Muhammad Rizal Adam is one of the alumni of the Department of Chemistry at Diponegoro University, class of 2021, who has proven that organizational experience, academic achievement, and self-development can go hand in hand. Graduating in 2025, Rizal is now pursuing his career as a Management Trainee at Unilever Oleochemical Indonesia in the Quality division.
A Memorable Beginning to University Life
Starting university during the online learning period became a unique and unforgettable experience for Rizal. One semester of virtual classes surprisingly created strong connections among students, filled with funny moments and warm interactions through online meetings.
“Even though it was online, our batch managed to socialize well and became close friends until the end of our university years,” he shared.
For Rizal, university life was not only about attending classes, but also about building relationships, discovering personal interests, and trying new experiences.
Active in Organizations and Becoming a Student Association Leader
During his university years, Rizal actively participated in organizations such as HMK and the FSM Student Senate. He was even involved in four different organizations at the same time. Through these experiences, he learned how to manage time, build communication skills, and identify the field he was truly passionate about.
One of his most memorable experiences was serving as the Chairman of the Student Association. The responsibility kept him constantly busy with coordination and communication.
“My WhatsApp was never quiet. Sometimes I even avoided opening chats because there were so many messages and questions,” he recalled with a laugh.
Despite his demanding organizational responsibilities, Rizal continued to maintain his academic performance. For him, organizations were not just places to work together, but also a second home filled with supportive friends during his time away from home.
Final Semester and the Struggle to Finish His Thesis
Entering his final semester, Rizal faced a major challenge when he had to restart his research from the beginning while having only around three months left before graduation. Although it was difficult, he managed to complete all the required processes and graduate on time.
According to him, the struggle became lighter because he went through it together with friends who were also fighting to complete their research projects.
“Finishing everything within three months felt incredible, but fortunately many friends were going through the same struggle together.”
A Lecturer Who Left a Strong Impact
Throughout his academic journey, Rizal was greatly inspired by Mr. Damar, who served as the HMK advisor, thesis supervisor, and a friendly mentor. Having supportive lecturers became one of the important factors that shaped his university experience in the Department of Chemistry at UNDIP.
Building a Career in Quality Management
After graduating, Rizal began his career as a Management Trainee at Unilever Oleochemical Indonesia in the Quality division. His responsibilities include monitoring and reporting quality analysis data across all plants, coordinating root cause analysis, corrective actions, and preventive actions whenever product deviations occur.
He also handles customer complaints, from investigation to preparing CPAR (Corrective and Preventive Action Reports), while working on various improvement projects to maintain customer safety.
Skills That Helped Him in the Professional World
Rizal believes that professional success requires a balance between hard skills and soft skills. Some of the abilities that have helped him the most include:
- General Chemistry
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI, and Power Automate)
- Effective communication
- Time management
- Agile mindset
- Critical thinking
- Data-driven analytical skills
According to him, critical thinking is essential because not every problem has an immediate or absolute answer. In the workplace, people need to evaluate issues from multiple perspectives before making decisions.
A Message for Current Chemistry Students
Rizal encourages students not to spend their university years only attending classes, but also to actively develop themselves through organizations, competitions, bootcamps, and other activities that can increase their personal value.
“Spend your university years in ways that you truly enjoy, because afterward, all that remains is yourself and the value you have built during college.”
Hopes for the Department of Chemistry
As an alumnus, Rizal hopes that the Department of Chemistry at Diponegoro University will continue to grow, improve its facilities, and produce students and alumni who make their alma mater proud.