Legal Considerations, Attorney General’s Legal Bureau
From Designing Act up to Anti-Terorism Seminar
Renny Ariyanny has received
several scholarships abroad. But
she did not take all the
scholarships due to the institution
she worked for did not give
permission. When she received a
scholarship from PRESTASI USAID,
her superior in the Attorney General
Office allowed her to take it and go
to America to study.
T he woman with shoulder-
length hair was Head of
Design and Legal Considerations,
Legal Bureau, Attorney General.
Since she has to go to study in
America for a long time she had to
abandon her post.
“There is a rule in the office that
if you go for more than a year you
must leave your position. Now,
under a contract with USAID, I will
study in America for two years. So I
have to leave my post,” she said. In
the land of Uncle Sam, Attorney
class 4B is a student of
International Business Law, at the
University of Washington to pursue
her master’s degree LLM.
Information about the
scholarship program funded by
USAID she heard from the Head of
Legal Cooperation and Foreign
Affairs Attorney General, Jan S
Maringka. “It’s an opportunity,” she
thought. Renny decided to try her FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
luck. “Actually, I had to put off to
fill out the application because at
that time there were colleagues
who were interested to apply but As a legal drafter at Attorney
at the time limit there was only General of Indonesia
one person who delivered an
92
application. Well, I just go forward
then,” she recalls.
To be eligible, the graduate of the
Department of Criminology,
University of Indonesia visited
several professors to ask for
recommendations. Luck was on her
side and Renny got a
recommendation from both Prof.
Adrian and Prof. Ronny Nitibaskara
who are professors at the Faculty of
Law, University of Indonesia.
Renny easily passed the selection
process. There were no significant
obstacles, especially for TOEFL®ITP.
She’s got a TOEFL®ITP 580 which is
more than enough to pass. As a result
she was awarded the scholarship and
left for America in 2009.
Deputy Head of Administration
Section 1, Attorney General of the
Republic of Indonesia, Dado AE,
admits that Renny really deserved
a scholarship. “Mrs. Renny does
have potential. Moreover, she loves
to study and her English skills are
also very good. Rarely is there a
93
prosecutor whose English is as
good as Mrs. Renny,” said the man
with glasses.
Flying to a Foreign Country
This was not the first time she
stepped in the United States. She has
been there so often that she has
forgotten how many times she has
been to the US. “I have been there
several times - usually when sent by
the country to participate in a short
course and other interests,” said
Renny.
She had a unique experience on
the way to study in the United
States. She had no problem with the
air travel from Indonesia to the U.S.
The plane landed safely at
Washington DC. Then travel by plane
continued to Seattle, the city where
the campus of the Law School of the
University of Washington is based.
Her seat apparently was occupied
by another passenger. The airline
gave her another flight and also gave
her money to compensate for the
inconvenience by as much as twice
the ticket price of travelling from DC
to Seattle. “Not bad, for additional
pocket money while abroad,” she
said laughing.
Flights from DC to Seattle take 6
hours but there is no free dinner on
the plane. “Buying a meal on the
plane is paid by using credit cards
but my credit card was in my
suitcase so I was forced to starve,”
recalls Renny.
Arriving at the hotel after
midnight it was too late to order food
at the hotel. Renny could not hold
her stomach any longer – it was
already growling, she moved out to
find a mini-market. “Once outside the
hotel, there was a person explaining
that someone had been robbed.
Finally I cancelled trying to find
food,” Renny recalls the first step on
the country of America.
Knowing Skype
On the campus of the Law
School of the University of
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
Washington, Renny was known as a
student who could quickly grasp the
lesson. If there was trouble it was
related to technologies. Renny was
fairly clueless about technologies
and it made her lag.
Once Renny was late sending an
email and her grade was reduced. In
America all courses are completely
online. Reading material was
presented through the website to be
opened via the Internet. “The
materials on the site to read were
about 200 pages a day and if we
don’t read the professor will know
and she would think that we were
not ready to follow the lectures,”
she said.
Fortunately Renny made some
friends who were happy to teach her
about the world of information
technology, including Skype. Once
familiar with Skype, the woman who
had been a prosecutor for 10 years
was beginning to get addicted to
browsing in cyberspace. She was
able to talk face to face with her
family in the country for free.
According to her, the college
system in the United States is quite
good both in terms of curriculum
and educational infrastructure.
Moreover, access to information and
knowledge is very open. “Teachers
there are also very good. In the
midst of the hustle and bustle of
work, the teachers and professors
still took the time to correct
students work and even to check the
footnotes. They also always take the
time to cater to students who ask
relevant questions. This is
incredible,” she said.
As a member of the Attorney
General’s legal team Renny did not
deny that studying in the U.S. has
opened her mind, perspectives and
of course network. She said, “My
job in the office (Attorney General)
was developing legislation. I
understand how the knowledge I
gained is very useful for
comparisons in formulating
legislation.”
94
Anti-Terrorism Seminar on Her
Return from America
After she got her LLM master’s
degree, she went back to Indonesia.
Various fantasies crossed her mind.
Renny could not wait to practice the
myriad of new knowledge she got
from the U.S. Her hopes were not
matched with the reality though and
upon returning from America to work
she was ‘ostracized’ instead.
Once back in the office, she
discovered that the Meeting of the
Attorney General of the Republic of
Indonesia had been held a few days
earlier. Just for the record, the
meeting is only held once in six
months. Various things were
discussed at the meeting including
the mutation of the position.
What happened to her position as
Head of Design and Legal
Considerations, Bureau of Law
Attorney General, which she had
dropped when she was about to fly
to America? Luck was not on her
side. While waiting for the next
meeting for the next six months
Renny was “homeless” in her own
office. During that time she became a
functional employee without a
position. She just worked if she was
needed. Everyday she came to the
office without any mark of position -
the Prosecutor often called it by the
term “jengkol”-, on the chest.
“I still remember that time when
I met a friend and she did not find
any ‘jengkol’ on my chest, she just
passed leaving me without saying
anything,” she said shaking her head.
“Most of my friends did not know
that I left the office because I went to
America to study.”
Keep in mind also that if the top
officials in the prosecutor’s office
were removed their official signs
and transferred into functional
employees, usually for involvement
in a particular case or if they were
considered naughty. However, Renny
took a lesson from this sad story. At
least she came to know who were
her true friends and which ones

A person who is flexible and
decisive in leading her team
were not and be friend because of
her position.
In short when the next meeting
was held she got back her position
as Head of Design and Legal
Considerations, Attorney General’s
Bureau of Law.
After getting the position back
Renny started practicing her
knowledge from America, which of
course had to be adapted to the
situation of Indonesia. According to
Dado, after coming back from the
U.S. his superior has changed.
“In the field of work Mrs. Renny
is now faster, more informative and
open. While personality, there is no
change in Mrs. Renny. From the
beginning Mrs. Renny is always
95
things were done by Renny, among
others, an anti-terror seminar, “In the
seminar, Mrs. Renny was capable of
presenting with the caliber of an
international speaker from overseas.
She now got a lot of new networks
including those from abroad.”
Not just in her office, Renny is
also actively gather with the alumni
of USAID scholarship. She even
attended an event at Hotel Cemara
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
recently where the alumni came
together and formed ALPHA-I. As
the organization was recently
founded she claimed she has not been
active and does not know if she sits
flexible and firmly in leading,” said as a board member or not. “I think I
alumnus of Airlangga University, am in the board. But I don’t know
Surabaya. which one,” she said with a laugh.
Dado - who admires his boss, However, she hopes ALPHA-I
Renny - hopes she can transfer her remains enduring and growing.
knowledge and create the brilliant Because, she said, ALPHA-I is an
cadres. “I hope Mrs. Renny can important forum as the
regenerate her juniors to be like her. communication place for the
At least almost.” intellectuals whose thoughts could be
Furthermore Dado recounts, after accommodated for the improvement
she came back from America, a few of Indonesia.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
In her busy work as a lecturer at
Cendrawasih University, Papua,
Ruth still had plans to develop the
Papuan people through early
childhood education.

“S orry, I still have activities until

late this afternoon. How
about tomorrow afternoon instead? I
am going to contact you,” said
Nancy Ruth Naomi Wompere to
someone over the phone. “Today I
have to keep an eye on the student’s
FOTO: CATHARINA LITA/IIEF-PRESTASI

exam,” she added.

It’s not easy to make an
appointment with Ruth. Since
returning from the United States in Her dream is to teach English
May 2011, the activities of the Language for Papua children for free
English lecturer at the Faculty of
Teacher Training and Education, NANCY RUTH NAOMI WOMPERE
English Studies Program at the Master in the field of English Language Teaching and Development, Concordia University, Portland, Oregon
Cendrawasih University (UNCEN) Lecturer in English, Cendrawasih University, Papua
Papua, has so many activities.
It was also acknowledged by Want to Teach English for Children in Papua for Free
Servo Patrick Kocu, Ruth’s superior
in the Technical Services Unit Natalis UNCEN, she was appointed many contributions to the UPT. She from America include Ruth’s
(UPT) Language in UNCEN, Papua. as secretary of the National really helped several things run growing self-confidence. “Prior to
“She took accreditation programs Congress,” said Servo. “I myself was smoothly,” said Servo. the U.S., Ruth had not been too
several times. Even at the Dies happy when she came. She gave Other changes after returning confident. But after coming home, I

96
see her changed. For example she is
more confident and more
courageous as a junior lecturer, and
has a loyalty to her job. Indeed, it’s
one of the benefits of studying there
(America),” said Margaretha
Kafudji, Head of Language Unit,
UNCEN.
In the eyes of Margaretha, Ruth
is a Papuan child who has had good
achievements since her early
education as a student even after
becoming a lecturer of UNCEN. “She
deserves to get a scholarship so we,
as the supervisors, gave her the
recommendations to study in the
USA. In terms of academics, she is
very good, prominent, and
disciplined,” she said. According to
Margaretha, Ruth has the potential
to develop if given more
opportunities to participate in
training, both as a lecturer, coach,
and instructor.
“At a very young age, Ruth was
able to do something good for
herself and others. Her departure to
the United States has accelerated
and fostered her confidence. This is
a big leap that she has made. Her
English was obviously much better
than before,” she praised Ruth
comparing her to the way she was
before leaving for America when she
served as Margaretha’s assistant at
UPT Language Services, University
of Cenderawasih.
Rommy Rambet, her colleague
and a lecturer in English at the
Faculty of Teacher Training and
Education, English Studies Program
in UNCEN Papua, also had a
positive opinion about Ruth after
returning from overseas. She
deserved a scholarship. I taught her
while she was still a student, since
her early study you can see she has
potential. Ruth is one of the best
among the graduates of her
generation,” said Rommy.
Rommy thought that what Ruth
has achieved so far is good enough
for a cadre of educators. “I think
now we have to see the quality, not
just affirmative action as a native
Papuan, but who really has the
quality. I saw Ruth was qualified in
the science field,” he said.
97
In the academic process, for
example, Rommy thinks Ruth can
now teach well and have fresh and
new ideas, especially in how she
uses English as a second language
when presenting the subject matter
in class. “I see she has changed a
lot, both in terms of her behavior
and her way of teaching in the
classroom,” said Rommy.
Rommy also sees that students
who are taught by Ruth are fond of
the process of learning. “There is a
paradigm shift in teaching that
might be a little bit casual, but very
high quality,” he explained. In
Rommy’s observations the change
has taken place since Ruth came
home from finishing her studies in
the Unites States. “So I see no
change in attitude and activity but
Ruth was able to bring the feel of
the change within each class she
teaches,” he said.
Another colleague, Ardy
Paembonan, teacher of English
language courses and English
Administrative staff at UPT UNCEN,
thinks Ruth as hardworking and
diligent figure. “She’s determined
and a focused person in all of her
jobs. So I suppose she deserves a
scholarship to America,” he said.
Returning from Portland, Ardy
also sees a lot of improvement in
Ruth. “In science, I see she is much
more developed, and she could help
us here and also help other people,”
he said. However, Ardy does not see
any changes in Ruth’s personality.
“She was still the same, still friendly
and can work with anyone.”
Ruth, in the eyes of Ardy, likes to
help other colleagues who are
having problems in teaching. “If I
have difficulty in teaching, I used to
ask Mrs. Ruth how to cope with
troubled students,” he admits.
Meets Heart Calls
One afternoon Ruth was teaching
in the remote district of Wondama
Bay, West Papua Province. Suddenly
her cell phone rang. Apparently,
USAID scholarship program called
for an interview. This interview is
part of the selection process, which
must be completed by eligible
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
recipients. “Fortunately, there is a
phone connection there. In addition
to the interview they also told me
that I should take the TOEFL®ITP in
Jakarta. Then my application would
be submitted and I would be told
whether I was accepted or not,” said
Ruth.
Initially Ruth, who likes playing
basketball, knew the PRESTASI
program or formerly known as HICD
(Human and Institutional Capacity
Development) from information
flyers and the application forms she
has received. After filling out the
form and sending it, Ruth got
notified by email stating that her
application was received. The next
process was to go through an
interview. If in the interview process
she passed, she could receive the
scholarship.
When she passed the interview
process, the heart of the R & B
music enthusiasts was lifted. “I’m
happy to receive this scholarship.
Moreover, this is the first time I went
so far out of Papua,” she admitted.
Before leaving for America, the
woman who was born in Jayapura on
the 23 April 1982, got a lot of input
from other faculty colleagues,
especially those who had been to
America. “There are so many
stories that I got from my fellow
teachers,” she said. However, while
there, Ruth admitted she had many
challenges in adjusting to social life
mainly because of the differences
between Indonesia and the United
States. “There, I saw that American
life is free, but very responsible. So
whatever they do, we may see a
negative but behind it all there are
positive things that can be learned
too,” she said.
Although Ruth has learned
English for many years, it did not
mean that she did not have
difficulties in implementing direct
conversation. “At first I was
confused as to what they were
talking about, but eventually I got
used to it and understood, too,” she
relates.
Another problem was the
weather, “Initially it was difficult to
adjust to the weather and it was a
98
problem for me. Especially when the
winter comes, it was the hardest
time for me. But after a while I got
used to it,” she said.
Fortunately, she did not get any
trouble with the academic processes
there. “They have a very helpful
professor and advisor for
international students because they
know that we are not from their
country,” she explained.
During her study in the land of
Uncle Sam, Ruth saw a lot of
impressive things. “Transport is
easily obtainable,” she said.
However, the most memorable thing
for her was meeting with people of
different cultural backgrounds. “Not
only Americans, there are a lot of
students from other countries such
as Taiwan, Japan and China - such
mixed and different cultures. But
when in the academic atmosphere
we are all the same. We’re after the
same thing be successful in learning new knowledge about her field, of
in the United States,” said Ruth. what she learned, to life
According to Ruth she has experience. “I gained more
gained a lot of things from knowledge and when I returned to
learning in America, starting from Papua I could apply it and share it

with my students,” she said.
Ruth said, while studying at
Concordia University, she was
actually taught methods and
teaching techniques similar to the
The hardworking and diligent person
and methods. I could share These
new things with my students in
UNCEN,” said the Jazz and slow
rock lover.
One of the lessons outside of the
academics she learned was a matter
of timing. According to Ruth, the
American people is always on time.
“That’s what I brought back here and
tried to apply in the classroom. I
want to show the students that
being on-time is not easy but if you
get used to it you will be familiarize-
d. Because here (Indonesia) we tend
not to appreciate the time,” she
FOTO: CATHARINA LITA/IIEF-PRESTASI
explained.
Actually, Ruth said, there are still
many things that she has not been
able to put into practice in her work
as an English lecturer in UNCEN.
“There are some techniques that I
want to develop, for example, using
ones she got when she was an Internet technology in teaching and
undergraduate (bachelor) student. learning. This has not been tested,”
“But the teaching was more in-depth she said.
and comprehensive. I learned many Having completed her study in
new things about new techniques America Ruth actually had many
99
offers to teach. But she is going to
teach English for free for Papuan
children. “But this plan has not been
started, maybe next academic year,”
she said.
The idea of teaching English to
Papua children for free came from
an institution established by a
church group. “This was the idea of
the young people in the institution,”
she explained. The first step of free
education will involve children of
kindergarten ages.” We will establish
schools located in Waena-Expo
Jayapura,” she added.
Teaching is her calling so Ruth
claimed she must arrange her time,
both as a lecturer in UNCEN, as well
as a volunteer teacher at the school
to be established. “I teach children in
Papua to help them to get a good
education and help the institution,”
she said.
Ruth hopes that with all her
knowledge and experience, she can
be a good teacher. “I really hope I
can do good teaching and be
responsible,” she said, closing the
story.
PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY

Studying in America made the

man from Sleman realize the joy of
teaching without the need to rush the
learning process.

On the day of the math test in

grade 10 senior high school
(SMA) Kanisius, Jakarta, Thomas
Gunawan Wibowo, the teacher, did not
deliberately stand in front of the
class. The man called Pak Gun by the
students is actually quietly standing
behind the class. Nearly for 45
minutes he stayed there until the time
for completing the test was over.

FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI

Pak Gun positioned himself behind
the class in order to help a student
with the initial J in the class.. He has
been known as a “veteran student”
because he failed to get a good grade
Teacher who is loved by his students
a year earlier. His academic scores
make us sad. The score of forty is
THOMAS GUNAWAN WIBOWO usually written on his paper test. This
Master in the Field of Educational Leadership, Loyola University, Chicago student claimed that the teacher who
Deputy Chief of Canisius High School, Jakarta oversaw the class broke his

Fun Learning without Accused of Being Stupid concentration and made him nervous.
But Pak Gun chose to believe that

100
the student’s problem doesn’t mean
that there is no hope. Surprisingly
the student who was considered
stupid reached a score of 78 for the
math quiz that day. 78 is slightly
above the minimum standards score
of 75 in Kanisius High School. Pak
Gun was happy and the student was
relieved. “The students’ problem was
so simple but it could only be
discovered by a teacher who would
listen,” said the teacher who has 15
years of teaching experience. “So, do
not rush to judge him stupid,”
concluded Pak Gun
Supplied with Personal
Experiences
The beauty of learning without
immediately being accused of being
stupid is important to Pak Gun. He
spent 15 months studying in the
United States through the PRESTASI
Scholarship, which was previously
known as HICD (Human and
Institutional Capacity Development)
for the Master of Science Education
at Loyola University, Chicago. But
Pak Gun’s English proficiency made
him insecured. Stored in his memory:
I cannot speak English. It’s difficult.
“Frankly speaking, I have no
expectations when it comes to the
selection of participants,” said Pak
Gun.
At that time Pak Gun’s English
score, according to the TOEFL®iBT, a
test of English proficiency to study
abroad, was under 75, while minimum
standards required at least 100. But
Frater Heru Hendarto, Pak Gun’s
superior, who was one of PRESTASI
scholarship selectors from Kanisius
College, voted differently. The Frater
encouraged him to hone his language
skills until the time of departure.
“Pak Gun’s English hobbled him
but he was still elected because he
wanted to learn. People, who do not
want to learn, cannot make it. His
passion for learning was one of the
criteria that we want,” said Frater
Heru.
Pak Gun has started following the
101
English training for 6 months prior to
departure. Arriving in the land of
Uncle Sam in July 2007, the math
teacher’s English was improved
through additional courses for three
consecutive semesters at Loyola
University, Chicago.
“But there I was actually
surprised, I enjoyed learning English.
Since junior high school to college I
never experienced so much fun in
learning English,” said Pak Gun.
His colleague, Makarius Giri
Pamungkas, a Junior High School
(SMP) Kanisius’ English Teacher and a
PRESTASI recipient, also apparently
agreed that the course was excellent.
They were both amazed at the ability
of the lecturer in creating a
comfortable learning environment
without them feeling judged.
Sentences of motivation are always
abundance. Although this Javanese
son’s English is frequently wrong.
“If I spoke in class and the
instructor did not understand
because my English was strange he
did not immediately blame my lack of
grammar. He just said, please can you
explain it to me again,” said Pak Gun.
The patience of the professor to
listen to his English speech truly
made Pak Gun thrilled. His
nervousness and being afraid of
making mistakes, when speaking
English, was slowly changing because
of the comfortable atmosphere, like
talking to friends. If there was no
improvement in Pak Gun’s learning,
the professor dared to invite
discussion about which teaching
method was wrong. The professor did
not just scold Pak Gun.
Pak Gun then really got into the
spirit of learning. He willingly went to
various parts of Chicago to write
variety of articles about places to
read in the class. The man who used
to be so nervous about speaking
English was now enjoying learning.
Each semester, Pak Gun didn’t want
to miss the opportunity to
participate in language courses,
which were not required and do not
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
contribute towards his master’s
degree.
Pak Gun then muses. Why did he
never felt that way in learning things
in Indonesia?
“I think our culture sometimes
makes others have difficulty in
understanding. As a result we rarely
put ourselves out as a motivator. We
easily judge others as stupid and do
not do anything,” said the man who
graduated in mathematics education,
Sanata Dharma.
Pak Gun found that hasty and
judgmental attitudes will make
teachers not appreciate the
student’s strength. They only see the
weakness. The teaching-learning
atmosphere that should be full of
motivation turns out to make
students feel “lost before war”. “I
learned a lot of theories there; every
student is unique. In Indonesia we
need to focus more on this
uniqueness,” he said.
Teachers in Indonesia, according
to Pak Gun’s observations is that
teachers often force the students to
learn in a way that the teachers
learnt themselves. A teacher
previously will absorb knowledge
that will be taught according to the
characteristics of his/her personal
understanding. But while teaching,
the teacher often forgets to
understand that every student has a
different personality. He/she then
tries to force a way of learning that
suits him/her on all students.
“Teachers can not force others to
learn the same way they have learnt,
just because he/she can doesn’t
mean everyone can. We often forget
that every person has different char-
acteristics of learning and percep-
tions,” said Pak Gun
Having returned to Indonesia,
Pak Gun’s methods of teaching have
inevitably changed. His position as a
mathematics teacher as well as the
one who has responsibility to
discipline student, makes the big and
tall man feared by the students, but
he’s now closer to his students.
102
The students are close to him
because Pak Gun listens to their
complaints. His students are open, as
Pak Gun will not rush to impose
disciplinary penalties to them.
Pak Gun listens to all problems:
academic, personal and even just the
outpouring of troubled hearts. The
Kanisius High School students call
Pak Gun as a teacher who you can
talk about anything – including issues
related to adolescent mental
instability.
“Now I feel that I am so much
loved by the students,” said the 41-
year-old Pak Gun with a smile.
Perhaps the attitude of listening
is also a major trait of Pak Gun, who
is now active in developing the
curriculum of Kanisius High School.
Because every child is unique the
learning curriculum must also be
able to reflect that.
Sharing Science in School
Leadership Course (PSC)
Pak Gun is now applying the
knowledge he gained in the Unites
States into three programs at once:
teacher training programs, student
tutorials, and the PRESTASI
Scholarships alumni association
ALPHA-I.
Coming home from Chicago in
late 2008, Pak Gun became directly
involved in some development
programs for teachers and school
curricula. Jesuit School Association,
the institution where he works,
seems to have designed the
program, even before Pak Gun left
for the United States.
“We want friends who have also
returned from the United States to
be our partners, to discuss how to
plan for the development of teachers
in particular,” said Frater Heru
Hendarto, Pak Gun’s superior.
From the beginning, the Jesuit
School Association that oversees
high school de Britto, Gonzaga,
Canisius and Loyola in Indonesia
does have plans to set up a program
for teachers. “The program named
School Leadership Course of KKS
(Kursus Kepemimpinan Sekolah)
aims to train managerial and
supervisory skills for teachers in
Indonesia. It aims so that they are
able to prepare school teaching pro-
grams according to the character of
their respective institutions.
General candidates to be
targeted are principal, vice principal
or those who are already holding the
rein of the institution. Of course, in
order for them to apply they must
transmit the knowledge they gained
later.
To realize the program, Jesuit
School Association worked with
Sanata Dharma University,
Yogyakarta and USAID. They sent 12
teachers to the USA to study
together at Loyola University.
Selection of the candidates from 80
teachers was done internally to elect
eight (8) school teachers, two (2)
priests and two (2) lecturers of
Sanata Dharma. One of the scholar-
ship awardees is Pak Gun.
“I saw from the beginning he
seems to have strong leadership. He
can distinguish very well how to
communicate with children,
colleagues and with superiors,” said
Henrikus Suparjono, 39, Canisius
High School Chemistry Teacher,
about the figure of Thomas
Gunawan or Pak Gun.
On the basis of the potential,
Henrikus was not surprised when his
colleague was elected to study in
America. “Even if we just met, Pak
Gun impressed himself jaim,” said
Kanisius High School’s senior
103
Until now, Pak Gun holds program
courses for the teachers every Friday
and Saturday.
“To become a school principal
there are a lot of things to be
controlled from the way of
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
supervision to colleagues, school
management to formulating a
syllabus, teaching plans that are
appropriate to the students’ character.
Person who can talk
about anything So it needs training,” said Frater Heru,
the Principal of Canisius High School.
teacher. When you get closer he is Catholic clergy who previously served
different. Henrikus feels comfortable as Head of Gonzaga High School is one
talking about anything with him. of the senior educator who pioneered
They have been friends for over ten KKS program.
years. Therefore Henrikus who also In 2012 the KKS program entered
studied the new knowledge from Pak its third generation. The yearlong
Gun also agreed his friend is program was deliberately aimed at
appropriate to coach teachers in the educating potential teachers in
program of KKS. leadership to become principals in
From October 2009 the program their respective places. KKS’
started and Pak Gun became a program is arranged according to the
trainer of teachers. The goal is that timeframe of the school year.There
educators can draw up their teaching have been many teachers from
curriculum plan well. So it’s not just a Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Lampung
copy of the government curriculum. who have taken the program.
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
Pioneering Student
Tutorial Program
Sharing knowledge was not only
done two days a week. Out of the
KKS program, at Canisius High
School, he also pioneered the
tutorial students program. Every
five students who rank lowest in
their class will be gathered to learn
together every Thursday after
school. Sometimes they are
accompanied by Gunawan but
sometimes accompanied by higher-
class students whose academic
records are excellent.
“I know sometimes the kids find
it much easier to absorb lessons if
their friend of the same age explains
it in the language they understand,”
said Pak Gun, who was promoted to
vice principal after getting a
master’s degree.
Like drinking water while diving,
the tutorial program is also a tool
for Pak Gun to train his juniors. Pak
Gun even deliberately asked to
remain teaching Grade 10 in
Kanisius High School. “I’ve
intentionally asked Frater Heru to
put me in teaching the most basic
class, because I want to guide new
teachers to teach directly in the
classroom,” said Gunawan.
New teachers were assigned to
Gunawan as co-workers. Pak Gun
becomes a tutor of ‘toddler teacher’
or teachers who have not been
teaching for more than five years –
one of them was Modestus Adityo,
24, Counselling teacher.
Modestus explained that
Gunawan often invited him to have
discussion and provided guidance
about how to communicate with
their students. He remembered that
there was a trouble student who
was especially “entrusted” to him by
Pak Gun. They repeatedly discussed
the student’s problems until the
student felt comfortableexpressing
his personal life. Then they designed
the most appropriate tutorial for the
student.
During that time, Pak Gun
104
guided me, including criticizing me if
I was wrong,” Modestus said,
grinning.
Modestus secretly glance at his
senior colleague, Henrikus, who was
sitting next to him busy unpacking a
pair of Rubik games. Henrikus was
trying to solve the puzzles but he
finally gave up on the three
dimensional wooden beams.
The simple blocks are not
actually just a toy. It was also part
of the teaching strategy applied
there. “We deliberately provide 5
Rubik’s games in counseling
sessions so that students feel
relaxed here,” Modestus said,
pointing to the blocks that are
making a mess on the table.
The Rubik is deliberately placed
there because each tutorial is
preceded at least two counseling
sessions with student. Based on the
spirit that every student is unique,
the students’ complaints need to be
explored and heard, and the room
for the counselling was arranged as
comfortable as possible. In one
corner of the room even has a short
table with padded seat cushions. A
list of books can also be read if the
students are bored or nervous in
waiting. Everything was so
comfortable that the students
would talk openly.
“Students are so very fond of
toys like this. Last time I saw there
were some brought to the Intra
School Student’s Organization (OSIS)
room,” said Modestus laughing.
And Pak Gun still does not stop
sharing his knowledge. In March
2012 together with his colleagues,
fellow alumni of PRESTASI graduate
scholarships, they founded an
alumni association called ALPHA-I.
In the organization, Pak Gun’s role is
as a coordinator in the education
division. “The association was
recently founded so I have not had
time to do much, but I certainly
intend to develop similar programs
in ALPHA-I,” said Pak Gun.
Just wait and see.
 ZAENAL ARIFIN The fastest and best graduate
Master in International Political Economy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Regional Infrastructure from GSPIA, University of
Project Manager for Social Economics, BAPPENAS Pittsburgh in 2011 with a major in

Between BAPPENAS, KORPRI and ALPHA-I International Political Economy,

wants to make his life meaningful
for others.

He shivered when he first set

foot in the city of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on
January 1, 2010, where the city’s
weather was minus 21 degrees
Celsius. Unfortunately, the heater in
his apartment was not functioning.
He rushed to a nearby convenience
store to buy an electric blanket. “I
got to learn about blankets,” said
Ary – nickname for Zaenal Arifin,
while laughing.
The extreme changes in
temperature shocked him most
when he came to the land of Uncle

FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI

Sam. “Weather shock, which
actually makes me excited,” said
Ary. Moreover, at that time he lived
at a distance of up to 16 miles, or

man who has the motto of low

more than 20 kilometers from
profile, high performance campus. According to him, going
home from the campus he had to

105
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
take a bus then walk about 45
minutes to an hour. “The problem is
that when it’s after 9 pm, there was
no bus and sometimes I was in
campus until 10 pm.”
During the first two weeks in
Pittsburgh, Ary stayed in an
apartment with an Indonesian
fellow. But as it was too far from
campus, at the end he decided to
move into an undergraduate
student’s apartment.But, because
the heating was off and the
apartment was very crowded, he
only lasted for a month. Only on his
third attempt could he get an
apartment near campus with a quiet
environment and adequate facilities.
“I had to study so much and I had to
be more focused.” He was finally
starting to adapt to the local
temperature.
Ary also had to accustom his
tongue to the smell and taste of the
local food called “roughing”.
Typically, Indonesian food is full of
flavor, but he must familiarize
himself with the western food that
was bland.
Not to be tormented by Western
food he was a customer of the
Moroccan restaurant close to
campus. “Almost every day I ate
there,” said the man who is a fan of
cooking and photography. Slowly but
surely he came to enjoy the taste of
food ‘roughing’ in a month.
A variety of new things were
experienced by Ary at the
university at the Graduate School of
Public and International Affairs
(GSPIA), University of Pittsburgh.
“Starting from the weather shock,
culture shock to the food shock.”
Fortunately, the University of
Pittsburgh is one of the top class
universities in the United States. He
didn’t know it before but it’s where
the campus of several former high-
ranked officials in Indonesia, such as
former Finance Minister JB
Sumarlin, Trade Minister Satrio
Budihardjo Joedono, Head of BKN
Sofian Effendi, and Chief of LAN
Mustopadidjaja AR. With so many
alumni of GSPIA in Indonesia, Ary
would be able to expand his
network in Indonesia, in addition to
106
an international network that he has
formed over the past two years
living abroad. “I really feel lucky,
honored and proud to go to college
there. Many great people of
Indonesia are alumni from there,
they also (read: organizer and
lecturer at GSPIA) respect
Indonesian students,” Ary expressed
pride and gratitude when he met
with the team of USAID Indonesia on
his return from studying in America.
Academic and
Non-Academic Balance
Ary become one of the fastest
and best graduates from GSPIA,
University of Pittsburgh in 2011 with
a major in International Political
Economy and a minor for Public and
Non Profit Management. This is
really not an easy thing because
there is a balance of academics and
non-academics as indicators of
achievement. Ary must not only be
excellent in college but must have
involvement and be active in campus
extra-curricular activities.
The professors at Pittsburg were
confused and amazed by the
brilliance of his cognitive skills as
well as the psychometric balance of
the 30-year-old single man. The A
mark achieved for all courses is an
indicator of the ability of the man
from Kudus, Central Java.
Although he is very prominent in
the academic areas Ary is not the
kind of student who does less
socially. In college he was selected
for training in a Leadership Portfolio
Program, hosted by the Johnson
Institute for Responsible Leadership,
as the only non-American participant
who participated in the program.
He also actively made friends
with students from foreign countries
such as China, Ghana, Colombia,
Russia, Korea, Japan and many
other countries. “We often discuss
our countries so I understand the
culture and the thinking processes
and how they work. We even set up a
new organization that embodies
international students, which we call
the International Student Initiative
(ISI),” told the 2000 alumni of ITB
about his activities during lectures.
 Especially when studying in a
city known for its network of non-
governmental community, Ary also
had become acquainted with the
people and got involved in various
institutions in the city. “Pittsburgh
was once a city-based steel industry,
but since the 90s has been
transformed into a city-based
education and philanthropy and
finally now a famous city with its
NGO (Non Government
Organization). There are about 400
NGOs there,” said Ary amazed.
Besides apprenticeships in
several NGOs, one of the important
activities that Ary took part in was
leadership training organized by
Coro Centre of Civic Leadership.
“This institute is a training center for
future leaders in the United States.
Some governors and mayors have
been trained in Coro,” he said. After
following a rigorous selection, Ary
was elected and was again the only
non-American participant in the
prestigious training.
This young Indonesian should be
proud to be able to experience an
education in Coro because this is a
prestigious institution which is
established in 1942. The training
center has produced no less than
10,000 alumni who are currently
leaders in the local, regional,
national and global governments and
in businesses, nonprofit
organizations, and government
public officials. Names like Michael
Davis (Vice President of JP Morgan),
Director of Consumer Products New
Microsoft Corporation Michael Kim,
Chairman and CEO of Metropolitan
Theatres Corporation Bruce Corwin,
the State Treasurer of California
Hon. Phil Angelidus, Associate
California Supreme Court Justice
Hon. Marvin Baxter, and Virginia
Governor Hon. Tim Kaine is the most
famously named Coro alumnus.
In Coro Ary learned about how to
become a candidate for being
elected as governor, from the
selection of prospective candidates,
to forming a campaign team,
strategizing and sponsor driven
fundraising campaigns to the public
debate. He took the training for four
107
months from September to
December 2010. “I learned how to go
directly to the people and how to
build support to be elected as
governor. Yes, I knocked on doors –
door to door and persuaded people
to support me.” Ary also increased
his social network with people in the
United States federal government
agencies as an apprentice at the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) for three
months adding to his list of
achievements. “I learned about the
American system and bureaucratic
management, including how to
coordinate, human condition and the
effectiveness of its services to the
public. Then I compared it with
Indonesia. I believe that the
bureaucracy in Indonesia can take an
example from this and apply it for
the future,” said Ary excited.
One simple example that inspires
admiration is the efficiency and
effectiveness of the meeting held at
his internship. “Two hours meeting is
too long, since the meeting usually
only takes about one hour. It was
achieved as all participants had
prepared, learnt and knew what
would be presented and decided in
the meeting. Everyone is doing
something, talking very efficient, to
the point and straight forward on the
subject and purpose of the meeting,”
he said admiringly. Even employees
can work without the need to come
to the office but they must be
connected via telephone / fax and
Internet. “Over there are working
systems called telework or
telecommuting.” With this system
employees can choose a day when
he/she does telework. “If
implemented in Jakarta the system
may be able to reduce the traffic
congestion that cannot be
compromised during weekdays,” said
Ary.
Another interesting point was to
provide a certain number of
positions in government agencies
that may be filled by non-civil
servants. Vice versa, public servants
are also allowed to move to a private
company and once he has finished
his duty, he can return to his
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
previous status. “Personal
management is flexible enough there
but of course all are with clear
selection and procedure,” said Ary.
From West to East
The spirit of competition does
exist in his blood. Not satisfied with
the variety of activities and
additional training inside and outside
the campus, Ary decided to
participate in a cooperative program
between the University of Pittsburgh
and the University of Kobe, Japan.
The selection process is very strict
because there is only one slot for the
best candidate who will be chosen by
a selection team to represent the
University of Pittsburgh in Kobe,
Japan. The announcement of who
was to be selected finally came at
the end of 2010. Based on the
criteria of academic and non-
academic achievements and after
having being filtered through several
phases, the Selection Committee
chose Ary as Pittsburg’s ambassador
to be sent to Japan. “I was very
surprised and grateful because
usually there are no students from
outside the United States selected
for the joint program,” recalls the
BAPPENAS employee. He was
running at full speed and his lectures,
scheduled to be finished in 24
months, were completed eight
months ahead of time.
Once elected, the next challenge
is USAID permission. “Of course I
have to ask because I am funded by
the Government of the United
States, whether I was allowed to
study outside of the United
States?” he said. After a series of
correspondences, USAID finally
allowed Ary to participate in the
program and they even financed
the tuition fee at the Graduate
School of International Cooperation
Studies (GSICS), University of Kobe
with a major in Economics and
Asian Development Affairs. Ary is
the only USAID scholarship
recipient who goes to study in two
countries and take one course
semester and an internship at
several institutions in Japan.
Ary really gained a lot of
108
experiences because during the
program in Kobe he had the
opportunity to visit and carry out
activities in several other countries in
Southeast Asia. For example, when
he was in Laos, Ary taught at the
National University of Laos (NUOL),
the first university in Laos. “I was
lucky to get internships in JICA and
KIC while in Japan, which then sent
me to take an internship in Laos-
Japan Human resource Development
Institute and NUOL,” said Ary.
He is grateful for the
opportunity to study abroad in two
rare giant Japanese organizations
that have a very big influence in the
international world: Japan
International Cooperation Agency
(JICA), is a Japanese government
agency that focuses on the
development of cooperative
relationships with other countries,
while the Kobe International
Cooperation (KIC), is a government
institution that focuses on the
development of Kobe city into an
international city in Japan.
Ary feels deeply blessed because
he has experiences on Western
culture represented from the United
States and Asian culture
represented from Japan. These are
two cultures from two of the most
advanced cultures in the world. It
requires equally high discipline in
each country albeit with a different
style. In the U.S., given the bulkhead
workbench, “they respect privacy,”
he said. However, there is still fun
even during working hours. “People
still greet each other and laugh
before lunch time,” he recalls again.
In Japan there are no secrets in
each workbench. Even so, during
working hours there is no sound at
all, silence. “At break time, you can
then hear sounds of laughter and
chatters,” he recalls. The funny thing
is although Japanese people are not
as expressive as American, but they
both appreciate differences.
Studying and working in two
different poles of cultures actually
provided enrichment for Ary, not just
simply a matter of competence but
also about understanding people.
Wealth of experience, networks
and knowledge gained over the past
two years outside of the country,
according to Ary, makes him more
ready yet cautious when returning to
Indonesia. Moreover, in BAPPENAS
(Badan Perencanaan dan
Pembangunan Nasional/National
Development Planning Agency), the
institution where he works, most
employees have a master’s degree
and even some who holds a
doctorate. “I think and work for the
best to contribute to the
development of the nation,” said the
man whose motto is low profile, high
performance.
According to Ary, through the
extreme differences between the
East cultural of Japanese and West
cultural of American, he hopes to
combine and apply them when
returning to BAPPENAS.
The Secretary General of
the ALPHA-I
His experience in Pittsburgh,
known as the ‘city of NGOs’ and
Kobe, which is known as an
“international city” is a resource for
Ary when he started being involved
in the planning meetings to establish
ALPHA-I (Asosiasi Alumni
PRESTASI-HICD Amerika Indonesia).
Actually, it was not too long after he
returned from America, when
Akhmad Safik, a PRESTASI fellow
alumnus colleagues invited him to
participate in the formation of an
alumni association meeting which
was then drafted by IIEF with a
number of alumni HICD-PRESTASI.
Through the newly formed
alumni organization and with the aim
to accommodate the alumni
scholarship program USAID to
conduct social activities, Ary wanted
to make life more meaningful. “It
feels good to be doing something
good for other people,” said Ary who
was elected as Secretary General of
the ALPHA-I accompanying Akhmad
Safik as chairman in an exciting
voting in the National Alumni
Meeting, which was held in March
2012.
For Ary, ALPHA-I is a field of
contemplation for those who are for-
tunate to have the opportunity to
109
learn in the USA. “We founded the
ALPHA-I as a place to explore and
actualize the ideas of its members
outside of their daily work,” Ary
said. Therefore, in the future, Ary
has a mission to make the ALPHA-I
as an alumni organization for
American qualified graduates,
beneficial to its members and
capable of contributing to Indonesia.
“I am very eager to raise ALPHA-I,”
said Ary who dreams that one day
they will become a local organization
to be reckoned with in the national
and international arena.
Musrembang and
KORPRI BAPPENAS
“yes mom, yes mom,” said Ir.
Rinella Tambunan MPA mimicked
Ary. At that time they arrived at a
place for a business trip. Along the
way Ary called his mother several
times telling her the circumstances
and the place they were at that time.
According to Rinella this is one proof
that Ary is obedient to his parents.
“He seems to love and obey his
mother,” said Rinella.
Rinella is the Head of Sub
Directorate of Land and Ary’s
supervisor since July 2006 up to
before he left for the United States
at the end of 2009. “He was
outstanding, even before leaving for
America,” said Rinella. Things that
make Rinella admire about Ary is
“Ary did not seem to have gone
abroad. He still called his friends in
Indonesia and went home with a
souvenir,” she said happily. “He has
is modest and respect others which
makes Ary be liked by colleagues
and superiors,” said Rinella.
In fact, according to Rinella, Ary
often invite his colleagues to be
active in organization. “He does not
get tired in inviting me to be the
caretaker of KORPRI, even though I
am reluctant,” she said. In KORPRI –
this is official organization of
Indonesian Civil Servants -
BAPPENAS, Rinella added, “Ary is a
vice chairman, a new position that
he has occupied since July 2012. It
is a very strategic position for a
junior civil servant like him.”
His organizational experience and
 PRESTASI:
A JOURNEY
ability in management is further
evidenced to his appointed as a
Committing Officer (CO) as well as a
project manager by the Minister of
National Development Planning of the
Head of BAPPENAS for a prestigious
project called Socio-Economic
Development Infrastructure (PISEW)
during the year 2008-2009. This
project is one of the major project of
the National Development Program
(PNPM), announced by the President
in April 2007 and covers more than
2200 villages in 9 provinces and 34
districts in Indonesia. He does not
stop there, after finishing his study in
the United States and returning to
the office at the beginning of 2012,
Ary also is the coordinator of National
Development Planning Consultation
Committee (Musrenbangnas), a series
of events involving the President,
Vice President, all ministers and
heads of government agencies at the
central level.
“He’s not awkward and
overacting, as usual,” she said. Even
though he becomes the leader for
about 400 people from the event
He’s a representative of the Head of
BAPPENAS in Musrenbangnas
organizers and security to junior and
senior employees. “But he’s not
arrogant, he remains humble, that’s
what makes people likes him,”
Rinella added again. In fact, with a
tight schedule and very high
pressure for four months Ary must
coordinate the forty activities at
national and provincial levels
throughout Indonesia. “In that
position he is a representative of the
Minister of National Development
Planning,” said Rinella.
The Director of Spatial Planning
and Land, Ir. Deddy Koespramoedyo,
MSc., fully understands the capacity
of this man, hence he did not
hesitate to give full trust to the
alumni of the university of Pittsburgh
as the coordinator of the committee
FOTO: BODI CHANDRA/IIEF-PRESTASI
Musrembangnas. “I trust him,” said
Deddy in short. Deddy has observed
Ary’s gait when he was in PNPM
PISEW. “Ary won the title and the
award for best Officer and the project
manager from Minister of National
110
Development Planning,” he said.
Despite having to deal with the
seniors in the project, according to
Deddy, Ary can handle it well. “He
used to consult me, so I know his
problems,” he said. Deddy thinks Ary
is always honest with his situation.
“He does not hide the problem. If
he’s hiding anything I will know right
away,” he said.
Deddy’s confidence in his team
member was not separated from his
monitoring of Ary’s track record,
even before he joined the
BAPPENAS. The ITB alumni was the
highest score test taker for the civil
servant throughout Indonesia in
2005. With the capacity he has,
since joining BAPPENAS in 2006
until now, Ary has held several key
positions at a relatively young age.
Ary is a hard worker with a lot of
achievements. On many occasions
Ary has expressed his brilliant ideas.
“I think he deserves to pursue
his Master’s degree in the United
States,” said Deddy. America, Deddy
said, is the best place for the best
people. “It’s been a long time that no
one from BAPPENAS has gone to
America,” he said. Ary was the first
employee in the unit who left to go
to study in the U.S. after several
years of no alumnus from Uncle
Sam.
Therefore, he considered this
clam man’s desire to learn to a
doctoral level. Deddy is convinced
that through the scientific and
technical capacity of the learning
acquired outside the country
coupled with the experience and
management skills possessed, Ary
could be a hope for many people to
build Indonesia. “I want him to
proceed to the PhD program,” he
said. According to Deddy, the
doctoral program will further
simplify Ary’s career steps in
BAPPENAS. Supported by his quiet
nature, Deddy is confident Ary will
be successful. “A career path for him
is in front of him,” he said.
Today, after returning from
America, he did see a change in Ary’s
attitude. “He’s more confident, but I
think it’s normal, not excessive,” he
says. Understandably, he said, taking
111
his master’s in America has more
difficult challenges than taking
masters in other countries. “So far I
think it is fair,” he added.
High hopes have been pinned on
Ary’s shoulders by his colleagues
and superior. One of his colleague
who becomes his superior since
February, 2012, Uke Mohammad
Hussein, S.Si., MPP. “Now he’s my
sparring partner,” said Deputy
Director of Land, BAPPENAS. Uke is
much more senior but feels that Ary
can be paired with him as an equal
partners. “He always has new input,”
said Uke, smiling.
The combination of genius and a
calm and professional demeanor
owned by Ary, Uke thought, will
provide a positive impact on the
development of the Ministry of
National Development
Planning/BAPPENAS which became
Indonesia’s think tank. “He could
describe the conceptual levels to be
operational,” he said.
First, according to Uke, data and
figures for Ary are merely data and
numbers only. But now, Ary can
translate them into meaningful
scoring to tell me more and become
a tool to identify problems. “He can
make quantitative be qualitative and
vice versa,” said Uke. He gave an
example, “in a tourist area the
numbers would be good if the value
of land is high. It was in the
statistics. But, in fact, that is not
necessarily the case. Because, it
must be seen how local cultures
interpret land there.”
In line with Deddy, Uke also
hopes Ary will be a person who
continues to develop himself. “His
mind is brilliant, so with the capacity
and experience already possessed,
he will be able to occupy positions in
BAPPENAS or perhaps in
Indonesia,” said Uke.
Ary is not willing to be arrogant
about those expectations. He said
that if what he has done is appraised
well by others, he was grateful and
will always want to do better.
However, his achievement is the gift
from God from his mother’s praying
and from the support of family and
friends.
 The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is an
independent agency of the U.S. government that provides economic,
development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support
of the foreign policy goals of the United States. In 1961, President John
F. Kennedy signed the Foreign Assistance Act into law, creating by
executive order what is now known as USAID.
USAID is headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in more
than 80 countries and territories in four regions of the world: Sub-
Saharan Africa, Asia and the Near East, Latin America and the
Caribbean, and Europe and Eurasia. USAID’s office in Indonesia is in
Jakarta.
Since 1950’s, USAID and its predecessor agency have been working
with the Government and people of Indonesia to stimulate the
country’s economic development and meet the needs of its people.
Based on active partnerships with the host country government,
local private and non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
USAID/Indonesia mission identifies needs and establishes a strategy
for delivering assistance to the host country. The authority to design,
procure and implement specific activities is largely delegated to the
mission, based on USAID/Washington’s approval of the country
strategy. USAID’s assistance is delivered through a variety of
contractors and grantees, including U.S. private businesses, U.S. and
local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private voluntary
organizations and international agencies.
T h e I n d o n e s i a n I n t e r n a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n F o u n d a t i o n ( I I E F ) is an Indonesian
not-for-profit organization that is committed to promoting the development of the
Indonesian people through international education. Established in 1982, IIEF has
developed expertise in four core areas: Scholarship and Fellowship Management;
Capacity Development Initiatives; Services to Education; and Testing and Certification.
Strongly committed to delivering measurable impacts, IIEF is driven by its lasting
values focusing on organizational excellence, professionalism, and integrity. IIEF is
dedicated to employ a fine-tuned combination of local and global approach in developing
its strategies and activities that are comprehensive, effective and innovative. Driven by a
long-standing commitment to expanding access to education including for those from
remote and disadvantaged populations, IIEF has built significant institutional experience
and network working with various populations throughout Indonesia, including those who
may be facing geographic, economic, gender, linguistic or ethnic barriers to participation
in education.
Currently, IIEF has been trusted by various government institutions, corporations,
foundations, education institutions, organizations of profession, and other sponsors, both
from Indonesia and overseas, to develop and manage a wide range of programs which
include in-country and overseas scholarship, short-term scholarship, travel grant for
professional development, internship, education partnership, and professional
certification administration.
For over thirty years, IIEF has been the Indonesian partner organization of the
Institute of International Education (IIE), a leading private not-for-profit institution in the
international exchange of people and ideas, based in the United States with global
network in Asia, Pacific, Europe, Africa, and MENA (http://www.iie.org).
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