Malaysia has never been short on talent, that much we can all agree to. Whether if it’s in the field of sciences, in music and film, or on the sporting arena, our nation has never failed to impress where it counts. And now, 24-year-old Irdina Shahriman looks to be adding yet another feather to Malaysia’s cap, after she was recently announced as the top graduate from her class at Virginia Tech!
Irdina Shahriman graduates top of her class at Virginia Tech
The Shah Alam-native, who recently gave an interview to The Star newspaper, was also the recipient of the Phi Kappa Phi medal for the College of Engineering, an award which is only bestowed upon senior graduates from the university with the highest academic standing. In her time as a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering undergraduate student, she managed to achieve an impressive cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 between 2018 and 2021.
Graduating just last year, she shares that the successes that she had obtained to this point were borne of her grit and determined belief in herself, both of which helped her overcome her fear of committing mistakes. Explaining that she wasn’t a ‘genius by nature’, Irdina said that she had always depended on hard work instead.
“I did not skip classes, I took notes diligently, and more importantly, I took the initiative to connect with my professors and classmates, which really enhanced my understanding of the subject matter,”
What’s more, she stresses the importance in embracing the learning process, and advises to carry the right intentions before translating it into action. In speaking about the education system in America, she observed that it was more skewed towards creativity and self-expression, with universities often expecting students to think beyond what they are taught.
“For instance, there was a moment where I was informed that there was no format for a lab report and it should be written however I deemed appropriate.
“As someone who had always worked in a structured environment, that pushed me out of my comfort zone,” she recounted.
This is on top of the fact that American system count on students to remain consistent with their studying, where it is common for exams to take place twice a week. In such instances, Irdina would skip going out with friends for the sake of keeping up to pace with her studies and assignments.
“Procrastination didn’t have a place in my dictionary,” she said.
The importance of self-care while studying
Despite feeling a sense of intimidation over the fact that her faculty was typically male-dominated, she said that reminding herself of her own purpose has helped immensely in adapting to the environment.
Asides from that, Irdina had also underscored the importance of maintaining good physical and mental health, and managed to strike a balance between prioritising her studies and her own well-being while studying abroad. She would typically sleep 8 hours a day, ate home-cooked meals, and exercised often. Furthermore, Irdina also advised students to plan their study breaks ahead and to set boundaries to avoid burning out.
The Yayasan Tenaga Nasional scholar, who hails from Shah Alam, is now currently awaiting for a placement within Tenaga Nasional Berhad.
“I am excited to continue my career in power engineering and contribute value to the country’s energy transition towards a more sustainable source of electricity.” she said.
Both the American Embassy to Malaysia and the Ministry of Higher Education have since taken to their social media pages to congratulate Irdina on her achievement.
Tahniah buat Irdina Shahriman, Program Pertukaran Sarjana Muda Amerika (ADTP) Yayasan Tenaga Nasional atas pencapaian cemerlang Kelas Pertama (CGPA 4.0) Sarjana Muda Kejuruteraan Kuasa Elektrik Pengkhususan Tenaga dan Sistem Kuasa Elektronik Virgina Tech, Amerika Syarikat dan pic.twitter.com/rQtq9xGajn
— Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi (@MOHEOfficial) April 6, 2022
1/ Congratulations to Irdina Shahriman for receiving the Phi Kappa Phi medallion for the College of Engineering – the award is given to the graduating senior with the highest academic standing. @virginia_tech
🔗 https://t.co/Ni55bKmeMA— U.S. Embassy KL (@usembassykl) April 4, 2022
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