Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

Marcheline Natasya Santoso has been named the best and youngest graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) for the first academic year 2024/2025 graduation period. A student of the Accounting 2021 program, she completed her studies in just 3 years and 1 month at 20 years, 8 months, and 26 days, with an impressive GPA of 3.91.

Marcheline's story captivated many - not only for being the youngest and best graduate but also for securing a position as an Assurance Associate at Ernst & Young (EY) Indonesia before officially graduating. Marcheline's achievements stand out among the thousands of undergraduate and applied bachelor graduates who will be honored at the Grha Sabha Pramana (GSP) UGM on 20-21 November.

Born in Pekalongan, Marcheline is the eldest daughter of entrepreneurs Ronny Santoso (48) and Ratnawati (46). Her passion for accounting began in high school, leading her to choose the FEB UGM Accounting program as her first choice. She was admitted through the National Merit-Based Program (SNBP) in 2021.

Reflecting on her academic journey, Marcheline expressed disbelief at the speed and success with which she completed her degree.
"I still can't believe I managed to be the best and fastest graduate. Initially, my only goal was to finish on time," she said after the graduation ceremony on Thursday, 21 November 2024.

For her thesis, Marcheline studied "The Effect of Profitability and Leverage on Tax Avoidance Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic (An Empirical Study of Mining Companies Listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange)" under the supervision of Aviandi Okta Maulana, S.E., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Prestigious awards in national and international competitions have accompanied Marcheline's remarkable academic journey. In 2022, she won 1st place in the paper competition at the 10th Bakrie University Accounting Fair. In 2023, she won 3rd place in the Essay Competition at the Accounting Parade at Lampung University, 1st place in the Youth Creative Idea Competition YCI Sociopreneur, Best Group in the EY Indonesia Audit Workshop, and 2nd place in the Tax Competition Project at Diponegoro University. More recently, in 2024, Marcheline won 3rd place in the KTI 12th Accounting Fair at Bakrie University, 2nd runner-up in the Deloitte Tax Challenge, 1st runner-up in the ATV Audit Competition at the University of Indonesia, 3rd place in the EFL Business Case Competition at Semarang State University, 1st runner-up in the Satya Wacana National Accounting Competition at UKSW, 1st place in the Marketeers Innovation Challenge x Pertamax Green 95, and 1st place in the IMA Asia Pacific Student Case Competition.

In addition to her academic and competitive success, Marcheline was active in student organizations, including the Global Leadership Forum (GLF) FEB UGM, IMAGAMA, and the IMA Student Chapter UGM. She strategically managed her time by setting semester-based goals - focusing on internal organizations in her early years, taking on leadership roles in subsequent semesters, and dedicating time to competitions when her organizational commitments eased.

Marcheline attributes much of her success to the supportive learning environment at FEB UGM, highlighting the invaluable peer guidance and resources provided by the Career and Student Development Unit (CSDU).
"The CSDU was incredibly helpful, especially with training such as public speaking, which prepared us for competitions," she said.

Marcheline expressed her gratitude for being part of FEB UGM. She not only gained academic knowledge but also valuable lessons on professionalism, which have helped her grow and achieve success both in her studies and various competitions.

"During my time at FEB UGM, one of the ethical values I learned was professionalism. This value served as a foundation for building discipline and commitment, both during my studies and in competitions," she explained.

Before graduating, Marcheline was offered a permanent position with Ernst & Young Indonesia, having first applied for a junior auditor internship through EY Campus Hiring at UGM. She successfully passed all stages of the selection process and secured the position until July/August 2024, with a start date set for November.

She advises students looking for internships to actively seek out opportunities through company websites, faculty, or university channels and to use LinkedIn connections. Consistency and confidence are critical.
"Don't let FOMO get to you. Seeing others succeed shouldn't discourage you; instead, it should inspire you to work towards your path," she said.

Reportage: Najwah Ariella Puteri
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum

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