Outstanding Students
Bening Putri Nabilla, commonly known as Bening, is a Communication Science student from the Class of 2023 who was selected as the representative of the Communication Science Study Program in the 2025 Faculty-Level Outstanding Student Selection.
As a student, Bening is known for her active involvement in social initiatives and her notable achievements in public speaking. She has also participated in various committees and student organizations at both the departmental and university levels. Her passion and motivation to contribute to society have been deeply shaped by her upbringing on a remote island in the Riau Islands. Bening believes that a meaningful life is one in which she can create a positive impact on others.
This aspiration inspired Bening to present an innovative idea in her scientific paper for the Outstanding Student Selection, titled “GROWTHCLASS: The Implementation of a Growth Mindset to Enhance High School Students’ Learning Motivation in the Riau Islands Province.” The study was grounded in issues identified in her home region. Based on available data, the average level of students’ learning motivation in the Riau Islands stands at 76.2%, indicating that 23.8% of students exhibit low learning motivation.
This challenge motivated Bening to design a program called “Growth Class.” The program aims to improve students’ learning motivation through psychoeducational training using the Experiential Learning method, which consists of four stages: concrete experience (CE), reflective observation (RO), abstract conceptualization (AC), and active experimentation (AE). The program aligns with SDG 4, which promotes inclusive and quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. Furthermore, the implementation of a growth mindset is expected to contribute to other SDGs, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
“I feel truly grateful for the opportunity to represent the Communication Science Study Program and participate in the Outstanding Student Selection. Despite the tight preparation timeline, I became even more motivated and genuinely enjoyed every stage of the process. Meeting other outstanding students also inspired me to continue growing. Being selected among the top two representatives of the Class of 2023 is a personal achievement that I am very proud of,” Bening expressed with gratitude.
Bening hopes that the Outstanding Student Selection will inspire other students to strive for excellence, both academically and non-academically, while making meaningful contributions to society.
Dafina Shafa Salsabil, commonly known as Dafina, is a Communication Science student from the Class of 2022 at the Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, who was selected as the Faculty’s Outstanding Student in 2025. Dafina is known for her active involvement in both academic activities and student organizations, as well as her strong interest in social issues related to education, health, and the role of youth.
In the academic field, Dafina has achieved several accomplishments, including presenting a paper at the international-level International Conference on Social Science, Environment and Technology Development and publishing a scientific article in a national journal. She has also received multiple awards in competitions, such as Second Place in a National Essay Competition and Second Place in an SDGs Project Innovation Competition. In addition, Dafina is a recipient of the Bank Indonesia Scholarship, which has supported her academic and non-academic development throughout her studies.
Beyond academics, Dafina is actively engaged in student organizations. She serves as Director General of Commission 4 at the Communication Science Student Representative Council of Universitas Padjadjaran and as Head of the Human Resources Department at Girl Up Universitas Padjadjaran. Furthermore, she has experience as a volunteer in the program “Realizing Healthy and Stigma-Free Menstruation” organized by Girl Up Southeast Asia. This experience provided her with early insight into the limited availability of open discussions surrounding menstruation issues within society.
In the Outstanding Student Selection, Dafina presented a creative initiative titled “TEMAN BULAN: A Gamification-Based Solution to Enhance Menstrual Education.” This initiative takes the form of an educational board game aimed at improving understanding of menstruation and reducing the stigma that persists in society. It is designed as an interactive and inclusive learning medium for elementary school students—both girls and boys—particularly in Nagekeo Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Through a gamification approach and participatory communication, TEMAN BULAN is expected to serve as an alternative educational medium that is more accessible and relevant to the local social context.
Dafina stated that her experience in participating in the Outstanding Student Selection was a valuable learning process, particularly in managing time, structuring ideas more systematically, and communicating them effectively. She hopes that this experience will inspire other students to take initiative, develop their potential, and become more aware of the issues surrounding them.
Florencia Elaine, more widely known as Elaine, is an active Communication Science student who was selected to represent the study program in the Faculty of Communication Sciences Outstanding Student Selection in 2023. She has been actively involved in organizations and activities related to international student engagement, such as AIESEC, the Unpad International Office, and the English Speaking Union.
Through these experiences, she has achieved accomplishments in English debate competitions as well as in competitions aligned with her personal interests, particularly drawing. Upon being selected as the representative of the Communication Science Study Program, Elaine expressed her happiness and pride in being entrusted with this responsibility.
She presented a creative idea titled “Bangun Keluarga: Pre-Marital Counseling from the Perspectives of Interpersonal Communication and Communication Psychology.” Although she was not selected to represent the faculty at a higher level of competition, Elaine deeply appreciated the experience. She gained valuable insights from faculty judges and had the opportunity to meet many outstanding students, which further motivated her to continue excelling and developing herself.
Rudi Reynal Sulaiman, commonly known as Rudi, is a Communication Science student who represented the Communication Science Study Program in the Faculty-Level Outstanding Student Selection in 2023. He is an active student with notable achievements in the social sector, one of which is founding an organization called Gerakan Mengajar Desa (Village Teaching Movement).
Gerakan Mengajar Desa is a youth empowerment organization that mobilizes volunteers in the field of education, aiming to support the equitable distribution of education in Indonesia. Established in 2018, the organization has now expanded significantly, with branches in 28 provinces and 144 regencies/cities across Indonesia, and more than 8,500 educational volunteers. In addition, Rudi has served as the head of Cianjur Grand University Days, a student community based in Cianjur Regency, and has been invited multiple times as a speaker at various youth and education webinars at both regional and national levels.
Rudi shared his experience as the Communication Science Study Program’s representative in the Outstanding Student Selection at the faculty level. He expressed his happiness and pride in being entrusted with this responsibility. He also noted that the preparation time was relatively short, which made the experience particularly challenging.
As part of the selection requirements, Rudi developed a creative scientific proposal titled “4N Program ‘Nu Ngora Nu Ngarojong’: Creating Young Local Social Actors to Increase Community Participation in Formal Education in Nanggalamekar Village, Ciranjang District.” The phrase “Nu Ngora Nu Ngarojong” means “the youth who support or empower.” The core idea of the program is a youth empowerment approach in a village setting, where young individuals are projected to become social actors within their communities, encouraging participation in formal education through a communication-based approach. This initiative addresses the issue of low interest in formal education among the residents of the village.
“It was truly exciting to go through the requirements, the intensive preparation stages, and the highly competitive environment. This experience pushed me to push myself beyond the limit. Although I was not able to advance to the university-level selection, this experience was incredibly valuable to me,” Rudi shared.
He also conveyed a message to future participants of the Outstanding Student Selection: “Anyone who plans to participate next year should prepare thoroughly by building achievements in both academic and non-academic fields, developing innovative, measurable, and realistic ideas that can create real impact for society, and strengthening their English-speaking skills.”