UNM Graduate Turns Thesis Project into Successful IT Business

Universitas Nusa Mandiri (UNM) Information Systems graduate Samson Wahyudi, who completed his studies in 2017, has shown how a university final project can become the starting point for a successful business. The system he designed for his thesis has since grown into an IT development venture serving clients across almost the entire country.

While studying at UNM, known as the Digital Business Campus, Samson kept a demanding daily schedule. He attended evening classes for working students while working as a freelance personal trainer during the day.

Although his daily journey to campus took around two hours, his busy schedule did not deter him from continuing his studies. He kept refining his thesis project until it became a commercially valuable information technology service.

“My thesis assignment was to build a system. Once it was finished, I continued developing it, and I still do so today,” said Samson, an UNM Information Systems graduate.

Samson now runs the IT business with a seven-member team. In addition to information technology, he has expanded into the fitness industry and import-export trade.

He says maintaining service quality is essential to building customer trust. The approach has helped the business grow rapidly through word-of-mouth recommendations, without relying on social media promotion.

The university’s academic staff have welcomed the achievement as tangible evidence of the effectiveness of its applied curriculum. The university’s management says Samson’s success can inspire current students as they pursue their careers.

“Samson’s story is clear evidence that academic work at UNM is designed to have significant value in industry. At UNM’s Margonda Campus, we continually encourage students not to hesitate to explore business ideas and to use coursework as a stepping stone towards their future careers,” said Andry Maulana, Head of UNM’s Margonda Campus, on Friday (16 October 2026).

Samson’s experience shows how classroom learning and a thesis can provide an initial foundation for successful entrepreneurship. Through an adaptive learning model, UNM says it remains committed to producing innovative, independent graduates who are ready to create employment opportunities in the digital era.