TANJUNG MALIM: A Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) graduate’s wish was for her father to see her going up on stage to proudly receive the scroll but alas, life didn’t go according to script as he succumbed to stage four nasal cancer.
Juline Ulana, 24, from Ranau, Sabah, who received a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, said flight tickets were already bought for the family, including her ailing father Ulana Monteri, 64, a month ago.
The eighth of nine siblings who completed her studies in July said she even worked part-time at a hotel and restaurant to afford the tickets for yesterday’s 25th UPSI Convocation ceremony.
“I bought the tickets a month ago but he asked me to cancel his ticket as his health was deteriorating fast. The next thing I know, as soon as we (with her mother and brother) arrived at our accommodation here, my brother reluctantly told me that my father passed away at 3.30 pm on Tuesday,” she said when met at the convocation here.
Juline struggled with her feelings, happy to get her degree but shattered to lose her beloved father.
She recalled that her father once told her that he could attend the convocation ceremony despite his deteriorating health condition, as he could still walk then. However, about two weeks before the convocation day, he told her to count him out.
Juline returned to Ranau tonight with her mother Randisah Malonggin, 60, and brother Julian, 27, for her father’s funeral. Her original flight plan was Nov 24.
At today’s convocation, Permaisuri of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim presented the Royal Education Award as well as the Chancellor’s Gold Medal Award, the University Board of Directors Gold Medal (Leadership), the Vice-Chancellor’s Gold Medal Award to the recipients.
A total of 7,616 graduates are receiving their scrolls at the 25th UPSI convocation, which started today until Nov 29. Of that number, 121 are awarded doctor of philosophy, master’s degree (1,487), bachelor’s degree (4,249) and 916 received Diploma in Postgraduate Education. – BERNAMA
