SEMARANG – The skyrocketing favor of Faculty of Psychology, Diponegoro University (UNDIP), as the main choice in National Selection for State Universities (SNMPTN) 2021 is not happening all at once. These achievements are form of contribution from many people in Faculty of Psychology.
The Dean of Faculty of Psychology, Prof. Dian Ratna Sawitri, S.Psi., M.Sc., Ph.D, is one of figures who has main role in making Undip Psychology Study Program as favorite study program. Prof. Witri – as she is usually called, responded wisely while being asked about her opinion. “Hard work has been initiated by our seniors at Faculty of Psychology. University leaders also provide maximum support so that we at the faculty have sufficient space to carry out various innovations in attracting prospective students,” said the woman who was born in Semarang, September 1st 1978.
Born, studied, and is currently domiciled in the city of Lunpia, Sawitri is the first batch students of Psychology Study Program when it was still part of Faculty of Medicine Undip and graduated in year of 2000. After earning a professional certificate in psychology in 2002, this mother of one child continues her master study to Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia and graduated in 2008. To obtain a doctorate degree, Witri studied in a kangaroo country at Griffith University, which she completed in 3 years from 2010-2013. As the Outstanding Lecturer I of Undip in 2016, she continued to pursue her study by achieving postdoctoral fellowship from Fulbright in 2015 – 2016, at Department of Educational Psychology, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, United States.
When asked about the reasons made Faculty of Psychology Undip as participants’ favorite, Sawitri thought that currently young people have a high interest in studying the science closest to themselves, namely psychology, which studies human behavior. In the same momentum, Faculty of Psychology Undip is able to seize opportunities and to fulfill curiosity of participants by giving information and guaranteeing accessibility. Accreditation A from National Accreditation Board for Higher Education which has been obtained since 2018 – similar with psychology faculties at other state universities, is also an important consideration. The level of trust is also increased because Faculty of Psychology Undip which is supported by 38 lecturers and 35 educational staffs, already has Psychology Masters Study Program.
“It should also be noted, interest in studying in the city of Semarang has recently continued to increase since it is a fun and safe city with relatively cheap cost of living. Since Trans Java Highway road is built, as well as the completion of the new Ahmad Yani Airport, access to Semarang has become more complete. This factor also cannot be ignored,” said Sawitri as native Semarang.
The wife of Abdul Azis and mother of Aditya Putri Setyanegari, in addition to intense teaching in Undip Psychology Undergraduate and Masters Study Programs, she also teaches in Master of Management Study Program at Faculty of Economics and Business and Doctor of Medical and Health Sciences Program Undip. She also had the opportunity to teach career development courses at several universities in the United States and Australia as a visiting lecturer.
As a scientist, even though she is in a structural position, this graduate of SMA Negeri 4 Semarang has also continuously writing books, conducting research and scientific publications, and becoming an editorial board member and reviewer in various reputable international journals. Dozens of scientific publications have been published in Scopus indexed journals. The most recent publications written by her as the first author are about career development of lecturers, namely “Perceived Research Environment, Motivation, and Academic Interest in Research: A Social-Cognitive Perspective” in International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, and about youth career development entitled “Adolescent-Parent Career Congruence as a Predictor of Job Search Preparatory Behavior: The Role of Proactivity” in Journal of Career Development, published in 2021.
Her works which are in line with the Tri Dharma of Higher Education and carried out in the national and international scales has finally yielded results. Entering the age of 43, this figure who is close to students and chaired the establishment of Undip Career Center (UCC) won the highest academic title: Professor. There is a lesson in itself from being a professor at Faculty of Psychology Undip.
The title of professor is indeed the ultimate goal of all academics who take part in higher education, and structural positions are a form of trust from university leaders and colleagues. However, for Sawitri, titles and positions are responsibilities that need to be balanced with real works.
She said that her journey to get to her current position is not easy. She had worked in various roles, starting as a Psychodiagnostic Laboratory Implementer, being Secretary of Undip Student Consultation Board (Badan Konsultasi Mahasiswa), Secretary of Laboratory at Faculty of Medicine Psychology Study Program, Assistant Dean II Expert Staff of Faculty of Psychology, Members of Accreditation Team, Chair of Goods Procurement Recipient/Inspector Team, to the position of Undip Assistant Rector I Expert Staff and Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation.
“Please support and pray, so that I will be able to carry out my mandated tasks. One of them is to make a real contribution to the realization of Undip as a world-class research university. By implementing priority, synergy, and adaptability, Faculty of Psychology Undip continues to improve the capacity of human resources to conduct Tri Dharma of Higher Education. It also keeps its pace on track and persistently in developing academic careers, equips educational staffs with a variety of transferable skills that are in line with advances in science and technology, gathers alumni networks and industry to support campus activities, in order to ensure quality educational services for students. We all hope for the best results,” stated Dian Ratna Sawitri. (PR team)
Translated by: Titis (Public Relations)
