UPNVJ Public Relations – Nadia Nugrahani, S.KM., a graduate of the Public Health Undergraduate Program of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Veteran National Development University Jakarta (UPNVJ), was entrusted to lead the Graduates' Pledge at Session II of the 77th UPNVJ Graduation Ceremony. In front of the graduates, university leaders, and their families, Nadia led the pledge, which signified the graduates' readiness to enter a new chapter after completing higher education.

The moment felt even more special because Nadia was one of the recipients of the Karya Mahardika award. She graduated with a GPA of 3.76 and a Karya Mahardika score of 1,110 through a series of academic and non-academic achievements during her time at UPNVJ.

Throughout her studies, Nadia achieved 16 achievement points. Her three best achievements were first place in the Female Adult Match Achievement Class A at the 11th Indonesia Paku Bumi Open International Championship in 2023, third place in the Women's 20th Jakarta International Orienteering Championship (JIOC) in 2025, and first place in the Women's Adult Match Class A at the 2022 Makassar National Pencak Silat Championship 1.

This achievement demonstrates Nadia's journey beyond just one area. After pursuing pencak silat, she also developed her skills through various activities with the UPNVJ Nature Lovers Student Association (MAPALA), including rock climbing, orienteering, whitewater rafting, and single rope techniques .

For Nadia, winning the Karya Mahardika Award is the culmination of a goal she's set since the beginning of her studies. The award also reminds her of the support of her family and campus community throughout her academic journey and various competitions.

"I feel incredibly grateful. I can't stop thanking God because all my prayers and efforts ultimately led to the opportunity to receive the Karya Mahardika award. I'm also incredibly grateful to my parents, family, and campus for always supporting and supporting me on my journey thus far," said Nadia.

Learning to Find Balance

Nadia's journey to graduation wasn't always smooth sailing. She admits she was too focused on pursuing non-academic achievements, which affected her academic performance. This experience forced her to evaluate her priorities and develop new strategies to ensure both could go hand in hand.

In the following years, Nadia began to focus more on academics, including pursuing publications and certifications. Through this process, she discovered a time management pattern that created a better balance between academic and non-academic pursuits.

"At the beginning of the year, my grades dropped because I was too focused on pursuing non-academic achievements. The following year, I started pursuing academics through publications and certifications. After finding the right technique, non-academic and academic achievements could go hand in hand," he said.

This perseverance was also tested when Nadia had to balance her time between her studies and intensive training. For example, while preparing for a whitewater rafting competition, she was undergoing Field-Based Learning (PBL). From morning to evening, Nadia fulfilled her academic obligations, then continued training with the team until nighttime.

In certain situations, when she can't participate in group training, Nadia chooses to train independently using resistance bands and various tools. She views this commitment as a form of responsibility to the team, which is working together to achieve the best possible results. This effort ultimately led her team to win the overall championship in the competition it entered.

According to Nadia, the various competitions she's participated in have shaped her character and made her a resilient person. For her, achievement isn't just about trophies or rankings, but rather a learning process about consistency, the courage to try, teamwork, and the ability to bounce back after failure.

"Every achievement teaches me that good results don't come instantly, but require a process, consistency, the courage to try, and the ability to bounce back when faced with failure," he said.

Being entrusted to lead the Graduates' Pledge at the 77th Commencement marked the symbolic conclusion of Nadia's student journey. From the graduation podium, she stood not only as a Public Health graduate, but also as a representative of the graduates who had completed the long educational process and were ready to implement the knowledge, competencies, and values acquired during their time at UPNVJ.

Nadia hopes that UPNVJ graduates and students will continue to develop themselves and take advantage of the various opportunities available on campus. She believes that research, competitions, organizations, publications, committees, and social activities can be just as valuable learning opportunities as academic pursuits.

"Never limit yourself just because you don't feel great enough or don't have enough experience. Don't be afraid to try new things, both academically and non-academicly. Not every process will immediately result in success, but every experience certainly provides a lesson," Nadia advised.