FIB (USU), Medan – The Undergraduate Program in Indonesian Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), invited the Head of the Cooperatives and MSMEs Office of North Sumatra Province, Ir. Yuliani Siregar, M.AP., as a practitioner lecturer on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The lecture, which took place in a classroom at FIB USU, was part of the study program's efforts to bring students closer to real-world experience from practitioners.

Yuliani Siregar's presence was an invitation from the Head of the Undergraduate Program in Indonesian Literature, Emma Marsella, S.S., M.Si. According to the Head of the Undergraduate Program in Indonesian Literature, inviting practitioners from outside the university is important to enrich students' insights so that the knowledge gained in the classroom can be directly connected to the needs of the world of work and society.

In her lecture, Yuliani Siregar emphasized the importance of public speaking skills as a basic asset for students. According to her, public speaking skills are needed not only in academic activities, such as presentations, discussions, and seminars, but also in non-academic activities, from organizational involvement and networking to entering the workforce. Students who are able to convey ideas clearly, coherently, and convincingly will have an added value wherever they are.

In addition, she encouraged students to develop a future-oriented mindset. According to the Head of the Office, students need to have a clear vision, particularly one related to the field of cultural studies they are pursuing. With this vision, students will be more focused in their studies and able to identify opportunities for self-development, including opportunities in the creative economy and MSME sectors, which are closely related to culture.

Yuliani Siregar also reminded students that learning Indonesian is not limited to studying grammatical rules, such as the DM (described-describing) and MD (describing-described) structures. More than that, students of Indonesian Literature have a very broad learning space, ranging from communication and writing skills to analysis and understanding culture and society. Therefore, she encouraged students to continue learning and improving their quality so that they can compete and contribute to society.

The activity was conducted interactively. Students appeared enthusiastic in following the presentation and took advantage of the opportunity to discuss directly with the speaker.

After the lecture, Yuliani Siregar was invited by the Dean of FIB USU, Mhd. Pujiono, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D., and Vice Dean for Community Service, Research, Cooperation, and Internationalization, Andi Pratama Lubis, S.S., M.Hum., to the Dean's Office. The Dean and Vice Dean warmly welcomed the Head of the Office and expressed their appreciation for her willingness to share her knowledge and experience with students. He also hoped that this activity would become the beginning of sustainable cooperation between FIB USU and the Cooperatives and MSMEs Office of North Sumatra Province.

Through this activity, the Undergraduate Program in Indonesian Literature, FIB USU, hopes that students will be increasingly motivated to develop their competencies, not only in their academic field but also in the skills needed in the professional world.