Steven Walker Simangunsong has achieved a brilliant experience as a student of the Tax Administration study program at Universitas Sumatera Utara, by successfully winning a prestigious scholarship from the Indonesian government under the auspices of the LPDP institution, namely IISMA (International Indonesian Scholarship Awards) at Coventry University, United Kingdom.

Currently, investment in human resources is one of the important aspects of advancing the potential of the nation's children. This time, Steven had the opportunity to be one of the representatives who received almost half a billion in funding for the IISMA program. For him, this scholarship is not only financial aid but also an opportunity to explore the potential of education in an international scope, which gives him access to dig deeper into practical aspects relevant to his career.

According to Steven, the scholarship is optimally rewarded through the campus program, as well as the excellent facilities provided by Coventry University. As an international student pursuing a degree in Finance and Banking, Steven gained a handful of benefits from his investment in education at Coventry University that strengthened his foundation, both in formal education, character education, and integrity education.

Steven's opportunity as a Finance student began with the provision of access to Bloomberg Terminal Software, a computer terminal that provides financial information, market data, and sophisticated analytical tools, which became one of Steven's main weapons in exploring and exploring relevant information in the financial sector in real-time and globally.

Based on available data, the cost of accessing the Bloomberg Terminal is quite expensive as it costs hundreds of millions per year and is only limited to financial institutions. However, thanks to the Indonesian government's financial support, Steven was able to study at Coventry University, resulting in invaluable experience.

The IISMA scholarship program not only helped him step into a high level of formal education but also created a morally and emotionally resilient character transformation. Through his journey through the IISMA program, Steven came to understand that self-investment is not just about raising your IQ or earning an academic degree, but about how you can grow as a meaningful human being to give back to your community.

During the IISMA program at Coventry, Steven was mentored by Professor Benny Tjahjono, an expert in Sustainability and Supply Chain Management, who is also the Director of Research Engagement for Indonesia.

"Educational investment programs like this are key for many individuals to grow not only as competent professionals in formal education but also as breakthrough interpersonal transformations with integrity for the recipients", Steven concluded.

Author: Bambang Riyanto - Humas

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: Irsan Mulyadi - Humas