FIB UNDIP – Everyone has their own rhythm of adventure. For Windi Susetyo Ningrum, an alumnus of Indonesian Literature FIB Undip class of 2010, the journey of life is about the courage to knock on new doors, even though those doors look strange and challenging.
Born in Sleman in July 1992, Windi grew up as an independent and adaptable person. His love for customs and language led him to study Indonesian Literature at Undip with a major in Philology. This is where his intellectual roots were formed, until he successfully graduated as the best graduate in 2015 with the Cumlaude title.
Turning Point: Between Idealism and Reality
Post-graduation, the reality of the world of work is not always as smooth as imagined. While waiting for a regular job call, Windi fills his time as an assistant teacher at a kindergarten in Tembalang. However, the drive to learn never goes out. With the inspiration from his lecturers at Undip, Prof. Mudjahirin Thohir and Prof. Agus Maladi, he decided to jump into a new field, namely Anthropology at the University of Indonesia.
“If it’s easy, everyone can do it,” Windi recalled imitating his father’s message when he almost gave up facing the difficult transition from Literature to Anthropology. That simple sentence became the fuel that led him to get a Master’s degree in 2018.
Building “Athena” from Zero Point
The real exam comes after graduating from S2. Feeling disoriented and at the zero point, Windi followed his father’s advice to start teaching tutoring independently in Semarang. With reckless capital and the help of old friends, he began to look for students one by one.
Who would have thought, starting from the intention of “not to be idle”, Windi’s sincerity in educating actually paid off. His students increased until he succeeded in establishing an official tutoring called Athena. Here, Windi learns extraordinary patience, dealing with various children’s characters, ranging from those who are very quick to grasp material to children with special needs.
Wandering to Kalimantan and Amanah “Excior“
God has a bigger plan. After trying his luck many times in CPNS, Windi’s prayers and the blessing of his father who is now gone led him to pass as a lecturer at Palangka Raya University.
Wandering to the opposite island gave him a great culture shock, from the weather to facilities that were far different from Java. However, the experience of educating children in the bimbel of Athens turned out to be a valuable capital when facing students with diverse cultural backgrounds.
Now, Windi is trusted to carry the mandate as the Department Secretary. One of his proud achievements was when he succeeded in overseeing the accreditation process of his major until he achieved the EXCELLENT predicate.
Message for Diponegoro Muda
Closing his story, Windi left a warm message for his younger siblings at FIB Undip:
“At Undip, the facilities are much better than here where I teach. So be enthusiastic and earnestly seek knowledge. You are much luckier, make the most of it.”
Windi’s story teaches us that education is not just about a degree, but about how knowledge makes us human beings who are useful to others, wherever our feet stand.