BY NEVILLE TIMOTHY SANDERS & RASHEEQA BAHIDA
KOTA SAMARAHAN: For 48-year-old Siti Asfajarina Salleh, graduating with a Bachelor of Administrative Science (Honours) degree was not just about earning a scroll.
The oldest graduate for this year’s Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UITM’s) 102th convocation ceremony said that it was about fulfilling a dream that had been nurtured for decades.
“Seeing my friends with their degrees inspired me to push myself, which I started in 2019.
“At the same time, I wanted to honour the wishes of my family,” she said when met by reporters after receiving her degree at the ceremony at UITM Jubilee Hall, Sarawak Branch, here today.
A diploma holder in accounting, Asfajarina began her career in the private sector before joining Yayasan Sarawak in 2016 as an assistant administrative officer.
But as the years went by, she realised that to grow in her career, she needed to return to the classroom.
“At Yayasan Sarawak, we communicate a lot with students. I wanted to set an example for them that age should never be a barrier to learning,” she added.
Balancing her responsibilities as a wife, mother and working professional was not without its challenges. Yet, she found strength in the people closest to her.
“Time management was the biggest struggle.
“Alhamdulillah, my husband was very supportive, my children are already grown, and even my workplace gave me the flexibility to sit for exams. That really motivated me,” she stated.
Her choice to pursue administrative science stemmed from her day-to-day experiences at work.
“My background was accounting, but in my current role I deal more with people. This field helped me improve my communication skills and confidence,” she said.
Asfajarina also hopes her journey can inspire other working women and parents to take the leap.
“Don’t be afraid. With the right support from your husband, children and parents, anything is possible. The key is to manage your time wisely and keep improving yourself,” she added.
Although she admitted feeling outa of place at first among younger classmates, she soon discovered she was not alone.
“Most were fresh from diploma, but I also had classmates in their 40s and even older. That gave me confidence to keep going,” she said.
Asked if she plans to pursue higher levels of study, Asfajarina said she prefers to wait. For now, her focus is on her children.
“My daughter is now pursuing her study in UITM. UiTM is in our heart always,” she said.
