Mama's Professorial Inauguration Day

Today is a momentous occasion for my Mama as she's being inaugurated as a professor in the field of Sustainability Accounting at the Faculty of Economics, University of Sriwijaya, Indonesia. She's also the first professor from the Department of Accounting at the same university.

As I reflect on Mama's remarkable journey, I find many memories etched in my mind. Perhaps not all of them, but certainly a significant portion. Some I heard directly from her. One of my earliest memories of Mama is watching her leave for work in the morning, and I would cry uncontrollably because I simply didn't want her to go.

Mama embarked on her career as a lecturer back in 1993, shortly after her father's passing. Surprisingly, she once told me that she had never initially aspired to be a lecturer. It was destiny that guided her towards this path.

Around the year 2000 or 2001 – I can't pinpoint the exact date – she went to Malaysia to pursue her master's degree. This decision left my brother and me in the care of our father and grandmother. I was in 4th grade, and my brother in 3rd. I recall, on the day she departed, our parents took us to the bus terminal. I was clueless about what was happening until the moment she boarded the bus. It hit me then that she would be away for an extended period, and I cried inconsolably.

In 2005, our family bid farewell to Palembang and embraced a new life in Malang city, East Java. Mama continued her Ph.D. journey there. Yes, she's once a Ph.D. mom of three. Up until that point, I knew that she was the first lecturer in her department to pursue a Ph.D. degree (at that time, it was not rare for a university in Indonesia to have lecturers who were not a Ph.D.). Her graduation in 2010 marked her as the first Ph.D. holder in her department, where she had been diligently teaching.

And now, after 13 years, she is finally inaugurated as a Professor. Her journey, which I know was far from smooth sailing, was a testament to her unwavering dedication, persistence, and consistency. It's difficult to put into words just how much she has overcome. Her resilience, I must say, has left a lasting impact on my life. She's a woman with a dream, and she has instilled in me the belief that I can achieve anything I set my mind to. She's not without her imperfections, but I admire her for always giving her best in every aspect of her life. I hope to inherit her tenacity and integrity.

I regret not being present at your inauguration ceremony today, but I hung on to every word of your inauguration speech. The little girl inside me wants to shout it out to the world, "Look, that's my Mama up there!"

Congratulations, Prof. Dr. Inten Meutia, S.E., M.Acc., Ak. !

Disclaimer : grammar checks and rephrase by chatGPT from original writings