39th IIUM Convocation: Two Best Students secrets to success

By Muammar Hadi Marzuki

GOMBAK, 5 December 2023: Two best students, Haleema Kifayatullah and Mohammad Sirajudddin Bin Jamaludeen Maricar, shared with IIUM Today in an exclusive interview, on how they won their awards.

Haleema Kifayatullah was the Best Student of the Department of Business Administration while Mohammad Sirajuddin was Best Student of the Department of Finance. Both award winners were from the Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences (KENMS). Both award winners received their scrolls in the eighth session of the 39th IIUM Convocation Ceremony last Wednesday (29 November).

Haleema mentioned that her source of motivation was her ambition to have good grades and the self-satisfaction and recognition that came with it. Every time she saw her results after putting in hard work, she would say, “Its like a happy ending.”

“Being awarded as Best Student was a surprise to me not because I did not deserve it because there were so many students that worked just as hard,” she added. She also said that they deserved the recognition as much as she did.

She confessed that there was no secret to her success but revealed that she only studied smart, was respectful to her lecturers and peers and said to herself, “I would do everything in my power to attain academic excellence.”

“My only advice is to manage your time well so that you will not be overwhelmed by your studies,” she added. For her, students will be surprised at how much difference it makes to prioritise the important things in life and to take care of their mental and physical health.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sirajudddin, shared that his source of motivation was his parents because he noticed how much his parents worked very hard and saved money in order to allow him to complete a degree and win an award.

“I don’t have any secrets, however I always practised waking up early, as early as before Subuh prayer, before my examinations,” he shared. He did this because in the morning his mind was fresh and can absorb information easily.

He advised students not stress themselves too much over their studies, to not set unrealistic goals, to complete all assignments early and to respect their parents and lecturers and ask them for blessings and prayers as, “This can lead to your success,” he concluded.***