For Grace Zefanya Octovella Situmorang (21), campus was not merely a place to gain knowledge, but also a space to grow, explore, and build networks. From classrooms to international organizations, she maximized every opportunity that came her way. This journey eventually led her to be named the Best Graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) UGM in the August 2025 graduation period. She graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.97, completing her studies in 3 years, 11 months, and 1 day.
Grace, an economics student from the 2021 cohort, never set her sights on earning this title. Instead, she held on to a simple principle: to make the most of her time on campus by learning, growing, and enjoying the process. Unexpectedly, this mindset paved the way for her remarkable achievement.
“From the beginning, becoming the best graduate was never my goal. I focused on maximizing my university life by optimizing my time on campus to grow. So, receiving this recognition feels beyond my expectations and is a valuable bonus,” she said in a recent interview.
Her four-year journey at UGM was not always smooth. The greatest challenge during her studies was managing her time, energy, and consistency. Grace balanced her focus between lectures, organizations, research, and competitions.
The challenges concerned time management, energy, stress, and consistency. There were times when I had to divide my attention between classes, committees, research, and competition preparations. But from those experiences, I learned a lot—discipline, prioritization, the importance of self-awareness, and the value of having a strong support system,” said the daughter of Roberto Situmorang and Sri Hariningsih.
Throughout her studies, Grace left her mark in various organizations, including the Student Executive Board (BEM) of FEB UGM, the Forum for Economic Studies and Discussions (FSDE), Girl Up UGM, and ShARE UGM, where she served as President of Overall Management. FEB UGM also opened many international doors for her, such as the IISMA program at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and numerous global competitions. In 2024, she was named the 2nd Most Outstanding Student of FEB UGM.
At both national and international levels, Grace earned multiple achievements, such as 1st Runner-Up at the ICAEW Business Challenge 2024 and the Most Agile Team award at the ICAEW International Business Challenge 2024, 1st Runner-Up at the HSBC Business Case Competition 2023, and 1st Runner-Up at the Pangsa Essay Competition 2023 on ASEAN’s electric vehicle potential. She also won the Telkomsel X Marketeers X-Fest Product Innovation Challenge 2023 with Kuncie, received the Bank Indonesia Scholarship for the 2023–2024 period, was selected as a curator for the Gadjah Mada Entrepreneur Expo Business Plan Competition 2022, placed 2nd Runner-Up at the Ambition Marketing Impact Competition 2021, and 1st Runner-Up at the Start-Up Idea Competition by WICAN 2021. These accomplishments highlight her consistent track record across academics, leadership, organizational involvement, and international competitions.
According to Grace, all these experiences provided her with opportunities to sharpen her leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. She admitted that FEB played a significant role in shaping who she is today. One of the values she experienced intensely was academic freedom, reflected in her continuous eagerness to learn and grow from students, staff, and faculty members. Other values such as professionalism, integrity, and social responsibility also stood out significantly.
“FEB UGM provides academic knowledge and countless opportunities to network, join organizations, and try new things. I believe everyone here can become the best version of themselves,” she shared.
Grace offered a simple yet meaningful message at the end of the conversation. She encouraged fellow students still on their academic journey to always give their best in every opportunity and enjoy the process along the way.
“Give your best in every opportunity and always enjoy the process! There’s no need to compare yourself with others; focus on becoming the best version of yourself. If you enjoy the process, good results will follow,” she advised.
Report by: Orie Priscylla Mapeda Lumalan
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptinigrum
Relevant Sustainable Development Goals
