Monica Khalila, a graduate of the Statistics Undergraduate Program at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics (FSM) UNDIP, class of 2018 who graduated in 2022, has successfully built her career at PT Bank Maybank Indonesia. At the Jakarta-based company, she holds an important and strategic role as CX Data & Insight.
Monica’s journey at FSM UNDIP began when she chose the Economic and Business Statistics specialization. Thanks to her dedication and consistency, she completed her studies in a relatively short time of only 3.5 years. Her academic excellence even led her to secure a job opportunity before her graduation ceremony took place.
During her university years, one of her most memorable experiences was being entrusted as a teaching assistant. Through this academic role, she learned that the process of gaining knowledge is not only about personal understanding, but also about helping others learn and grow. This valuable experience motivated her even more to continue developing herself and creating a positive impact through her work.
Her professional career began when she was accepted as a Data Analyst at Bank Indonesia. She admitted that the transition from university life to the professional world was not always easy. She had to quickly adapt to a new working environment while also learning to understand the banking industry comprehensively. Besides sharpening her technical skills, she also realized that the professional world highly values communication and teamwork abilities.
In 2023, Monica’s career advanced even further when she decided to continue her journey in the private banking industry. In her new workplace, she was given many opportunities to be involved in various projects, take on new challenges, and gradually earn greater responsibilities. Thanks to her outstanding performance, she successfully received the Best Employee award. She considers this achievement a reminder that continuous learning, consistency, and the courage to step outside one’s comfort zone can open far greater opportunities. Outside her daily work routine, she also actively develops herself by participating in various training programs, certifications, and competitions.
The year 2023 also brought a very special experience, as she received the golden opportunity to return to campus as a practitioner lecturer. She described this experience as a full-circle moment in her life. Once a student sitting in classrooms and later a teaching assistant, she eventually returned to her beloved alma mater to share real-world professional experiences with students.
Monica believes that the knowledge and experiences she gained at FSM UNDIP became an essential foundation for her career journey. The learning process in the Statistics program greatly helped her build an analytical mindset and sharpen her ability to derive insights from complex datasets. In addition, the campus learning environment shaped her mentality to remain open to learning new things and adapting quickly across industries.
To FSM UNDIP students, Monica shared a message encouraging them not to be afraid of trying new things or facing failure. According to her, what people often regret later in life is not failure itself, but the curiosity of never knowing the outcome because they were too afraid to take the first step. She emphasized that it is far better to dare to try and fail than to remain still. Through failure, people can gain valuable lessons, continue growing, and improve themselves to become even better in future opportunities.