UNAIR NEWS –Universitas Airlangga Alumni Association (IKA UNAIR) in the United States has established the Indonesia Lighthouse Foundation. Ari Sufiati, a key member of IKA UNAIR USA, explained that the foundation was created to support UNAIR in fostering collaborations with various institutions across the U.S. The non-profit foundation has also received significant support from Paragon Corporation.

Why do we need a foundation? It serves as a bridge, making it easier for UNAIR to collaborate with institutions in the U.S. through a legally recognized entity. The Indonesia Lighthouse Foundation is fully backed by Paragon Corporation,” Sufiati elaborated.

She also emphasized that the foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of education by offering substantial support to UNAIR students through various programs. “We focus on human resource development, aiming to improve the skills and qualifications of students, as well as young executives and professionals,” she said.

Guest lecture
In collaboration with Paragon Corp, Sufiati also delivered a guest lecture as part of the Shared Basic Learning (PDB) program at the Candradimuka Auditorium on UNAIR’s MERR-C campus. The session was attended by 8,700 new students, both in-person and virtually. During the lecture, she emphasized the importance of early career development.

“Since this is about career development, I emphasized to the students the importance of thinking ahead. Career development starts now. There’s no time to wait. Begin immediately by connecting, communicating, collaborating, and creating,” she advised the students.

Sufiati also encouraged them to stay motivated and resilient, stressing the need to overcome self-doubt. “You should never think, ‘I can’t do this.’ Keep a positive attitude and believe that you can. If you approach challenges thinking they’re impossible, they will be. So, stay away from negative thinking,” she urged the students.

Commitment to educational support
Paragon Corp representative Baejah expressed the company’s commitment to supporting the Indonesia Lighthouse Foundation, with the aim of nurturing students to become future leaders. “The goal is to build leadership skills early on, so that when students enter the workforce, they are already equipped with essential knowledge,” Baejah said.

Baejah also highlighted that Paragon’s collaboration with IKA UNAIR reflects its broader mission to positively impact education. “We collaborate with organizations that have strong networks and capabilities, like Indonesia Lighthouse, which shares our vision,” Baejah concluded.

Author: Mohammad Adif Albarado 

Editor: Edwin Fatahuddin 

Source : https://unair.ac.id/en/unair-alumni-association-in-us-establishes-indonesia-lighthouse-to-support-student-development/