We love to learn from our alumni and this Global Alumni Engagement blog features Penn State’s remarkable global alumni on a weekly basis. This week we interviewed Fairuziana Humam ’16.

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Fairuziana was born and raised in Aceh, Indonesia. She graduated from the Community Psychology and Social Change Master’s Program at Penn State Harrisburg in 2016. Upon graduation, she returned to Indonesia and worked at University of Indonesia as a researcher and lecturer in community psychology. She returned to the U.S. in 2019 to accompany her husband for his master’s in Boston, while applying for PhD programs and doing research on Muslim mental health. She has recently started her PhD in Community Well Being at University of Miami in Fall 2021.

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What made Penn State stand out as the place you wanted to attend college?

Fairuziana: The first reason is the program. I am looking to study community psychology, which is a small field in psychology that learns about the influence of social structure on people’s wellbeing and how to create social change. There’s only a few community psychology master’s programs in the U.S., but Penn State has one of them, and my professor, Holly Angelique, is one of the senior and well known community psychologists in the U.S. She has shown a positive impression since I reached out and showed interest in the program. I am very proud to be an alumni of the program. Unfortunately the program is now phased out due to under enrollment and lack of funding support. Secondly, someone from Indonesia previously attended the same program, so I chose Penn State over the other community psychology program that accepted me.

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Tell us about a Penn State moment that you carry with you now as a graduate/professional.

Fairuziana: Wow, there’s so much that I carry with me until now from my time at Penn State. As I aspired to hone my research skills, Penn State gave that opportunity by having a research week and poster presentation at Penn State UP. I remember during the first year I signed up to become a poster judge, and the second year I presented a poster from my thesis. It was presented both at Penn State UP and Harrisburg. Poster presentation was a thing and students received a lot of support for poster making, up until the accommodation traveling to and back from UP. I also learned that presenting a poster is not a second class presentation. It’s more fun and engaging. I haven’t seen other campuses having that event. That kind of experience and standard is something that I carry with me, as a researcher and lecturer in Indonesia, and maybe wherever I go as a scholar later. If campuses are serious in supporting research, they should think and support the logistics and everything else a student needs to succeed. Many people may know Penn State from the Football, but I can say Penn State takes research seriously too.

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What makes you proud to be a Penn Stater?

Fairuziana: I am proud because of the diversity and culture in Penn State that gives a space for everyone to grow and become who they are. Perhaps because I was at the Harrisburg campus, it was a small community where everybody would know everybody. It was a friendly and close community. I am proud that Penn State can provide a kind environment, especially for international students. The campus is like a home away from home. I love and miss that kind of community. Penn State is sensitive to acknowledge the need of international students, in all the small things, for instance providing transportation to grocery stores and weekend trips. Penn State supports a student life beyond their academics. It’s such a welcoming community.

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What is something you feel capable of accomplishing (or have accomplished!) now that you couldn’t have imagined before your time at Penn State.

Fairuziana: I know that I am capable of working hard, making good friends, as well as contributing to the community, all at the same time. Being a Penn Stater was one of the best moments in my life to see that I am capable of managing my time and energy to make everything happen. I don’t know if I still have that energy anymore, to do all at once, but I remember back in Penn State I could. It became the source of strength and confidence for me until now. Thanks to the caring and supportive circle in Penn State.

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What’s one thing that Penn State alumni can do to support today’s students? For example, with the upcoming GivingTuesday from November 15 to November 30 at Penn State (https://sites.psu.edu/globalalumni/2021/10/20/giving-tuesday/)What would you say to donors and alumni who may invest in supporting our students, especially the Penn State Global’s International Student Emergency Fund for GivingTuesday?

Fairuziana: International students come all the way to Penn State with an aspiration to become what seems impossible back home. I didn’t know that I could travel to South Africa and attend an international conference in community psychology, without a student travel fund from Penn State. Being there has impacted my career and network until now as a researcher and aspiring community psychologist, in many ways. I would imagine many other students would benefit from such funds, especially in uncertain times like now. We never know what a student can contribute later to the society for who they become, but we know that our support today will unlock whatever struggle they are facing now.

I am also aware that my program, Community Psychology and Social Change has supported students, both domestic and international, to enroll in the program with financial aid and assistantship for many years. I was so sad to know that the program is phased out due to lack of external grant. This program has become a home to many activists, social change researchers, and those in the social service field for more than 20 years. I hope alumni can support my program to be active again. It’s a timely moment for students from the U.S. and around the world to learn the impact of social and structural changes in the community and support the community’s well being.

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Tell us a bit of your current life, such as your family and community engagement.

Fairuziana: After Penn State, I returned to Indonesia and became a lecturer and researcher at the University of Indonesia. I moved back to the U.S. and lived in Boston with my husband who was doing his master’s. I continue doing research while applying for PhD programs. I was accepted in the program that I want to be, Community Wellbeing at University of Miami, recently in Fall 2021, and just moved to Florida in the past 2 months. Miami is a new place for me and my husband, but we are excited to be here because the weather is warm like in Indonesia. Since the pandemic, I haven’t been able to travel home. But thanks to Zoom and other digital platforms, I can still connect with people back home. Since the pandemic started until now, and I have been involved in some speaking engagements about community mental health. It’s one of the topics that I am excited to talk about.

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What are your two pieces of advices to our current students at Penn State?

Fairuziana: One, make the most out of your time and resources in Penn State! Penn State has a lot to offer, use and try all of them. I tried everything that I could during my master’s time, something that I may not do anymore as a PhD student. Second, make good friends and have fun! Penn State is a place where you can meet some of the brightest and kindest people ever. I made many long term friendship with friends at Penn State because everyone are so sincere and kind. You may not find another place like that.

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