The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) UNY lost one of its best alumni when Dr. (H.C.) Drs. H. Darsono passed away last Saturday (30/12). Darsono graduated from Cooperative Economics Education when UNY was still the Yogyakarta State Teachers' Training College (IKIP Negeri Yogyakarta). Born and raised in a lower-economy family, Darsono had to work while attending high school and college. After graduating, Darsono had a number of jobs, ranging from a high school teacher, doing the electronics business, to an office boy.

Darsono then founded the Sasmita Jaya Foundation which acquired the management of Universitas Pamulang. He realized his dream to help the underprivileged get higher education at this university. Universitas Pamulang stipulates that tuition fees are cheap and can be affordable to the lower middle class. From previously having more lecturers than students, now Universitas Pamulang already has tens of thousands of students from various community groups. Today Sasmita Jaya not only manages Universitas Pamulang but several private universities and schools.

Due to this contribution, Darsono was invited several times to television stations until later he received the title "Honorary Doctor" in Higher Education Management by the Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta in 2018. After getting a doctoral degree, he continued to try to run various businesses to support his educational institutions. Now Sasmita Jaya has a number of other business lines such as a bottled water company, a people’s bank credit, to contractor companies.

UNY invited him several times to be a keynote speaker, especially at alumni events. His contribution and passion in the field of education certainly deserve to be an example for anyone. Hopefully, there will be the 'next Darsonos' who are struggling to provide access to quality education for the underprivileged. (fdhl-ed:ekky)