"If I come from a marginal, poor, and unrespected family, not many people want to see me. Parents will also think twice if they will match their daughter with me. Therefore, my love will always be rejected," said the Wonogiri Regent. , Joko Sutopo, casually in a Leadership Talkshow for UNY Faculty of Social Science students themed "Sharing Stories, Giving Meaning" on August 25, 2022.
Joko Sutopo's statement did contain one of the bitterness in life, but instead, this statement became one of encouragement for the participants. Joko Sutopo comes from a low-income family, but his success in rising and becoming a leader in Wonogiri Regency deserves excellent appreciation.
"To be a leader the people love, you must build trust and a strong commitment. Leaders must always defend the people and put the people first," said Joko Sutopo. We need a solid vision to defend the people towards prosperity. Education and Health are the critical basis in building people's welfare so that they become a priority for Wonogiri Regency. “We provided scholarships for more than 600 Wonogiri students who were not accommodated in the central government scholarships. Attention to education has raised Wonogiri's ranking in the sector of increasing the Human Development Index (IPM)," said Joko Sutopo.
To build strong trust, the key is discipline. "We have to start being disciplined in small things. This is very important because it will shape our character," said Joko Sutopo. The election victory in 2020 was 84%, proving the people's love for Joko Sutopo. This success is inseparable from his commitment always to pay attention to all levels of society. Joko Sutopo advised that students must have a vision, have a dream. With a dream, students will continue to fight until they achieve success. "I advise new students to focus on their studies and develop themselves because the future of Indonesia is on your shoulders," said Joko Sutopo.
“Leaders are not only good at talking but poor in action. We must strike a balance between theory and practice. If an athlete has too many theories, he will become a sports writer. Similarly, if social scientists have too many theories, they will never be an agent of change. Therefore, let's balance theory and practice," said UNY Rector Prof. Sumaryanto.
