Yogyakarta, October 2025 — The American Studies Graduate Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2025, marking an important milestone in the academic journey of its students. The ceremony took place on 21 and 22 October 2025 at Grha Sabha Pramana (GSP), where graduates gathered with their families, faculty members, and peers to commemorate the successful completion of their master’s studies.
Reni Renatawati, Aldila Zulfa, Gilang Hardia, Adhysti Keinar, Birgitta Ardhana, Mazaya Elsa, Ahdi Sakha, Feri Hidayat, and Mutiara Ramadhania are among this year’s graduates who have consistently shown commitment and academic success throughout their academic careers. After completing the American Studies program, each graduate produced a master’s thesis that explored a variety of cultural, political, and social issues related to the study of America and its global intersections, reflecting the department’s interdisciplinary approach.
The Class of 2025 demonstrated their analytical prowess and intellectual curiosity by presenting a variety of intriguing study topics. The following were some of the featured theses:
“The Influence of American Rock and Roll on the Hybridity of Rhoma Irama’s Dangdut Music” examines the blending of Indonesian and Western musical identities as well as transnational cultural flows. Birgitta Neswari’s article, “Climate Change and Women Subjugation through June, Serena, and Emily in The Handmaid’s Tale series,” examined how the climatic catastrophe compelled the subordination of women in the series. Another subject is “The American Dream Paradox: The Korean Immigrant Experience in Minari,” which examines immigrant identity, adversity, and cultural assimilation in relation to the American Dream myth.
These subjects highlight the special advantages of American Studies as a field that inspires students to study America as a cultural phenomenon that interacts with social history, regional identities, and global narratives rather than as a stand-alone subject. Faculty members showed pride in the cohort’s accomplishments throughout the graduation days. The graduates received recognition for their solid research background, perseverance throughout the challenging writing process, and capacity to use an interdisciplinary perspective to address both domestic and international concerns. Their academic achievements are also viewed as a contribution to the Faculty of Cultural Sciences’ larger goal of developing critical, adaptable, and socially conscious scholars.
The powerful atmosphere at Grha Sabha Pramana was both a period of transition and a celebration of scholastic achievement. Numerous graduates expressed their appreciation to instructors, coworkers, relatives, and friends who helped them along the way with their master’s degree. The event turned into a final chapter marked by tenacity, cooperation, and mutual development. The perspectives and principles cultivated throughout their time at UGM are carried by the Class of 2025 as they enter the next phase of their academic and professional lives. While some intend to pursue doctoral studies, others want to work in domains that resonate with the interdisciplinary knowledge developed during their master’s program, such as education, research, cultural institutions, public policy, media, and international affairs.
The American Studies Program extends its warmest congratulations to all graduates of the Class of 2025. Their success stands as a testament to their hard work and to the program’s ongoing commitment to developing scholars who are globally conscious, critically minded, and ready to contribute to society.
