On Wednesday, 13 October 2021, UPI held the third graduation session for the 2021 academic year, in which 392 FPMIPA students also took part in the ceremony either in person or online. Covid-19 pandemic still restricts almost every aspect of education, including the missed opportunity to have a lasting memory from an in-person graduation ceremony; we are proud and thankful to all the graduates because 42% of FPMIPA’s graduated with cum laude distinction. Moreover, one graduate even graduated as the best graduate for UPI’S magister program (Yohannes, M.Pd. form Mathematics Education program) while another was elected as student’s speaker at the graduation ceremony (Rossy Andini Herindra Putri, S.Pd., Science Education program).

Graduate is derived from the Latin word gradus, meaning “to step” or figuratively “to step towards something.” Thus, as we escorted them to the beginning of their step towards their futures through this graduation ceremony, we wish that what the faculty has taught and equipped them throughout their time at FPMIPA could be used as tools in facing life’s struggles and problems. Echoing William Ralph Inge in his “The Training of the Reason” piece in 1917, we also sincerely hoped our graduates would instill the essence of the true aim of education: the knowledge not of facts but values. They will become an objective and reasonable yet wise contributor to the community.