Yogyakarta – HilmanLatief never thought he would receive Alumni Achievement Award from School of Arts and Sciences, Western Michigan University (WMU), United States of America. Ten years ago, in 2004-2005, HilmanLatief enrolled Master’s Degree in WMU with a scholarship from Fulbright. The man who had the position of director LP3M UMY since 2013 received the award as it was given by Professor Alexander Enyedi (Dean of School of Arts and Sciences) along with the other 20 award grantees in different field of studies such as Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Geo-sciences, Social and Humanities.
“I don’t expect to have this since the other grantees are usually Americans and they have great achievements in their own field, either being company CEO, researcher in NASA, professor, judge, and so on,” said Hilman, who was also the member of Cadre Education Council of Muhammadiyah Central Executive (MajelisPendidikan Kader PP Muhammadiyah) on Wednesday morning (10/28). The man who got his Doctoral degree from Utrecht University of Netherlands flew back to Western Michigan University, not to become a student just like in the past, but he was invited to give general lecture on “Islamic Charities, Transnationalism and Globalization” and attended a ceremony on award granting on October 24, 2014.
Besides being active in conducting researchers, the activist who had three kids was also active in international forum inside and outside Indonesia, and that became the reason Department of Comparative Religion WMU of bestowing the award for him. In 2010 to 2014, the man who had his Doctoral Degree from Utrecht University of Netherlands had presented fifteen studies of his in the international forums, published four books and dozens of scientific articles that were published in national and international scientific periodicals. Hilman stated that his activities were the consequence of his decision of becoming a lecturer; that was the reason he could consistently write and be productive in writing scientific articles.
“They saw my busy activities in the context of developing academic sciences in national and international presentation and publication,” continue the lecturer who was an expert in Islamic philanthropy.
He also could retrieve a lesson from the award given in that October. He thought, although he was considered as beginner in the career, it was not a reason for him not to do the best he could. “Although we are in a ‘third-world’ country, it was not a reason why we should not make something and contribute something for the world,” said the lecturer of Islamic Studies in theFaculty of Islamic Studies and Faculty of Social Sciences and Politics of UMY. (BHP UMY)(mac)