Building a career doesn’t have to wait until you have your diploma. Naomi Ursula Prastilia, a Library and Information Science student, proves this. Actively serving as the Vice Head of Research and Data Analysis for the Faculty of Computer Science Student Executive Board (BEM FIKOM), a statistics teaching assistant, and a winner of the 2026 Liblicious Epicentrum competition, she turned her college years into a vibrant arena of mutually reinforcing activities.
Internship at TIM: When Theory Collides with Reality
Her internship experience as a librarian at the Jakarta-Cikini Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) Library was a significant turning point for Naomi. It was there that she realized that memorizing theory alone wouldn’t conquer the working world.
“The world of work is very dynamic and requires a high degree of flexibility. The theory in college is the initial foundation, but when we go into the field, we face a variety of challenges,” she said. She also learned that she must adapt solutions in the field based on existing theory, and that communicating those solutions is key to solving problems effectively.
Equally important, the internship also changed her perspective on the work environment. She previously imagined the professional world to be rigid and stressful. The reality proved otherwise: “If we have a supportive work environment and a staff that… “It’s fun, work is actually a really exciting place to learn.”
Vice Head of Research and Data Analysis, BEM FIKOM: Data Never Lies
Naomi’s role as Deputy Head of the Research and Data Analysis Department at BEM FIKOM is more than just a title. She firmly believes that data is the foundation of every good decision. “Data is honest and meaningful. “We can’t just predict social phenomena. With research and data, we can see patterns and trends, and then provide evidence-based solutions,” she said.
However, running a research department at the campus organizational level is not without its challenges. Naomi faces both managerial and technical challenges. Internally, maintaining a sense of belonging among team members, synchronizing full-team meeting schedules, and dealing with members who are starting to become passive is a draining task. Technically, collecting survey respondents from FIKOM members who are not yet fully aware of the importance of research participation is a struggle in itself.
To overcome this, Naomi relies on a strict time management system: daily to-do lists, a complete activity calendar with hours and details, and open communication with fellow team members to provide backup when schedules clash.
Statistics Teaching Assistant: Learning to Teach, Not Just Teaching
Naomi’s busy schedule doesn’t stop with the organization. This semester, she was also appointed as a teaching assistant for the Statistics course for the 2024 class of students in the Library Science and Information Science program at Padjadjaran University. This experience, she said, opened up a completely new perspective.
“When I was a student, I only thought about how to understand things, but as a teaching assistant, I thought about how to simplify complex material so it was easy to digest,” she explained. She felt a special satisfaction when she saw her students complete assignments correctly, a sign that the knowledge had been successfully conveyed, not just explained.
This experience also reinforced her belief in the importance of research skills. For Naomi, the ability to process data isn’t just an academic matter—it’s about practicing critical thinking, curating valid information, analyzing problems systematically, and making decisions based on real evidence.
2nd Place at Liblicious Epicentrum 2026: Libraries as a Solution to Bullying
Among her many activities, one achievement stands out as the most memorable for Naomi this year. She won second place at the 2026 Liblicious Epicentrum competition at Padjadjaran University with her team.
They brought a crucial idea to prevent bullying. This idea bridges children’s libraries with parents through a digital platform. They also provided a model that they could test in real-life elementary schools.
She used a strategy that reflected her experience in The world of research and organizations. This strategy helps Naomi build a narrative and solution-oriented student career so as not to bore the audience. Finally, she combines these steps with a confident demeanor.
“The audience must understand the innovative solutions we offer, not just the cool sounds,” she emphasized.
Message to Students: Go for it, Don’t Wait to Be Ready
From a long journey of internships, organizations, teaching, and competitions, Naomi has only one core message for students who are still hesitant to start:
“Don’t wait to feel ready or to be smart before trying something. Just go for it, feel the dynamics — because being unprepared is what actually makes us grow into the best version of ourselves.”
