The Department of Language Development of the Veterinary Science Community (VSC) FKH UGM conducted a Motivation Letter event on Saturday, September 7, 2024, in Seminar Room 2, Building V4 FVM UGM. The Motivation Letter event consists of a seminar and workshop focused on the creation of motivation letters. This initiative targets all undergraduate students in Veterinary Medicine at UGM and was attended by 31 participants. The aim of this event is to enhance knowledge, refine skills, and train students in the proper and correct writing of motivation letters, while also fostering a competitive spirit among students and implementing the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their activities.
On this occasion, the Motivation Letter committee had the privilege of inviting Bryan Arianto Tanuwidjaja, an exemplary student at Universitas Gadjah Mada. Bryan’s remarkable achievements, including being a recipient of the Tanoto Foundation scholarship and the 1st place winner at Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, among others, served as significant motivation for the committee to select him as a speaker for this event.
The event commenced with opening remarks from the chief executive, Lukas Ivander Mario Andrean, followed by the chairman of the VSC FKH UGM 2023/2024, Bramasta Cahyo Saputra, and the VSC supervisor, Dr. drh. Vista Budiariati, M.Sc. This was followed by a seminar session, which was moderated by Yashinta Amperawati, a member of the VSC research department. During this seminar, participants and presenters engaged in an interactive exchange of material. The topics covered included tips and techniques for writing a motivation letter, important considerations when crafting a motivation letter, the objectives of creating a motivation letter, as well as supplementary information on scholarships and the application process, including strategies for succeeding in scholarship selection.
After the seminar session concluded, participants engaged in a games session designed to enhance concentration and rejuvenate their minds. The committee facilitated the games, which involved group activities centered around completing crossword puzzles that incorporated content from the seminar. The games session was lively and highly interactive, fueled by the participants’ enthusiasm. It is anticipated that this games session will help reinforce the material presented in the seminar.
Next, a workshop session followed, during which participants engaged in crafting motivation letters in both English and Indonesian. This session was facilitated by the speaker, allowing participants to seek clarification on any unclear points directly. Several motivation letters produced by participants were reviewed in real-time by the speaker. Feedback ranged from minor details to common errors, which were collectively discussed, enhancing participants’ understanding of the material presented.
The Motivation Letter activity aligns with SDGs goal 4, which emphasizes quality education, with a focus on enhancing the quality of human resources. The ongoing outcome of the Motivation Letter activity is that participants are anticipated to apply the knowledge acquired in practical situations, such as securing their desired job, obtaining scholarships, fostering positive working relationships, and other beneficial outcomes closely associated with the motivation letter. This aligns with the aim of SDG goal 8, which pertains to decent work and economic growth.
The overall execution of the motivation letter activity proceeded without major issues. However, there were a few minor errors, including the unavailability of certain equipment and some items that were not ready for the activity. This serves as a reminder for the next committee to ensure that all necessary preparations are made in advance and with greater attention to detail.
Contributor: Amanda Restu Anggraini