Amid preparations for PORSI JAWARA II, the diversity of talent among UIN Sunan Kalijaga students comes together in one room. Students accustomed to practicing shots and strategy on the court stand side by side with participants in the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur'an (MSQ, Qur'an Recitation and Elucidation Competition). Those who rehearse courtroom scripts mingle with students from other arts and sports branches. Different fields of focus, yet sharing the same spirit: to give their best for their alma mater.

Behind a single name, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, stand nearly 100 students with diverse talents and stories. They will carry the name of their alma mater at the second Pekan Olahraga, Seni, dan Ilmiah Perguruan Tinggi Keagamaan Islam Negeri (PORSI JAWARA II — Islamic State Higher Education Sports, Arts, and Scientific Week) at UIN K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan, September 9–13, 2026.

A total of 96 UIN Sunan Kalijaga students will strengthen the contingent across 23 competition branches at PORSI JAWARA II 2026. The diversity of branches reflects the breadth of talent among UIN Sunan Kalijaga students, spanning sports, the arts, Islamic studies, and academic and scientific fields.

In sports, UIN Sunan Kalijaga students will compete in Volleyball, Badminton, Rock Climbing, Chess, Futsal, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, and Pencak Silat Seni (traditional martial arts performance). Meanwhile, in the arts and Islamic studies branches, they will compete in Calligraphy, MHQ (Qur'an Memorization), MTQ (Qur'an Recitation), MFQ (Qur'anic Interpretation), MSQ, Islamic Pop Solo (Men's/Women's), and Da'i-Da'iyah (Islamic preaching).

Academic talent and critical thinking skills are also represented through LKTI (Scientific Paper Writing), English Debate, Constitutional Debate, Moot Court, and Learning Media Innovation. This diversity illustrates how UIN Sunan Kalijaga students' achievements grow out of a wide range of interests, abilities, and backgrounds.

Each student has a different arena, different challenges, and a different way of striving. Yet one thing brings them together: the desire to give their best for UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.

The Capacity Building for the PORSI JAWARA II Contingent, held at Omah Kecebong, Sleman, on Thursday (9/3/2026), was one such space that brought them together. Students from different branches got acquainted, played, and built camaraderie through team-building activities.

One of them is Dwi Nurlitasari, a Physics Education student who will compete in women's doubles badminton. PORSI JAWARA II marks her second appearance, after also representing the UIN Sunan Kalijaga contingent the previous year.

Last year, Lita did not manage to bring home a trophy. That experience became her reason to try again this time.

“Since I didn't bring home a trophy last year, this year I'm hoping I can contribute by bringing one home for UIN Sunan Kalijaga,” she said.

Badminton is nothing new to Lita. She has known the sport since childhood, growing up around it within her family. What began as simply tagging along while her parents played eventually led her to formal training at a badminton school starting in third grade.

She has competed in numerous tournaments over the years. One of her most memorable achievements was winning first place in women's doubles at an inter-university competition across the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY).

That journey was interrupted when she suffered an injury in high school. When she entered UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Lita even hesitated to return to the sport. It was an invitation from a friend that eventually brought her back to the court. She joined the Badminton Student Activity Unit (UKM) and rediscovered her love for a sport that has been part of her life since childhood.

Now, her preparation is far more thorough than the previous year. Training sessions have been longer, with attention given to physical conditioning, mental readiness, health, strategy, and chemistry with her doubles partner.

For Lita, the opportunity to represent UIN Sunan Kalijaga also means carrying the trust of friends who did not make it through selection.

“For me, I've been entrusted by friends who didn't pass selection to fight and to represent them,” she said.

Her goal is clear: to give her best and bring home a win for her alma mater.

A different story comes from Muhammad Satrio Mufid Favendi, a student of Islamic Guidance and Counseling at the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication. This year, Mufid will compete in the Musabaqah Syarhil Qur'an (MSQ) branch.

PORSI JAWARA is not a new experience for him. At PORSI JAWARA I in Jember, he competed in the Da'i (Islamic preaching) branch. This year, he went through selection again and earned the opportunity to represent UIN Sunan Kalijaga for the second time, this time in a different branch.

According to Mufid, one of the things that drew him in was the fact that selection is open to all students. He himself is not a member of the student activity unit that specifically oversees this branch, yet he still made it through selection and became part of the contingent once again.

This year is also a special moment for him, as it marks his final opportunity as a student.

“This is my last year. So I hope I can give my best for UIN Sunan Kalijaga,” he said.

His preparation has not been simple. Mufid has had to train with two teammates located in different places while they were completing their community service program (KKN). For about a month, they trained online via video call after finishing their respective KKN duties each day.

In-person practice was only possible in the final days before departure. They also had to prepare two scripts, costumes with Javanese cultural touches, and maintain their health.

Still, the biggest challenge lay in team cohesion.

“With Da'i, I just memorized my material, performed, and that was it. Now, my teammates' responsibilities matter too. It's about cohesion, and personal ego,” he said.

For Mufid, carrying the name of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta is both a source of pride and a responsibility.

“Carrying the name of UIN Sunan Kalijaga is a pride, an honor,” he said.

He hopes to perform at his best together with his team, advance to the final round, and bring home the best possible achievement for UIN Sunan Kalijaga.

There is also Fachril Maulana, a Law student who will compete in the Moot Court branch. Unlike most other branches, Moot Court is being contested for the first time at PORSI JAWARA this year.

For Fachril and his team, the opportunity serves as a stage to showcase the skills they have developed through the Moot Court Community.

His team consists of 18 students. Preparation has been intensive, given that the available time is far shorter than in typical moot court competitions.

“A typical moot court competition usually runs for three to eight months. But for PORSI, we had to prepare in less than two months. So it's been extremely intense,” Fachril explained.

His days have been filled with case file preparation and courtroom simulation practice, sometimes as many as three sessions a day. The team has also received mentorship from various parties, including legal practitioners, police, prosecutors, judges, and advocates.

The preparation load has been heavy. Still, Fachril sees the challenge as an opportunity to give something back to his alma mater.

“Carrying the name of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, first of all, feels like carrying a great responsibility. For everything UIN Sunan Kalijaga has given us, we feel a duty to help carry its name forward, and make it even better in the future,” he said.

Behind the team that appears in the arena, Fahril also recognizes that many people work behind the scenes, helping prepare case files, formulate legal arguments, and get the trial proceedings ready.

These three students represent just a small fraction of the nearly 100 students who will bring UIN Sunan Kalijaga to PORSI JAWARA II. They come from different backgrounds, faculties, study programs, communities, and areas of ability.

Some have grown up with sports since childhood. Others have developed their public speaking skills and their ability to convey religious messages. Still others have spent their time studying law and running through courtroom simulations.

That diversity is one of the defining features of student life at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. The campus is not only a space for classroom learning, but also a place where a wide range of interests and talents can find room to grow.

In the end, PORSI JAWARA II is not only about who stands on the podium and brings home a medal. Behind it are nearly 100 students, each with their own story, who set aside the boundaries of their branches and study programs, if only for a while, to stand as one contingent.

They differ in how they train, in the arenas they face, and in the talents they carry. But when the competition begins, they will carry the very same name: UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.

Through that diversity, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta shows itself to be a home for a wide range of talents, a place where students with different abilities can grow, find their stage, and together carry the name of their alma mater even further. (humassk)