“Microdiscussion: Community Service Program” is a discussion event titled Microdiscussion: Community Service Edition, held on September 8, 2024. The event aims to provide insights to students on various aspects that need to be understood when undertaking a Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata or KKN). Participants of this event included Microbiology students from the 2022 and 2023 cohorts. It was held at the Mina Business Incubator (IMB) Restaurant, Faculty of Fisheries, UGM.
A student from the Agricultural Microbiology Study Program at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) class of 2021, Muhammad Prakosa Damarsejati, participated in the Community Empowerment Service Learning Program (KKN-PPM) for the second period of 2024 in Palingkau Asri Village, Kapuas Murung District, Kapuas Regency, Central Kalimantan. This KKN activity is a mandatory program included in the intramural activities that implement the tri dharma of higher education: education, research, and community service. It provides students with the experience of learning and working in community development activities as a medium for applying and developing science and technology outside the campus, according to the needs of the region, within a predetermined work mechanism.
The KKN-PPM program conducted by UGM (Gadjah Mada University) provides an opportunity for agricultural microbiology student, Zikra Fathin Nabila, to broaden her knowledge of national values and diversity. This KKN program was conducted from July to August. For exactly 50 days, Zikra carried out her KKN program in Pelaga Village, a village that is very green, cool, and full of unique Indonesian potential to be proud of. Zikra learned a lot from the community there about social values, nationalism, and diversity. Actively participating in community activities in the village made Zikra proud to be an Indonesian citizen. This KKN activity also became a place for Zikra to learn a lot about practical knowledge directly in the community environment.
The Community Service-Learning and Community Empowerment Program (KKN-PPM) is a mandatory course for all UGM students. Through this course, students are encouraged to enhance their empathy, multidisciplinary collaboration, and direct contributions to society. The KKN-PPM UGM is conducted across 35 provinces in Indonesia over four time periods. One of the Agricultural Microbiology students from the 2021 cohort, Hafsah Dwi Nur Haliza, commonly known as Lisa, joined unit AC-002 for the second period of 2024 on Tuangku Island. The island is located in Pulau Banyak Barat Sub-district, Aceh Singkil Regency, Aceh Province. Following the recommendation from the Aceh Provincial Bappeda, UGM students from unit AC-002 were directed to carry out their KKN on Tuangku Island, which is part of an archipelago directly bordering the Indian Ocean.
In August 2024, Muhammad Misbahul Anam, a student of the Agricultural Microbiology class of 2021, completed his Community Service-Learning and Community Empowerment Program (KKN-PPM) for the second period of the 2023/2024 academic year in Sugian Village, Sambelia Sub-district, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. The KKN took place from July to August. This KKN activity is one of the compulsory courses that students must participate in. The KKN serves as a platform to apply what has been learned in lectures directly to the community. For Misbah, as the microbiology student is often called, KKN encourages students to connect directly with the community, pushing them, who may have previously been confined to laptops, books, and classroom activities, to immerse themselves in the community, interact directly with residents, solve existing problems, and engage in the surrounding social life. In some scenarios, students may even become involved in those problems, requiring them to solve the issues they face while considering local culture so that the solutions provided by the students can be accepted by the community. The KKN lasted for 50 days. Although it sounds short, Misbah feels that the time was sufficient to provide the experience of living and working directly within the community.
Aloisius Andhika Mahesa Kanigara, a student of the Agricultural Microbiology Study Program from the 2021 cohort, has just completed his Community Service Program (KKN) in Linau Village, Maje Sub-district, Kaur Regency, Bengkulu Province. The KKN program took place from July 1 to August 19, 2024. Andhika and his team applied the knowledge they learned on campus through work programs designed to empower the local community. One of the programs carried out was the production of organic fertilizer using EM4, which is expected to help the people of Linau, most of whom work as fishermen, in improving soil quality and their agricultural yields.
One of the Agricultural Microbiology students from the 2021 cohort, Erina Tika Febiyanti, who is commonly known as Erina, has just completed her Community Service-Learning and Community Empowerment Program (KKN-PPM) for the second period of 2024 in Dusun Badat Lama, Suruh Tembawang Village, Entikong Sub-district, Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan. This KKN activity is a mandatory course that provides students with the opportunity to directly apply their field of study to help solve problems that arise in the community. According to Erina, the KKN program encourages students to broaden their perspectives, engage dynamically with the community to observe existing challenges, and solve those challenges by empowering local residents. Erina believes that the 50-day period for the community service program is not enough to fully resolve all the existing issues, but it is sufficient to initiate positive change, both for herself as a student and for the community to become more empowered in improving their well-being.
On August 28, 2024, 9 students from the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) officially completed their undergraduate studies. The nine graduates are Dewi Aryanti Anggraini (2019), Fatih Pangesti (2017), Agnes Dewantari (2017), Dhia Fildzah Farhana (2017), Putri Purwandari Caecilia (2017), Badran Sa’adi (2020), Jihan Mustika (2019), I Nyoman Aris Suardana (2020), Airin Dinanti Firdaus (2019). The event was attended by graduates, lecturers, families, and invited guests. Several outstanding students received special awards. One of them was the best student in the Department of Microbiology, Badran Sa’adi, who completed his studies in 3 years, 10 months, and 8 days, with the highest GPA of 3.73. Badran also conducted research on gene insertion into plasmids to create recombinant plasmids. This research is expected to contribute valuable knowledge in the field of Microbiology.
Located 1,420 km from the Special Region of Yogyakarta, a story of student dedication is etched in the land of Southeast Sulawesi. “Mai Te Wuna,” which means ‘come to Muna,’ Muna Regency not only offers beautiful natural scenery but also a community eager for knowledge. The 2024 Community Service and Empowerment Learning Program (KKN-PPM) of Gadjah Mada University was successfully held in Moolo Village and Lanobake Village, Batukara District, Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. The KKN-PPM activities were carried out for 50 days, from July 1 to August 20. With the theme “Sustainable Community Empowerment Based on the Optimization of Local Commodities as an Effort to Increase the Transpolitan Mutiara Economy in Muna Regency,” the program involved 28 students from various majors, including Agricultural Microbiology.
On July 31, 2024, the Department of Agricultural Microbiology graduated two students, Wilda Asyrina Maris (2019) and Nur Afni Febriyani (2020). Wilda Asyrina Maris, often called Wilda, completed her studies in 4 years, 11 months, and 19 days, while Afni completed hers in 3 years, 10 months, and 17 days. This second graduation ceremony was held at the Microbiology Library, on the 4th floor of the Agrotropica Learning Center (AGLC) building. Wilda graduated with an “Excellent” (Sangat Memuaskan) distinction and Afni graduated with a “Cum Laude” (Pujian) distinction, with a GPA of 3.78.
