‘Pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi (Pilmapres)’ is a yearly event that dates back to 1986. The term ‘pemilihan Mahasiswa Berprestasi (Mawapres)’ started in 2004, and in 2017, is shortened with the acronym Pilmapres. Gadjah Mada University, as a university that supports and ackonwledges the achievements and actualization of its students recently held its 2018 selection process for Pilmapres. The winner of this university-lever selection will be sent as Gadjah Mada University’s delegate for the nation-wide competition to be awarded as Indonesia’s Most Outstanding Student (Mahasiswa Berprestasi).
This selection process, known as “Supercamp” was held by the university on Saturday and Sunday (March 10-11, 2018) in Sahid Jaya Hotel, Solo. There were 23 students, delegated from various faculties to participate in this process, with the hopes of becoming Gadjah Mada University’s Most Outstanding Student of 2018. The students were selected using three criterias, based on the ones that will be the criterias for the national competition, which were: their scientific paper, English capability, and of course, their portofolio. In the first part, the participants presented the paper they have written and submitted beforehand, and were given questions about it. In the second part of the selection, the participants were asked to give a short speech about a certain topic for some time. Lastly, the participants were asked to present their portofolio, comprised of their achievements in competitions or other events in the regional and international level.
The delegate from our faculty, Zahwa Islami (Year 2015), is a definite role model in our faculty, having so many experiences and achievements in the faculty, university, and also outside of it. In 2016, she was elected as Putri Solo, the regional ambassador for that city. On August 23 – 28, 2017 in Makassar, Zahwa participated in the highly competitive and prestigious national competition, PIMNAS, and won the bronze medal. Ever the researcher, she also presented a research paper in the 2017 Conference of Indonesian Association Student in South Korea (CISAK). But out of all that, Zahwa is also a socially-conscious youth. She is the founder of a social movement for Children Living with HIV/AIDS, and that movement is also part of the work she researched on and presented during Supercamp, titled “ADHAcinta: Gerakan Sosial Peduli Anak Dengan HIV/AIDS Menuju Kehidupan Yang Layak (ADHAcinta: Caring Social Action to a Worthy Life for Children with HIV/AIDS)”. She explained the concerning way people perceive and treat Children Living with HIV/AIDS, largely due to stigma; the psychological dynamics, and the synthezisation of the idea of this movement and its significance.
Through the deliberation of the 12 judges, who are involved as advisors (Dosen Pembina) for the selection process, three students were selected as The University’s Most Outstanding Students. Angelo Abil Wijaya from Social Political Sciences is now the First Most Outstanding Student, and Agathon Henryanto from Law is now the Second Most Outstanding Student. Lutfiana Pasebhan Jati from the Vocational School also holds the tile as Most Outstanding Student from the Diploma Program. In this year’s Supercamp, the head of the Outstanding Students Corps (Kommapres) is also selected through voting. Untung Adi Santosa from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences was chosen as the new head, replacing Wyncent Halim. Zahwa was also selected to manage Kommapres as the new secretary.
This event is surely one that will give new experiences to the participants. Eventhough Zahwa did not get first place, the faculty still held her in high regard and surely the students were appreciative of her efforts to make us all proud. Keep on working Zahwa, we wish the best upon you!