“MANAGEMENT UNPAR ALUMNI.”
Printed in bold yellow Varsity-style font across the back of the t-shirt, with the UNPAR logo in the same color above it, the writing stood out clearly. This shirt turned out to be the “uniform” distributed to participants of the Homecoming Management event.
The event, held on Saturday (November 25) at the UNPAR Corporate Management D3 Hall, served as a reunion for alumni of the UNPAR Undergraduate Management Study Program. Several current lecturers—who are also alumni of the program—attended the event, including Ms. Merry Marianti, Ms. Triyana Iskandarsyah, Ms. Inge Barlian, Ms. Brigita Meylianti, Ms. Istiharini, Mr. Fernando, Mr. Ivan Prasetya, Ms. Elaine V. Kustedja, Ms. Annissa Novieningtyas, and Mr. Probowo Erawan.
The participants represented a wide range of graduating classes—from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, to the most recent graduates from September. The alumni gathered to reconnect and reminisce about their time in the program, which has been established since 1955.
The first session included participant introductions and personal stories from their university years in the Management Program. One participant, Kenny, now a lecturer and entrepreneur, shared a vivid memory of the senior lecturers he once had. He recalled how strict they were—students had to pay close attention in class, or risk being reprimanded. During his sharing, he posed a thought-provoking question:
“From everything we’ve heard today, it’s clear that UNPAR’s Faculty of Economics was highly respected back in the day. The perception was very positive. The question is—if it was a top choice back then, how is it doing now?”
Many other participants echoed a similar sentiment: UNPAR Management alumni feel a lack of connection to the campus, and there is currently no proper platform for alumni communication. Based on this, the group unanimously agreed to initiate the First Congress of the UNPAR Undergraduate Management Alumni Association.
Through open discussion, it was decided that Mr. Fernando would serve as the Head of the Organizing Committee to plan and lead the congress. Ms. Annissa and Ms. Elaine were appointed to manage secretarial and administrative duties. Other positions would be determined later.
The committee’s first agenda is to reach out to each cohort’s representatives, hoping to establish broader communication with the entire alumni network. The First Congress of the UNPAR Management Alumni Associationis planned to be held in 2018, with the goal of electing the Association’s Chairperson and forming its leadership structure.