At UiTM Shah Alam, Wednesday was a momentous day for NurQirana Nabilla Mohd Rashidi and Harith Kamal Hisham Kamal, both 25. Their families beamed with pride as they received their convocation diplomas, a culmination of years of hard work. NurQirana, born in Ipoh, and Harith from Subang Jaya earned a Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) and are now looking forward to embarking on their journalism careers.
Expressing Passion through Writing
NurQirana, the more experienced of the two, started working for The Sun as a reporter in January. She has been passionate about writing since her teenage years and used to write blogs. "Blogging gave me a platform to express myself freely. During my degree studies, I wrote news stories, which helped me refine my writing skills. I have always envisioned myself making a positive impact on society by delivering powerful stories that drive change for the better," she said. As the eldest of two children, her convocation is also a way to express her gratitude to her parents. Her father is a driver at the Ipoh City Council, and her mother is a clerk there. "My mother initially wanted me to study law as she thought it was a better career choice. But I was determined to write and said, 'I will prove to you that I can succeed as a journalist.' With the Vice-Chancellor's Award and being on the Dean's List every semester, I am confident that I am on the right path to building a successful journalism career. This means a lot to me, especially considering those who doubted me and said I wouldn't excel in journalism. Now, with my degree and my job at The Sun, I have finally shown them that they were wrong."Harith Kamal, on the other hand, participated in school essay and poem writing competitions since childhood. He found that writing was the best form of expression that allowed him to explore his creative side. "I have always been eager to acquire knowledge. As a child, I would ask my mother to buy encyclopedias and almanacs so that I could read and learn. Today, I get most of my knowledge from news, the internet, and YouTube. News and storytelling have always excited me. I knew I wanted a career that combined my passion for writing and learning, which led me to pursue journalism," he said. He was extremely happy at his convocation as his family and friends, including his father, an administrative and diplomatic officer at the Economy Ministry, and his mother, who manages a taxi service company, were there to support him. "My parents have supported me in countless ways. My convocation means as much to them as it does to me. Without their support, I wouldn't be where I am today."Despite starting university during the Covid-19 pandemic, Harith managed to make the Dean's List each semester, which was an achievement he never thought possible. "This degree means a lot to me. Pursuing it reignited my love for learning and gave me a sense of pride that I hadn't felt in a long time." He also works for The Sun and started as a reporter on November 11. "The Sun is probably the best place to train as a journalist. I sit with the editor when he reviews my stories. This is a great experience as I get to learn the nuances of writing and news reporting."The Sun managing editor Navjeet Singh congratulated NurQirana and Harith on their convocation and praised their command of the English language. "NurQirana has repeatedly proven herself as a very good journalist. Harith Kamal is new but he is on the right track, and we are excited to see what the future holds for him."