IISMA - Essay - Oza

IISMA Application
University of Queensland (1st Preference) & University of Melbourne (2nd Preference)

Note: 150 – 350 words
Discuss your academic and non-academic achievements, including the process and skills
involved in your previous or current degree program!
I was a shy kid, but I let my passion speak for me. I was always known for being creative in any
opportunity I had for most of my life. My family and friends were in disbelief when I told them I
had decided to pursue business for my undergraduate studies instead of the arts. However, I
realized I could still channel my inner creativity through class projects and extracurricular
activities.
In university, I promised myself that I would take the challenge to go out of my comfort zone. I
started my second year by taking two leadership roles. As the Team Leader in AIESEC, I led a
project to support artists in Yogyakarta amidst the pandemic through online art workshops.
Additionally, as the Head of Branding in 180 Degrees Consulting UGM, I built branding
guidelines for the first 180DC branch in Indonesia. These opportunities also helped me land a
position as the first Strategy & Planning intern in GrabFood, managing city expansion projects
for the app.
At the same time, my thrill for competitions began when my team was selected as the Top 7
National Finalists of L’Oréal Brandstorm 2021, a well-known innovation competition, with the
possibility of representing Indonesia in France. We created an app to reinvent the beauty
shopping experience through a virtual beauty world and pitched it to L’Oreal executives. This
nerve-wracking journey has sharpened my presentation, critical thinking, and problem-solving
skills as a first-timer. Furthermore, aside from maintaining a 3.76 GPA, I also received a
scholarship for two online exchange courses where I worked in a multinational team and
achieved second place for a business pitch.
A culmination of these experiences typically involves extensive hours of brainstorming, market

research, designing mockups, calculating projections, and practicing a presentation. Despite the
ups and downs, it had built the resilience and perseverance I needed to pursue my career and
give back to the community. I realize that I still have room to grow, and I will always be open to
new opportunities.
Please outline your plans to engage with local and international communities during IISMA
program using clear examples!
I plan to join the University of Queensland Indonesian Association (UQISA) or Perhimpunan

Pelajar Indonesia Victoria to actively participate in cross-cultural activities, introducing
Indonesian games, cuisines, arts, and culture abroad. During my time in AIESEC, I led the team
in hosting painting workshops and have regularly participated in several pottery workshops in
Jakarta. With my passion for the arts, I would love to provide the same entertaining experience
through cultural events by teaching the local and international community to paint batik
patterns and molding traditional Indonesian vases with hand-built pottery. Moreover, the
IISMA Application
University of Queensland has a Handcraft & Art Club, and the University of Melbourne has a
Drawing and Painting Club where we can collaborate to execute such events.
Volunteering is also a big part of the two universities in Australia. As a former Project Analyst of
180 Degrees Consulting UGM, the same organization exists in both universities. This
organization provides training and consultancy services in the social impact space, and I am well
familiar with the process of research, analysis, deck-making, and presenting to clients. I would
be excited to participate in one of the consulting projects as an analyst in the respective
universities. Being involved in competitions and representing my country abroad would be one
of my goals as a competitive person.
Finally, as a Muslim, joining the UQ Muslim Student Association (UQMSA) and the University of
Melbourne Islamic Society (UMIS) would be a great learning opportunity for me to be exposed
to the Muslim lifestyle in Australia. I am looking forward to the guide on halal cuisine,
participating in events, and sharing tips on maintaining faith in the city.
Discuss a time when you faced difficult challenge or hurdle during your study and how you
navigated through it!
One of the most difficult academic obstacles I faced was my adaptation to Universitas Gadjah
Mada during my first year. I went to a project-based school for thirteen years, where our
learning method mainly consisted of practical learning instead of paper-pencil tests. I struggled
with textbook-based learning because it did not give me the freedom to explore my creativity as
I always had. I was not used to heavy readings and pop quizzes every week.
However, one of my biggest strengths is my high willingness to learn. I started the semester by
making a schedule and setting weekly goals on which chapters to summarize or what practice
tests I needed to get done. Before class started, I would get ahead of the materials to ease
myself into adapting to the professor’s fast pace. As a visual learner, taking color-coded
annotations and drawing illustrations helped me visualize and remember the essential
concepts. Then, I would join tutoring sessions and discuss materials with my friends. Eventually,
I started to get used to the learning pattern and achieved higher grades throughout the
semester.
Despite that, I still believe I grasped concepts better through practical learning—projects and
presentations were a better fit for me than depending solely on textbook materials. Thus, I
continued to seek learning opportunities and practical experiences outside class to compensate
for the lack of hands-on activities on campus. Being active in extracurriculars certainly helped
me understand class materials and apply theoretical concepts learned in class. By the end of my
sixth semester, I had increased my GPA to 3.76/4.00.
Explain your health condition (i.e., dental and oral treatment/medical treatment/covid-19
medication/mental health therapy/counseling)!
IISMA Application
I am fortunate enough to have access to physical and mental health. I go to the dentist for
regular checkups every six months. I was last hospitalized sixteen years ago due to malnutrition
but have eaten more since then. I have never undergone major surgeries, am not on any heavy
medical treatment, and have never contracted COVID-19. However, the pandemic did take a toll
on my mental health.
My mental health was at its best state during my first year of university when I moved to Jogja. I
met new people and explored things I would have never done before in my hometown. Since
the pandemic hit, I have stayed home strictly for the past two years and felt the immense fear
of missing out. Eventually, I went to several counseling sessions and recently immersed myself
in creative hobbies such as painting and pottery. I went out with friends again, and there has
been significant progress in my mental health ever since.
By finally studying something I have always found joy in, such as design and psychology at the
University of Queensland, I firmly believe that IISMA would provide me the opportunity to view
life from a more exciting perspective. The new people, new environment, and going outside my
comfort zone channel my adrenaline into something positive.

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IISMA Application

University of Queensland (1st Preference) & University of Melbourne (2nd Preference)

A culmination of these experiences typically involves extensive hours of brainstorming, market

I plan to join the University of Queensland Indonesian Association (UQISA) or Perhimpunan

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