UMN Student Wins Second Place in The Esa Unggul University Podcast Competition

Group photo session with Saskia at the event. (Doc. Saskia)

Tangerang—Saskia Khairunnisa, a 2024 graduate student from the Strategic Communication department at Multimedia Nusantara University, successfully secured 2nd place in the “Solo Podcast Gen Z For SDGs” competition held on Monday (June 16, 2025). Saskia presented on SDG 12, responsible consumption and production, which is also related to SDG 14, life below water.

According to Saskia, the SDGs are a pressing and important issue for the younger generation to play a significant role in bringing about change.

“Whether it’s social, environmental, or educational issues, I want to convey these messages in a creative and easily understandable way, especially to my peers,” she explained.

Discussing her opportunity to participate in the competition, Saskia said the experience taught her about performing in front of an audience.

“I could learn from previous participants and start developing strategies to make my performance stand out. Before the finalists performed, there was a talk show session with two sponsors, KB Bank and Tirto.ID, and one of the judges was the editor-in-chief of Tirto.ID. I took advantage of that moment to connect the insights I had just gained with my SDG material. That’s when I realized that performing spontaneously, with strong understanding and improvisation skills, is actually my strength,” Saskia told UMN News Service.

Saskia posing with the certificate she received. (Doc. Saskia)

Saskia also mentioned learning about the competition from one of her UMN lecturers, Kristina Nurhayati. Not only did she share information about the competition, but several UMN lecturers, including Kristina and Irwan Fakhruddin, also played a role in preparing Saskia for the competition.

I received a lot of help, not only technically but also emotionally. Mrs. Kristina Nurhayati was instrumental in providing me with information about this competition. She helped me revise my script, guided me during preparations, and even accompanied me to the final venue at Kemala Ballroom and back to UMN. Additionally, Mr. Irwan Fakhruddin provided valuable input in developing the content and presentation strategy,” she said.

Through this competition, Saskia also aims to continue exploring new opportunities and participating in various creative competitions and activities.

“I want to keep trying new things. This was my first time as a podcaster, and I really enjoyed the process. Moving forward, I’m interested in participating again in competitions or creative activities that address important issues like the SDGs, whether in the form of podcasts, videos, or short films,” she added.

She hopes this achievement will motivate other UMN students to strive for greater success in the future. Multimedia Nusantara University will continue to support its students’ development and help them become more outstanding and experienced.

By Putu Wiena | UMN News Service

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara.