On May 6th, the Glenn Miller Ballroom was buzzing with excitement as 165 students prepared to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas.听Student speaker Jason Hofmann urged his peers to contribute their ideas, values and perspectives to the world by challenging the norm. Families, faculty, and staff celebrated the achievements of the graduating class.听For Aldwin Yusgiantoro, this was also a rare opportunity to have his grandmother visit the United States from Indonesia, but the visa process was proving harder than he hoped.
For Aldwin Yusgiantoro, this was also a rare opportunity to have his family visit the United States from Indonesia. Yusgiantoro was born and raised in Jakarta and his family moved to Singapore when he was 13 years old. After studying at St. Joseph Institution International, Yusgiantoro enrolled in the International Affairs Program, inspired by his uncle who received a master鈥檚 degree at CU-Boulder.
鈥淪tudying in Colorado, especially at CU-Boulder, was something I grew up hearing about, and I wanted to continue a family legacy,鈥� shares Yusgiantoro. 鈥淔ollowing in my uncle鈥檚 footsteps was natural鈥揾e鈥檚 been an admirable role model to me since I was a kid.鈥�
Family has always been at the center of Yusgiantoro鈥檚 life. In addition to his uncle, he kept a close relationship with his grandmother. Yusgiantoro鈥檚 parents easily obtained visas to attend the ceremony, but his grandmother鈥檚 visa was initially declined. He urgently wanted her to come and celebrate with his family and friends. To have her come and sit with the family and friends of his IAFS peers was important to him. He pressed on and tried again to get his grandmother a visa. Finally, less than two weeks before the ceremony, she was granted a visa to visit the United States.
鈥淣ot only did my family鈥檚 attendance make my graduation memorable, it made my entire experience at CU-Boulder incredible,鈥� declares Yusgiantoro.
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