Ericka Verena: Bukti Sukses Fast Track BINUS

Keberanian bukanlah melakukan segala sesuatu tanpa rasa takut. Sebaliknya, seseorang bisa dikatakan berani saat ia tetap melakukan sesuatu walaupun dibayangi rasa takut atau ragu. Hal inilah yang dilakukan oleh Ericka Verena Sarboni, salah satu lulusan Business Management – Magister Manajemen (MM) BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL di Wisuda 73 BINUS University.

Ericka berani melangkah keluar dari zona nyaman melalui Enrichment Program jalur Mobility. Program unggulan BINUS ini memberikan peluang bagi mahasiswa untuk belajar di berbagai kampus dan merasakan atmosfer akademis yang berbeda. Melalui program ini pula, Ericka mendapatkan tawaran fast track, sebuah jalur percepatan dari jenjang kuliah S1 ke S2.

Jelajahi Banyak Kampus, Perkaya Perspektif

BINUS University memiliki sistem multi-kampus yang memungkinkan mahasiswa untuk merasakan pengalaman kuliah lintas-lokasi. Ericka menjadi salah satu Binusian yang merasakan langsung keunggulan tersebut. Ia memulai perjalanan akademis di BINUS @Bandung untuk menjalani studi S1. Di sinilah ia mengambil Enrichment Program, yang dirancang untuk membekali mahasiswa dengan kompetensi tinggi.

Terdapat beberapa jalur dalam Enrichment Program BINUS, salah satunya adalah Mobility yang menjadi pilihan Ericka. Pada jalur ini, Ericka bisa mengikuti perkuliahan selama dua tahun di kampus asal, satu tahun di kampus BINUS University lain, dan satu tahun Enrichment Program. 

Jadi, setelah menjalani masa kuliah dua tahun di BINUS @Bandung, Ericka memilih untuk melanjutkan studi di BINUS @Senayan. Ia bahkan dapat merasakan pengalaman belajar di tiga kampus BINUS @Senayan sekaligus, yakni Kampus Syahdan, Kijang, dan Anggrek.

Pengalaman multi-kampus tersebut mempertemukan Ericka dengan banyak mahasiswa dari beragam latar belakang. Perbedaan inilah yang memperluas perspektif Ericka dalam menilai berbagai isu. Ia jadi mendapatkan pengalaman berharga yang memperkaya proses belajarnya.

Fast Track S1 ke S2, Pengalaman yang Membentuk Cara Berpikir

Saat menjalani perkuliahan di BINUS @Bandung, Ericka memperoleh tawaran fast track. Program ini merupakan jalur percepatan khusus bagi mahasiswa S1 BINUS yang memenuhi syarat untuk langsung melanjutkan studi ke program S2. 

Ericka sadar bahwa tawaran tersebut adalah kesempatan yang bagus. Namun, keputusan untuk mengambil jalur fast track bukanlah hal mudah. Baginya, kuliah S2 memiliki tantangan yang berbeda dari S1. Tantangan utamanya bukan hanya pada beban akademis, tapi juga cara berpikir. Pada jenjang pascasarjana, ia bertemu dengan dosen-dosen yang mempunyai karakteristik dan sudut pandang sangat beragam.

“Bukan cuma belajar ‘what’ dan mencari masalah, tapi juga mencari ‘why’-nya apa. Itu yang menurutku paling susah,” cerita Ericka.

Menariknya, tantangan tersebut juga meningkatkan kompetensi dirinya pada saat bersamaan. Adaptasi pola pikir mendorongnya untuk jadi lebih kritis dan analitis dalam  belajar. Keterampilan inilah yang menjadi pondasi kuat bagi Ericka untuk menyelesaikan studi S2 sekaligus menghadapi dunia profesional.

Aktif Membangun Soft Skills di Luar Kelas

Tawaran fast track menjadi bukti unggulnya kualitas akademis Ericka, sehingga menjadikannya layak menerima tawaran tersebut. Namun, kompetensi diri Ericka juga terbukti melalui pencapaian soft skills-nya. Ia berhasil menjadi pemenang di ajang BINUS Career Ambassador 2021. 

Prestasi tersebut membuka lebih banyak pintu untuk mengasah soft skills di luar kelas. Ericka mendapat kesempatan bekerja part-time di BINUS University, salah satunya sebagai MC. Pengalaman ini pun melatih kemampuan komunikasi, profesionalisme, dan kepercayaan diri, yang juga penting untuk mendukung kariernya di dunia kerja.

Pesan Bermakna untuk Mahasiswa: Harus Berani Mencoba

Menutup ceritanya, Ericka menyampaikan pesan sederhana namun bermakna bagi mahasiswa BINUS University dan generasi muda lainnya. “Buat teman-teman, terutama yang ingin belajar di banyak tempat, harus mau mencoba. Kadang kesempatan sudah datang, tapi kita takut. Padahal, kalau mau coba dan kerja keras, pembelajarannya sangat luar biasa.”

Menurut Ericka, BINUS University memberikan banyak kesempatan bagi mahasiswa untuk mencoba. Pengalaman fast track kuliah S1 dan S2 hanyalah salah satu dari berbagai kesempatan tersebut. Selain fast track, mahasiswa bisa memilih jalur lain yang sesuai dengan minat atau tujuan karier, seperti riset, magang, mendirikan usaha, hingga kuliah di luar negeri.

Setelah lulus S1 dan S2 melalui jalur fast track, kini Ericka Verena Sarboni sedang mengembangkan karier sebagai education consultant. Perjalanan akademisnya di Business Management – MM BINUS BUSINESS SCHOOL dapat menjadi inspirasi tentang keberanian dalam menjalani proses. 

Meskipun sempat merasa ragu dan takut, Ericka tetap maju memanfaatkan peluang yang tersedia di BINUS University. Ia berhasil membuktikan bahwa proses belajar yang dijalani dengan sungguh-sungguh dapat membentuk cara berpikir yang lebih terbuka, kritis, dan siap menghadapi dunia profesional.

English Version :

Fast Track from Bachelor’s to Master’s: Ericka Verena Sarboni’s Courage to Try

Courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, it means that you still dare to do something different, even when shadowed by doubt and anxiety. That’s exactly what Ericka Verena Sarboni did as one of the graduates of Business Management – Master of Management (MM) at BINUS Business School during the 73rd Commencement of BINUS University.

Ericka boldly stepped out of her comfort zone through the Enrichment Program’s Mobility track. This flagship BINUS program offers students the opportunity to study across different campuses and experience diverse academic environments. 

Through this program, Ericka also received a fast-track offer. It’s an accelerated pathway from undergraduate to postgraduate level, comparable in rigor and perspective-building to an MBA pathway.

Exploring Multiple Campuses, Enriching Perspectives

BINUS University operates a multi-campus system that enables students to engage in cross-campus learning. Ericka was one of the Binusians who directly benefited from this advantage. She began her undergraduate journey at BINUS @Bandung. It was here that she joined the Enrichment Program, which is designed to equip students with high-level competencies.

The BINUS Enrichment Program offers several tracks, including Mobility, which Erika chose. Through this track, she spent two years studying at her home campus, one year at another BINUS University campus, and one year in the Enrichment Program.

After completing two years at BINUS @Bandung, Ericka chose to continue her studies at BINUS @Senayan. She even had the opportunity to experience academic life across three BINUS @Senayan campuses at once: Syahdan, Kijang, and Anggrek.

This multi-campus experience brought Ericka together with many students from diverse backgrounds. These differences broadened her perspective on various issues, giving her valuable experiences that enriched her overall learning.

Fast Track from Bachelor’s to Master’s: An Experience That Shaped Her Mindset

While studying at BINUS @Bandung, Ericka received a fast-track offer. This program is a special acceleration pathway for qualified BINUS undergraduate students to continue directly into a postgraduate program, such as the Master of Management (MM).

Ericka realized that this offer was a great opportunity. However, deciding to take the fast-track path was not easy. For her, pursuing a master’s degree, whether an MM, an MBA, or a similar postgraduate program, brings challenges that differ significantly from those of undergraduate studies. The main challenge lies not only in the academic workload, but also in the way of thinking. At the postgraduate level, she encountered lecturers with very diverse characteristics and perspectives.

“It’s not just about learning the ‘what’ and identifying problems, but also about finding the ‘why’ behind them. That’s the hardest part for me,” Ericka shared.

Interestingly, these challenges simultaneously strengthened her competencies. Adapting her mindset pushed her to become more critical and analytical in learning. These skills provided a strong foundation, enabling Ericka to complete her MM (Master of Management) studies while preparing for the professional world.

Actively Building Soft Skills Beyond the Classroom

The fast-track offer reflected Ericka’s strong academic quality, making her a worthy candidate for the program. However, her personal competencies were also evident through her soft skills achievements. She emerged as a winner in the BINUS Career Ambassador 2021 event.

This achievement opened more doors for her to develop soft skills outside the classroom. Ericka had the opportunity to work part-time at BINUS University, including serving as a Master of Ceremonies (MC). These experiences strengthened her communication skills, professionalism, and self-confidence, all of which are essential to her career in the professional world.

A Meaningful Message for Students: Dare to Try

As she concluded her story, Ericka shared a simple yet meaningful message for BINUS University students and the younger generation. “For everyone, especially those who want to learn in many places, you have to be willing to try. Sometimes opportunities come, but we’re afraid of them. In fact, if we’re willing to try and work hard, the learning experience can be extraordinary.”

According to Ericka, BINUS University provides many opportunities for students to explore and try new things. Her fast-track journey in completing a Master of Management (MM) program, straight out of undergraduate-level classes, was comparable in terms of mindset development to an MBA. However, it’s just one of many available opportunities. 

Beyond the fast track, students can choose other pathways aligned with their interests or career goals, such as research, internships, entrepreneurship, or studying abroad.

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After completing both her undergraduate and graduate studies through the fast-track pathway, Ericka Verena Sarboni is now developing her career as an education consultant. Her academic journey in Business Management – MM (Master of Management) at BINUS Business School serves as an inspiring example of courage in embracing the learning process.

Despite moments of doubt and fear, Ericka continued to move forward and make the most of the opportunities available at BINUS University. She has proven that a learning process undertaken with commitment can shape a more open, critical mindset, one that is ready to face the professional world.