UMS Student Earns Second Place in Podcast Competition

A team of Communication Science students from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) won second place in the Podcast Competition category at the MIK Communication Festival hosted by Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta.

Head of the UMS Communication Science program, Sidiq Setyawan, S.I.Kom., M.I.Kom., expressed his pride in the students’ achievement. “On behalf of the institution, I am certainly proud of this accomplishment, especially since this is our second attempt after becoming finalists last year. Alhamdulillah, this year we secured second place with a new formulation,” explained Sidiq, Sunday (16/11/2025).

Sidiq advised students to consistently cultivate a competitive atmosphere through participation in student competitions across various universities.

The team, named Alpha UMS, consists of three students: Dzaky Zaura, Rikko Fajar Nugraha, and Roni Ari Fauzi. Team Alpha earned praise for presenting a podcast titled “Be Bold Leaders: Beyond The Innovation,” in which they incorporated comedic elements.

Rikko, one of the team members, said that the comedic approach they added was intended to make the podcast fresher and more inclusive. According to him, podcasts on leadership often use language that is difficult for the general public to understand.

“This topic is quite heavy, leadership, data, and narratives like that can be lightened by wrapping them in comedy so it becomes more entertaining,” said Rikko.

He added that the team prepared for less than a month. The short preparation period meant they only met three to four times for practice. “We prepared for about a month, but the intensive meetings were for less than two weeks,” he added.

They mentioned that the UMS Communication Science Program also provided full support by offering access to the studio lab for practice, transportation, registration fees, and even a road manager who assisted them during the competition held on 8 November 2025.

Dzaky stated that the program’s support was not only in terms of facilities and infrastructure, but also through positive reinforcement. “Alhamdulillah, the facilities for practice supported us well, and what mattered most was the mental support,” said Dzaky.

Nervousness became the main challenge before the podcast took place. According to him, anxiety before appearing in public is normal. “Don’t turn nervousness into a weakness. Turn that nervousness into fuel,” he said.

Most recently, they have been developing a podcast called “Podcast Kamar Kos,” which has released two episodes. This podcast can be found on the Spotify platform and is accessible to everyone.

Writer: Zaatuddin, Roselia

Editor: Fika Annisa Sholihah

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid