DARI D1 PERHOTELAN MENUJU MAGISTER
Kisah Dua Murid: Cucu Subarkah & Doddy
Kalau ada yang bilang kuliah itu harus pelan-pelan, mungkin Cucu Subarkah dan Doddy belum pernah mendengar nasihat tersebut. 😂
Di sebelah kiri adalah Cucu Subarkah, putra kebanggaan dari USA—Urang Sunda Aseli. Sementara di sebelah kanan ada Doddy, mahasiswa Bali yang baru saja landing dari Caribbean Island–UK. Entah pesawatnya mendarat di mana, yang jelas begitu sampai kampus langsung membawa satu misi: kuliah lagi! 🤣
Keduanya adalah murid saya dari Diploma Satu Perhotelan. Dari kelas D1, perjalanan akademik mereka kemudian saya mentoring untuk naik kelas melalui jalur S1 RPL (Rekognisi Pembelajaran Lampau) di bidang Hospitality dan Pariwisata Institut STIAMI Jakarta.
Empat semester berlalu.
Hari ini bukan lagi waktunya duduk manis mendengarkan dosen menjelaskan teori hotel, front office, housekeeping, food and beverage, atau bagaimana menghadapi tamu yang komplain karena kamarnya belum siap.
Hari ini mereka menghadapi Ujian Skripsi dan Yudisium!
Saya pun melihat mereka dengan perasaan campur aduk.
Bangga, tentu saja.
Tapi juga sedikit curiga…
“Ini anak-anak benar-benar mau berhenti kuliah setelah S1, atau malah sedang menyiapkan serangan berikutnya?” 😂
Dan ternyata benar!
Begitu S1 selesai, langsung mengarah ke Gedung Magister Ilmu Komunikasi–Pariwisata.
Cucu Subarkah berkata kurang lebih:
“Saya daftar S2 semester depan dulu, Pak.”
Santai. Pelan-pelan.
Sementara Doddy?
“Saya langsung daftar S2 semester ini, Pak!”
Waduh!
Yang satu masih pemanasan, yang satu sudah lari sprint menuju S2! 🤣
Apalagi program S2 RPL di STIAMI hanya ditempuh 2 semester.
Kalau semuanya berjalan lancar, tahun depan Doddy sudah bisa bilang:
“Pak, saya sudah selesai S2.”
Saya mungkin hanya bisa menjawab:
“Lho, baru kemarin saya lihat kamu ujian S1?” 😂
Tetapi begitulah pendidikan.
Ketika seseorang sudah menemukan semangat belajar, tugas seorang mentor bukan menariknya untuk berhenti, tetapi membantu membuka pintu berikutnya.
Sebagai bagian dari teaching team di jenjang S2, saya selalu mengatakan kepada mereka:
“Saya akan mentoring kalian sampai wisuda S2.”
Setelah itu?
Nah, di sinilah ceritanya mulai menarik.
Setelah lulus S2, kalian yang menentukan sendiri arah pendidikan dan kehidupan kalian.
Mau lanjut S3? Silakan.
Mau fokus menjadi Top Management? Gas!
Mau menjadi Direksi? Silakan naik ke ruang rapat.
Mau menjadi Entrepreneur? Bangun bisnis kalian sendiri.
Mau masuk dunia politik? Ya, siapkan visi, integritas, dan mental baja. 😄
Karena tugas mentor bukan menentukan masa depan muridnya.
Tugas mentor adalah membantu murid memiliki kapasitas untuk menentukan masa depannya sendiri.
Dulu mereka saya ajarkan tentang dunia perhotelan.
Sekarang mereka belajar tentang akademik, kepemimpinan, komunikasi, strategi, dan kehidupan profesional.
Besok?
Mungkin saya yang akan melihat mereka berdiri di panggung yang lebih besar.
Dan ketika hari itu tiba, saya cukup berdiri di belakang panggung sambil berkata:
“Saya sudah bilang dari awal… The stage is yours!”
Lalu saya tambahkan dengan gaya Suroboyoan:
“Aku gak melok-melok maneh! Hehe…” 😄
Karena setelah S2, panggung bukan lagi milik dosen.
Panggung itu milik kalian.
Cucu Subarkah, sang Urang Sunda Aseli dari USA, dan Doddy, sang traveler dari Caribbean Island–UK…
Dari D1 Perhotelan → S1 RPL → S2 RPL → dan entah nanti S3, Top Management, Direksi, Entrepreneur, atau Politisi.
Yang pasti, perjalanan belum selesai.
Hari ini kita rayakan kelulusan.
Besok kita mulai tantangan berikutnya.
THE STAGE IS YOURS!
GO HIGHER. GO FURTHER. MAKE YOUR OWN STORY.
— JS BUDI
Teaching Team & Mentor Ganteng
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FROM A DIPLOMA IN HOSPITALITY TO A MASTER’S DEGREE
The Story of Two Students: Cucu Subarkah & Doddy
If someone says that university life should be taken slowly and step by step, perhaps Cucu Subarkah and Doddy have never heard that advice. 😂
On the left is Cucu Subarkah, the pride of USA — Urang Sunda Aseli (a true Sundanese). Meanwhile, on the right is Doddy, a Balinese student who has just landed from the Caribbean Island–UK. We have no idea where his plane actually landed, but one thing is certain: the moment he arrived on campus, he came with one mission: to go back to school! 🤣
Both of them are my students from the Diploma One in Hospitality program. From the D1 classroom, I mentored them on their academic journey to take the next step through the S1 RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) pathway in Hospitality and Tourism at Institut STIAMI Jakarta.
Four semesters have passed.
Today is no longer the time to sit comfortably and listen to lecturers explain hotel theory, front office, housekeeping, food and beverage, or how to deal with a guest complaining because their room is not ready.
Today, they are facing their Thesis Examination and Graduation Assessment!
I look at them with mixed feelings.
Proud, of course.
But also a little suspicious…
“Are these guys really planning to stop studying after their bachelor’s degree, or are they secretly preparing their next academic attack?” 😂
And it turns out I was right!
As soon as the S1 program is completed, they are heading straight toward the Master’s Building of Communication Science–Tourism.
Cucu Subarkah said something along the lines of:
“I’ll register for the Master’s program next semester first, Sir.”
Nice and easy. One step at a time.
And Doddy?
“I’m going straight into the Master’s program this semester, Sir!”
Whoa!
One is still warming up, while the other is already sprinting toward his Master’s degree! 🤣
Especially since the S2 RPL program at STIAMI takes only two semesters to complete.
If everything goes smoothly, next year Doddy could already say:
“Sir, I’ve finished my Master’s degree.”
And I might simply reply:
“Wait… didn’t I just see you taking your bachelor’s examination yesterday?” 😂
But that is how education works.
When someone discovers the passion to keep learning, a mentor’s job is not to pull them back and tell them to stop. A mentor’s job is to help open the next door.
As part of the Teaching Team at the Master’s level, I always tell them:
“I will mentor you until you graduate with your Master’s degree.”
And after that?
Well, this is where the story gets interesting.
After completing your Master’s degree, you will decide your own direction in education and in life.
Want to pursue a PhD? Go for it.
Want to focus on becoming Top Management? Go for it!
Want to become a Director? Step into the boardroom.
Want to become an Entrepreneur? Build your own business.
Want to enter the world of politics? Then prepare your vision, integrity, and nerves of steel. 😄
Because a mentor’s job is not to determine a student’s future.
A mentor’s job is to help students develop the capacity to determine their own future.
I used to teach them about the hospitality industry.
Now they are learning about academics, leadership, communication, strategy, and professional life.
Tomorrow?
Perhaps I will see them standing on an even bigger stage.
And when that day comes, I will simply stand backstage and say:
“I told you from the beginning… The stage is yours!”
Then I will add, in my Suroboyoan style:
“Aku gak melok-melok maneh! Hehe…” 😄
(I’m not going to follow you everywhere! Haha…)
Because after the Master’s degree, the stage no longer belongs to the lecturer.
The stage belongs to you.
Cucu Subarkah, the Urang Sunda Aseli from USA, and Doddy, the traveler from Caribbean Island–UK…
From D1 Hospitality → S1 RPL → S2 RPL → and who knows, perhaps a PhD, Top Management, Director, Entrepreneur, or Politician.
One thing is certain: the journey is not over yet.
Today, we celebrate your graduation.
Tomorrow, we begin the next challenge.
THE STAGE IS YOURS!
GO HIGHER. GO FURTHER. MAKE YOUR OWN STORY.
— JS BUDI
Teaching Team & Handsome Mentor 😎
