Among proud graduates at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta’s (UNY) May 2025 commencement, one name drew heartfelt applause—Frida Hertiza Dewi, the top graduate from the Educational Management program. With a near-perfect GPA of 3.97 and a study period of just three and a half years, Frida’s academic record is impressive. But what made her story stand out even more was her humility. “I’m not here because I’m the smartest,” she shared. “I’m here because I kept going, even when things got tough.”
Frida’s path wasn’t easy. After losing her father in 2020, she entered UNY through the national SNBP selection with uncertainty and grief still fresh. Although she considered applying for financial aid, she was ineligible due to her mother’s status as a civil servant. Still, she stayed strong. Frida balanced her studies with part-time work, was active in student organizations, and even joined the government’s Kampus Mengajar program in her final semester—all while carrying the weight of personal hardship.
There were moments when she doubted herself. “I felt overwhelmed, tired, and sometimes like I didn’t belong,” she recalled. But Frida kept showing up. Her story is not about effortless success—it’s about small victories, day after day, that eventually led her to the graduation stage. Her resilience reminds us that the journey matters just as much as the destination.
Now, Frida is stepping into a new chapter as an intern at PT Widya Inovasi Indonesia, a company she once dreamed of working for. “It’s helping me grow professionally, and I’m grateful for that,” she said. As she moves forward, Frida carries with her the message that success doesn’t always look like perfection—it often looks like showing up, again and again, with courage in your heart.
