With the international curriculum applied by Sampoerna Academy, Ratna can apply to universities in Indonesia and abroad. The education he received there encouraged him to dare to dream higher. After graduating from high school, he steadily continued his education abroad and enrolled in three universities in the United States. He received a full scholarship to continue at the University of Kentucky. The cost of living was obtained by Ratna with educational assistance funds from the Putera Sampoerna Foundation. Ratna left for the United States. His trip to America was the first time he had ever been on an airplane.
During his education at the University of Kentucky, majoring in Mathematics, Ratna felt a lot had changed from her. “I’m not shy now, it’s easier to be friends, I was quiet and didn’t have many friends,” he said. The environment is far different from his home city in Tulungagung, making Ratna a confident woman. Ratna always gets the best score (A) in her class and Matermatika is one of her favorite subjects.
To overcome his longing for Indonesia during his studies, Ratna participated in various extracurricular activities. One of them is the Muslim Student Association where Ratna serves as vice chairman. In this activity, Ratna built intimacy between Muslim and non-Muslim students to create peace and religious tolerance.
After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Ratna planned to return to Indonesia. He will apply his knowledge and develop Indonesia as a reliable future leader who is able to answer global challenges. “I will start from a small city,” he concluded
