Detail

Meet Rini Kusyuniati, whose interest in travel and business led her to pursue and excel in the Diploma in International Business (DIB) at Singapore Polytechnic (SP).

Awaiting the start of her PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) at the time of this interview, SP alumna Rini Kusyuniati is no stranger to exciting opportunities.

As a student with dyslexia, she embraced her challenges by gaining experience in the working world. She attended a wide range of courses, developed her confidence and interpersonal skills through client-facing presentations, and got the opportunity to travel to Vietnam to learn more about Southeast Asian markets. With support from her lecturers, Rini is now pursuing a PhD in Philosophy.

Why International Business?

At the time she graduated from secondary school, DIB was still a new course. Having always wanted to pursue something in business with a focus on travel and international exposure, DIB felt like the right fit for Rini.

DIB required Rini to take several modules, ranging from global topics of International Relations to business modules like Principles of Accounting, and even language classes in Spanish and French. When it came to preparing for client meetings, SP provided the much-needed exposure that students required to be well-versed in presenting.

“Our final-year project where we got to create an entire business plan from scratch was the highlight of DIB. Getting to work on a year-long project with an actual client was an eye-opening and great experience! We did well and got to visit Vietnam to learn about different businesses in the Southeast Asian market.”

In addition to her academically packed schedule, Rini took up extra co-curricular activities (CCAs) such as skateboarding and deejaying.

Lecturers that inspire

When asked about SP lecturers who supported her throughout her studies, Rini spoke fondly of Rajan and how his guidance helped her grow as a person.

“Since my first year in SP, Rajan knew I had dyslexia but he never gave me any special treatment because of it. He was just more aware of things that could help me improve such as introducing me to networking opportunities. As a student, that’s pretty huge. It was these types of little things that helped me grow as a person.”

Rajan was also the lecturer Rini turned to when she found herself at a crossroads after graduation. After several internships in the corporate world, she realised she didn’t want a career where she had to look at numbers and charts everyday. Rajan encouraged her not to lock herself into any one industry when there were others out there for her to explore. His support gave her the inspiration and encouragement to pursue a different career pathway.

SP taught the importance of confidence

Rini shared that her most important takeaway from SP was gaining confidence in writing, speaking and the way she communicates. DIB trained her on how to carry herself in the corporate world which gave her the confidence to network with working professionals.

“Talking to people in the corporate environment gave me confidence when presenting. So, I know how to present myself, how to answer and how to conduct myself. I know what is expected of me, and it makes it easier to grasp things in the working world much quicker.”

Advice for SP graduates

While reminiscing about her time at SP when she was 17, Rini notes that her worldview has now changed completely. Compared to her current aspirations, her previous goals for career and self-development were vastly different. She shared that the Singapore education system gives individuals the flexibility to change their goals and what they eventually want to do. Rather than being afraid of change, she encourages SP alumni to embrace it.

When asked why she made the leap to philosophy from business, she explains that it came down to passion. “When I was working in the corporate world, although I enjoyed it, I was not passionate about it. Thinking about having to sustain my energy for work in that environment for another ten years felt draining to me. However, after completing my degree at NTU in Philosophy, it saddened me to know that my journey with Philosophy had come to an end. I had a strong desire to continue philosophical discussions and that’s when I realised that my passion lies in doing Philosophy. So, I think that finding your passion, the thing that keeps you going is extremely important to becoming happy and successful on your terms.”

Ms Rini Kusyuniati
PhD in Philosophy Student, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Diploma in International Business (DIB), 2014