Students from Widyatama University (UTama) who are members of the Student Creativity Program (PKM) Grant Team have been selected by the Directorate General of Higher Education (Dikti) as Grant Recipients. The student teams that won the PKM program are:
- Mellina Dewi Puspita Ningrum (NPM. 011401228)
- Fauzia Dina Arvianti (NPM. 011401203)
- Boing Manggara Putra (NPM. 011401204)
- Widi Laksa Meylani (NPM. 011401336)
- Ronaa Purwagawati (NPM. 1015101013)
These outstanding students did not escape the guidance of qualified lecturers. Namely, Mrs. Ingrid Larasati Agustina, S.E., M.Ak, a lecturer at the UTama Faculty of Economics Accounting Undergraduate Program, who was present to accompany their success.
“Starting from the students’ own smart ideas, but due to the high level of complexity in their thinking, I narrowed it down to something small and simple but still providing great output,” added Ingrid when interviewed in the UTama Rectorate Lobby. She was able to compile various student ideas into a good and systematic proposal so as to convince DIKTI to award this grant to
Public awareness of waste disposal and reforestation.
The arrival of migrants seeking careers and business opportunities tends to disregard the surrounding environment, resulting in gardens and green spaces being converted into business premises. This is particularly evident in East Bandung, specifically on Jalan Gagak in Bandung City. This densely populated area is cramped and squalid because green spaces have been converted into residential areas.
This prompted UTama students to reduce their “anger” by educating the surrounding community on environmental protection. Acting as a Quran teacher in the area, one of the students from the team began inviting his team to join him in improving our city.
The grant program outlined in Ingrid’s proposal refers to greening and community service as the basis for its activities. The program includes educating the community about environmental protection, planting kiara payung trees, and providing fertilizer.
DIKTI’s hope is that this grant program will become sustainable and a macro program that can play an important role in the advancement of education and environmental awareness in Indonesia. This is a challenge for students themselves to develop the area not only during the program, but also in the future, so that there will be continuity from the surrounding community, where reforestation and knowledge about proper waste disposal will create a big difference for the lives of their children and grandchildren in the future.
Ingrid, as the supervising lecturer, hopes that the activity will bring benefits. It is a charitable act for the institution if we can do good for residents in need. This is in line with the Tridharma program and one of the seven parameters of lecturer obligations. In addition, it is a training opportunity for students to learn more about how to protect the environment and educate them about the future of the industrial world. Furthermore, this grant activity can enhance UTama’s presence in the eyes of the local community, thereby improving the positive image it projects to society.
