UNAIR NEWS – The 241 Period of Graduation of Universitas Airlangga should have been the happiest moment for Erma Astuti Lay, a Faculty of Nursing graduate of Universitas Airlangga. However, fate had other plans. On Friday, February 16, 2024, she passed away due to the illness.
The sunny weather in Surabaya embraced the graduation ceremony held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Airlangga Convention Center, MERR-C Campus, UNAIR. The atmosphere quickly warmed the hearts of the audience as Erma’s name echoed through the hall. Representing the bereaved family, Erma’s aunt, Mardiah Sya’ban, received the certificate from the Rector, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih SE MT Ak.
The struggle
Mardiah stated that during her lifetime, Erma was a good niece with a high spirit for learning. “She was very enthusiastic, coming all the way from Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) to Surabaya just to pursue her education,” she said. For the record, Erma was a transfer student at the Faculty of Nursing and a scholarship awardee from the Ministry of Health.
Mardiah also expressed gratitude to UNAIR for providing the opportunity for her niece to study. She hopes that even though Erma is no longer with us, her enthusiasm for learning can inspire others.
“We thank UNAIR for accepting Erma and providing her a wonderful learning opportunity,” she said.
In line with Mardiah, Maria Yanuaria Thein recounts that her friend was a kind and independent person. Maya, for short, reveals that she had known Erma since they were in the Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health in Kupang. They graduated together in 2016.
“She was independent and didn’t want to inconvenience others. She handled things by herself without asking for help,” Maya stated.
Maya, who also graduated during the event, mentioned that the late Erma was a dedicated learner. Despite being pregnant with her second child, Erma completed her thesis. “Erma showed great discipline in working on her thesis, being the first among our peers to accomplish it,” she remarked.
The time spent together has etched lasting memories in Maya’s memory. A particularly memorable instance was when Erma encouraged her to continue her education and move to Surabaya.
“Erma invited me to study at UNAIR. In Surabaya, we lived together. Whenever there was a birthday, we always feasted to celebrate it. This is a moment that will always be cherished,” she said.
Author: Icha Nur Imami Puspita
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
