By: Jemima Frieda Lumbantobing

Students from the Undergraduate Program in Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), have achieved a proud accomplishment at the 2025 National Sociology Student Competition organized by the Indonesian Association of Sociology Study Programs (APSSI). In this national-scale competition, FISIP USU students won 1st place in the Popular Essay category and 3rd place in the Creative Video category.

The competition, themed “National Awakening and the New Government Towards Golden Indonesia 2045,” opened on March 15, 2025, and included several rigorous selection stages—from work submission and evaluation to the top 10 selection. The winners were announced on May 22, 2025, both online and offline at Teuku Umar University, Banda Aceh.

In the Popular Essay category, Muhammad Rizky Ramadhan (Sociology 2023) won 1st place with his essay "Memes as the New Face of Patriotism in the Digital Era of Youth." The essay explored how memes have become a medium for younger generations, especially Gen Z, to express social criticism and nationalistic spirit. “Gen Z tends to prefer quick and instant things, including how they receive information. Memes have become their tool to convey messages, including criticisms of the government,” said Rizky. He added, “I believed I could win because the theme I chose was unique, and I prepared thoroughly with the support of my friends.”

The student team, which secured third place in the Creative Video category, also made a commendable achievement. The team, comprising Fran Zebua, Tesa Paulina Sinamo, Putri Miranda Panjaitan, NC Grace Berampu, and Claudia Hepny (Sociology 2023), produced a video titled "Light from the Nation's Heart: Youth Voices Welcoming Golden Indonesia 2045." This creative video highlighted the spirit of youth who continue to innovate and create, even though they are often underestimated.


“We were confident we could win because of the quality of our presentation, which both the judges and the moderator recognized,” said Fran. Putri added, “Limited equipment and time were our main challenges, but we still gave our best effort.” Meanwhile, Tesa shared, “Despite the many obstacles during production and submission, we stayed motivated to bring pride to our university.”

The students acknowledged that their success was inseparable from the motivation and guidance provided by their lecturers in the Undergraduate Program in Sociology. The continuous moral support from the idea development stage to the final presentation helped boost their confidence during the competition.

FISIP USU’s Vice Dean III, Dr. Harmona Daulay, S.Sos., M.Si., who also serves as Chair of APSSI, stated that this year saw a significant increase in participants compared to the previous year. “This year, there were around 300 participants from all over Indonesia, and the Undergraduate Program in Sociology at FISIP USU sent six participants,” she said. She added that this event is essential for students to express their sociological ideas. “This competition can become a valuable track record for students. For those who haven’t participated yet, don’t hesitate to start, because a good piece of work is completed,” she encouraged.

This achievement demonstrates that students can bring national recognition to their university with enthusiasm, creativity, and teamwork. Hopefully, this success will inspire other students to continue creating and competing.