Seventeen of the best sons and daughters of West Papua – Indonesia graduated from Corban University, Salem City in the state of Oregon on Saturday, 4 April 2024. The graduates from various provinces in West Papua finally proved the results of their hard work studying at one of the best universities in Oregon, United States.

Indonesian Consul General San Francisco, Prasetyo Hadi, who was present directly at the graduation ceremony, expressed his pride “This shows that perseverance, discipline, hard work in studying will produce the expected results,” said Prasetyo.

The graduation ceremony is the thing that students from West Papua are most looking forward to. Having faced the problem of arrears in scholarship payments under the special autonomy scheme, this did not dampen their enthusiasm and steps. “West Papuan students have experienced problems with paying these scholarships several times, but they have shown the opposite, actually achieving very good academic scores and successfully graduating on time this year,” added Prasetyo.

The achievements of the graduates from West Papua are reflected in their academic achievements. Among others, Yuliyani Lily Hokoyoku, a Political Science graduate, achieved brilliant achievements with a Magna Cum Laude GPA, received appreciation from the university and received an Outstanding Applause at graduation.

The presence of the Consulate General of San Francisco also added to the happiness on their graduation day. “The Consulate General of San Francisco is like parents to us, the presence of the Consulate General and the team adds to the happiness we feel as well as the emotion because it is also the presence of parents and families who can finally come all the way from West Papua to the United States,” said Alpha Mandibondibo, one one graduate student majoring in Counseling Psychology.

With this graduation, there are around 14 West Papuan students still studying at Corban University, Salem. Prof. Dr. John Mark Yeats, President/Chancellor of Corban University, in a meeting with the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco, on the sidelines of the graduation ceremony, said that his party hoped for support from the Indonesian Government. “Indonesian students from West Papua so far appear to be very diligent, disciplined and get good academic grades,” added Yeats.

Dr. Mechelle Garret, Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President/Chancellor for Global Partnerships at Corban University. “We watched closely and received reports from the lecturers who taught that the enthusiasm for learning from West Papuan students was extraordinary and that was an important asset for their future when they returned to Indonesia,” added Mechelle.

On the sidelines of the graduation ceremony, several graduates expressed their plans for the future. There are those who plan to broaden their knowledge and gain experience by taking part in internship programs (optional practical training) at several companies, there are also those who plan to continue their studies at Master’s and Doctoral levels. Apart from that, several graduates also plan to return to Indonesia, to contribute their knowledge and insight to development and progress in West Papua.