UNAIR NEWS – Financial constraints have not dampened Nadhia S Latuamury’s desire to dream high, a graduate of Faculty of Dental Medicine (FKG) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR). Raised in an outlying village on the coast of Maluku, she has been awarded an Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP)’s Master’s Degree Scholarship and is set to pursue advanced studies in Regenerative Medicine in Europe.
Latuamury grew up in a family with financial constraints in a coastal village of Maluku. Nevertheless, this situation did not deter her from pursuing her dream. Her hard work paid off since she completed her undergraduate and profession program in UNAIR FKG through the Bidikmisi Scholarship, and graduated with a cumlaude honor.
“I was only given one ticket in life, a ticket to education. It wasn’t a first-class ticket, but it was the only ticket I held tightly as if it was my second live. This ticket brought me to explore spaces I could once only imagine,” she explained.
Taking off from experiences in outlying regions
The reason why she wanted to continue her study in Regenerative Medicine was taking off from her experience when working as a dentist in Frontier, Outermost, and Disadvantaged Regions (3T) at the Tehoru Community Health Care (Puskesmas), Maluku. She observed the high dependence of health facilities to the imported materials and the lack of medical services in the archipelago.
“Maluku has vast marine biomineral resources. I want to learn how local resources can be developed into safe biomaterials for tissue reconstruction. I want to bring that knowledge and network back to Eastern Indonesia,” she explained.
Her journey in pursuing LPDP scholarship is not always easy. Latuamury struggled amid the limited resources of the outlying region and had previously failed at the substantive review stage. However, she always chose to bounce back and prepare herself, until she finally succeeded in becoming an LPDP awardee.
“I learned to be an empty glass, which means I have the courage to admit what I don’t know, accept criticism without being defensive, and willing to learn, unlearn, and relearn. I also learn from my mistakes, letting go of ineffective learning methods, and try a more suitable learning approach,” she said.
Latuamury stated that her success today is not resulting solely from her own efforts, but also from her family and close ones’ trust and support in providing her a space to dream, take risks, and fight for it.
LPDP as her next step
Currently she has been selected as an LPDP Scholarship awardee and is in the process of applying to her chosen university in Europe. For her, this opportunity is not only an academic achievement, but also a step toward building her own capabilities to bring back to Indonesia.
“I haven’t reached my last destination yet. I just received an opportunity to begin the next phase; studying in an environment where I can improve my skills and expand my network, and one day I’ll be returning to Indonesia to contribute myself to Maluku and Eastern Indonesia,” she said.
In closing, Latuamury shared her message to students who are currently struggling despite their limitations. “Not everyone is born with a silver spoon. Don’t let today’s financial condition determine how big your dreams can be. Dream first, then find a way. Children from 3T regions also have the right to study at the best institutions in the world,” she concluded.
Author: Maulya Afifah Zahra
Editor : Ragil Kukuh Imanto
