Son of Newspaper Deliveryman Successfully Becomes an IPB Outstanding Student with Perfect GPA
Outstanding Graduate of Agronomy and Horticulture Master Program, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Rahmat Budiarto managed to get a perfect grade point average (GPA) 4.00. Rahmat got his master degree on Graduation Ceremony at Graha Widya Wisuda, IPB Dramaga Campus (25/4).
Starting from Jember with a scholarship from the Masters Education Scholarship towards Doctorate Program for Bachelor of Excellence (PMDSU) batch two (2015-2019), Rahmat began to study at IPB. With this scholarship, Rahmat can immediately continue his doctoral studies in IPB after graduation tomorrow.
"I am very grateful that since elementary school, I was a scholarship awardee of BOS funds, I also got a scholarship from Dikti for undergraduate degree (in 2011) at Jember University. Between the times of study S1 degree, I was given the opportunity to attend an internship in South Korea (Hankyong National University) for one month and exchange students in Thailand (Kasetsart University) for one year, "he said.
During his education at IPB, Rahmat has published an international journal, two scopus-indexed journals (still in a reviewer stage) and a draft of international journals.
"My interest in the science of Indonesian horticulture requires me to study in IPB. It feels so right because there are many horticulture experts in this campus. IPB is the right place to deepen the science of Indonesian agriculture. My target in the future is to complete my doctoral education in IPB before August 2019, "he said.
In his speech, Rahmat and his two younger sisters were raised by a simple family of a father, Gatot Subagyo, who worked as newspaper deliveryman and housewife named Sudi Rahayu. He and his two siblings always get moral support from their father for not to despair in seeking knowledge as high as possible.
"Dad always told us not to worry about school fees. My father said, he would not let us get out from schools just because of the fees," he added.
With a single income from his father of about 50 thousand per day (if all newspapers sold out), Rahmat admitted grateful to be in college. His younger brother even has graduated from Polytechnic in Jember through bidikmisi scholarship.
According to him, his big family is very concerned about education. In the past, if Rahmat managed to become champion in school, then his grandparents will buy him new shoes. Now, Rahmat is the only member in his family who continue pursuing higher education.
"Now our family's economic condition is improving a bit, Alhamdulillah our house has started to be walled and tiled. Previously our house was made of bamboo, Javanese call it gedhek with the ground floor," he said.
Rahmat wanted the knowledge he had gained in IPB could be use to support the development of horticulture area around his residence in Jember.
"I plan to share my horticulture knowledge to the surrounding farmers, and at the same time to bridge technology transfer from researcher to farmer and vice versa. I hope IPB can further improve the progress of testing and laboratory facilities because it can increase graduate students’ interest in studying. Hopefully the science I obtained during study at IPB can be useful, "he said. (TK)
