UNS – Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Prof. Dr. Jamal Wiwoho symbolically drew all UNS students of Community Service (KKN) program from Magetan, West Java, on Tuesday (08/20/2019). This community service XI period of month July to June 2019, was joined in by 3.331 students spread all over Indonesia. For 45 days, the UNS students carried out thematic community service in the 20 regencies of Central Java, 9 regencies of West Java, 4 regencies of East Java, 2 regencies of Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY), and 20 regencies outside of Java.
A total of 174 UNS students were set down to serve in Magetan Regency. They were placed in two districts, namely Parang District and Nguntoronadi District. According to the work programs of Integrative Thematic Community Service in Magetan Regency, they produce numbers of featured items, such as Micro-Small-and-Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and tourism development.
“Parang District succeeded in developing MSME products, for example, Parang Selo Batik, woven bags, sambel pecel (Indonesian traditional hot peanut sauce), brans cupcakes, candied fruits, and sour syrup. Meanwhile, Nguntoronadi Regency produced aromatherapy candles, ampyang (Indonesian traditional sweet made of palm sugar and peanut), tempeh sticks and peanut cakes, catfish meatballs, bagasse crisps, sugarcane flour, and so on,” said UNS Rector, Prof. Jamal Wiwoho, in the middle of the event.
He hopes, this community service program could give lessons of life because living among the society was not just a theory. “The venues of KKN are the real-life laboratory, while in the campus is the laboratory of theories,” he explained.
Before settling on the location of KKN, they had passed a feasibility study so that they were already equipped with competence needed in each location. Such as in Magetan, the developed programs are MSME and tourism. On the other hand, in Rote Regency of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), the solar panels were developed to lit the people’s houses.
Furthermore, he stated that thematic community service was designed differently for each region. Meanwhile, Magetan Regent, Suprawoto, on this occasion, appreciated the UNS community service program and hoped that the program will be extended soon.
“After coming from the locations of KKN back to campus, I expect the students can participate in marketing the Magetan’s local products. As well as develop in the tourism sector. In the future, I am going to make Magetan as a unique regency,” he concluded. Humas UNS/Try