Notes on LPDP Scholarship Interview with Fatiha Fairuza

Introduction

• Interview conducted by Celine for LPDP scholarship application.
• Candidate: Fatiha Fairuza
  • Education: Bachelor's in International Relations from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan.
  • Accepted for Master of Arts in Human Rights at Columbia University, New York.

Personal Background

• Not married, has a boyfriend.
• Oldest of five siblings (2 brothers, 2 sisters).
• Father works in government (tax office), mother owns a travel company.

Motivation to Study Abroad

• Believes in learning from various opportunities, not limited to Indonesia.
• Seeks new challenges and experiences.

Experiences with Discrimination

• Faced discrimination in Spain (forced to remove hijab).
• Created a petition on Change.org that received 3,600+ signatures advocating for her right to wear a hijab.

Academic Journey

• Applied to Columbia University despite lacking prior professional experience.
• Focused personal statement on activism in human rights, particularly rights to education.
• Developed "Shape Your Life Indonesia," an organization to advocate for equal rights to education.

Shape Your Life Indonesia

• Founded during an internship in 2020.
• Aims to encourage students from small cities in Indonesia to pursue education abroad.
• Helped 16 students from small cities secure scholarships to study abroad.

Decision to Pursue Master's Degree

• Directly pursuing Master's to advance "Shape Your Life Indonesia".
• Columbia's program aligns with her advocacy interests (rights to education).

Choice of Columbia University

• Columbia offers specific focus on human rights to education, unique compared to other international programs.

Challenges and Future Plans

• Plans to collaborate with schools in East Java for educational empowerment.
• Wants to create a program "Mudamangajar" for high school and undergraduate students to teach digital literacy in rural areas.
  • Indicators of success: digital literacy rates, higher education enrollment.

LPDP Scholarship vs. Others

• Chose LPDP for its comprehensive support, networking opportunities, and alignment with her values of community contribution.

Unique Qualities as a Candidate

• Active in creating Shape Your Life Indonesia, demonstrating commitment to community.
• Achievements: Winner of international humanitarian law competition.

Personal Strengths

• Resilience through challenges (language barriers, academic pressures).

Future Career Goals

• Aim to work for UNICEF, possibly as Executive Director.
• Desire to represent Indonesia in international discussions on education rights.

Challenges to Overcome

• Need for deeper knowledge in human rights advocacy.
• Funding challenges for "Shape Your Life Indonesia" but has secured grants.

Closing Statement

• Believes she is a deserving candidate for the LPDP scholarship due to academic excellence and commitment to contributing to Indonesia.

Conclusion

• Interview concluded with gratitude from both parties.