Yogyakarta, October 15, 2025

At UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, the Campus Ambassador Program has never been a beauty contest or a stage for fleeting fame. It’s a mirror — reflecting the kind of intellect, empathy, and communication the university hopes its students will embody.

When Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, met with the 20 finalists of the 2025 Campus Ambassador Program, his message went beyond motivation — it was a call for transformation.

“I’ve watched closely how our ambassadors have represented the university,” he began. “Your GPAs above 3.5 show intellectual rigor, but that’s only the surface. What truly matters is how you translate that knowledge into service, dialogue, and social presence.”

In his view, the role of a campus ambassador is not merely to promote the university, but to embody its spirit — to think critically, act humanely, and communicate meaningfully. He urged the finalists to stay authentic, to compete not with arrogance but with integrity.

“Project yourselves naturally but with meaning,” he told them. “Critical thinking is your compass. Combine it with integrity and a humanist soul, and you’ll find your path as true leaders.”

The Rector also praised the finalists’ multilingual abilities — from English and Arabic to Korean and Dutch — calling it a sign of global competence. But he reminded them that language is only powerful when paired with purpose.

Beside him, Dr. Abdur Rozaki, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Cooperation, expanded on that vision. The Campus Ambassador Program, he said, is not about spotlighting individuals — it’s about building a collective identity rooted in creativity and collaboration.

“We don’t aim to create individual stars,” he emphasized. “We nurture a super team — one that leads by example, one that grows through innovation and shared purpose.”

He described the finalists’ creative workshops and talent sessions not as entertainment, but as exercises in self-discovery and leadership.

As the meeting concluded, there was no applause — only a quiet awareness among the finalists. They understood what the Rector meant: the real stage begins when the curtains fall.

In that silence, UIN Sunan Kalijaga reaffirmed its vision — that education, at its best, is not just about achievement, but about becoming a human being who thinks, feels, and acts with conscience.

(humassk)