Shorter University senior selected as recipient of Indonesian Ambassador's Award

February 22, 2012 - Nugroho, a native of Indonesia who is currently a senior at Shorter University, has been selected as one of three bachelor’s-level recipients of the Indonesian Ambassador’s Award for Excellence. The award is given by the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States; it honors Indonesian students in the United States who show excellent academic and nonacademic performance, show leadership both on and off campus, and have community awareness.

According to the Indonesian Embassy’s website, the awards are designed to motivate all Indonesian students in the United States to improve their performance, to enhance competitiveness among the students, and to promote Indonesia through the students’ achievements.

Nugroho is completing his fourth year as a student at Shorter University. He came to Shorter through The Ruble International Education Initiative, which has made it possible for five students from Indonesia to study in Rome. Three others have completed a year of study at the Darlington School, while the fifth attended Berry College.

While at Shorter, Nugroho has majored in accounting with a minor in fraud examination. He has worked as an office assistant for Student Life, completed an internship for the university’s Business Office and served as a student worker and assistant coach for the university’s cross country team. He served one year as president of the Shorter University International Society and is a member of both the Georgia Society of CPAs and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He is a member of Alpha Chi, the national academic honor society, and Sigma Beta Delta, the international honor society in business. He was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges for 2012.

Nugroho in Fitton Student Union at Shorter University.

“‘O-O’ is an enthusiastic Alpha Chi-er who displays great academic skill and exceptional character,” said Dr. Kathi Vosevich, faculty advisor for Shorter’s chapter of the national academic honor society. “In fact, he will be representing Shorter at the Alpha Chi regional convention in Baltimore this year. We are very proud of his accomplishments and look forward to his future contributions to academia and society. He’s just a great guy.”

Nugroho’s success at Shorter is impressive, especially considering the fact that he was initially hesitant when given the opportunity to study in the United States. “The way I understood America was through TV and movies,” he recalls of his life in Indonesia. “I was kind of reluctant to come because I had never been anywhere else. Now, I have a new understanding of America as a whole and of America, person by person. My time at Shorter has helped me to be more open-minded.”

After graduation, Nugroho will return to Indonesia, where he will have a job with the local government. “My parents and I signed a contract with the local government saying that I will come back and work for them for at least four years,” he said.

The trip home will be his first to Indonesia in four years. “It has been emotional for me,” Nugroho recalled. “I thought by being away from my parents that our relationship would change. The farther I go, the closer I feel to my parents and my family.”

For Nugroho, the prospect of returning home is both exciting and a little sad. “It is like a coin with two sides. I am excited to see my parents and apply my knowledge in the real world. At the same time, Rome is my second home. I would like to say thank you to all of my Shorter family who have given me the chance to be a student. One opportunity has opened the door to the next and led to the honor of receiving the Ambassador’s Award. I am thankful.”

In addition to his on-campus activities, Nugroho served from July 2010 to August 2011 as manager of website content development and online radio announcer for Radio PPI Dunia, www.radioppidunia.org. In this role, he broadcast historical information about Indonesia, updated content weekly, and managed four volunteers and delegated responsibilities for planning, marketing, and working with other volunteers. He also has been a volunteer with the Rome International Film Festival and the Boys and Girls Club Kids’ Day.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christian university committed to excellence in education. The Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its lists of best value and best Southeastern colleges.The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Leadership. General education and calculus courses are offered in an online format, and Shorter recently launched online programs that lead toward the Associate of Science, the Bachelor of Business Administration, and the Master of Accountancy degrees. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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