One of the most anticipated moments during the event was the announcement of the graduate with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). In his report, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs & Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Jaka Sembiring, M.Eng., proudly announced Fachriza Andhika Putra as the recipient of the highest CGPA at the ITB October 2023 Graduation. Fachriza graduated from the Undergraduate Study Program in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology.

Fachriza, affectionately called Dhika, shared his experiences during his time at ITB. He explained that his motivation to pursue higher education was greatly influenced by friends who were also facing similar challenges.

Dhika expressed, 'Much of my motivation for studying came from my friends. Finding friends who are going through the same struggles during college made me realize that all of it is normal.' He and his friends shared experiences of staying up late, dealing with stress, and various other challenges together.

Dhika reminisced about his time during the Common Preparatory Program (CPP), a crucial stage in adapting to the ITB environment. He felt it was important to remain active in extracurricular activities, such as student activity units (SAU). Despite requiring sacrifices, such as reduced sleeping hours, he believed that these experiences were an integral part of his college journey.

He admitted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was quite challenging as classes had to shift online. However, he expressed gratitude for eventually getting the opportunity to attend offline classes again and create precious moments with friends and his student association.

"Actually, I was quite saddened because after CPP, the pandemic struck, resulting in online classes. But on the flip side, I'm grateful for being given the chance to experience offline classes again, creating memorable moments once more with friends and my program’s student association," Dhika continued.

When asked about his reaction upon being announced as the top GPA achiever, Dhika admitted to being quite surprised as he was unaware of it beforehand. He said, “Overall, I feel proud because from the start, my goal was simply to graduate, which was already enough for me.

”He expressed an inspirational message to other students, emphasizing the importance of making the most out of their college years. He highlighted ITB as a miniature representation of Indonesia, a place where one can pursue numerous values and valuable life experiences.

"Make the most of your college years because many say that ITB is a miniature representation of Indonesia. So, as much as possible, seek out as many values as you can during your time in college—whether it's finding friends, building relationships, making money, finding a partner, seeking knowledge, facing challenges, or discovering your identity; everything is available at ITB," Dhika emphasized in his message.

Currently, Dhika is working as a Process Engineer Trainee at Schlumberger (SLB). He mentioned that he is very open to pursuing further studies in the future to contribute more to the industrial world.

Reporter: Satria Octavianus Nababan (Informatics Engineering, 2021)

Translator: Firzana Aisya (Bioengineering, 2021)