Becoming a Lead GDSC Chapter at INSTIKI (Institut Bisnis dan Teknologi Indonesia)

WHAT IS GDSC?

Before delving into my experience of applying and becoming a Lead GDSC while running the organization for the past 3 months (at the time of writing this), let me explain what GDSC (Google Developer Student Clubs) is to everyone. GDSC is a non-profit organization founded by Google, usually present in college environments, with members consisting of students whose goal is to bridge the gap between the industry and academia.

INITIAL STORY DURING GDSC LEAD SELECTION

At that time, I saw the opening for GDSC Lead on Twitter. I already knew what GDSC was because I had read about it. So when I saw people sharing the news about the GDSC Lead opening, I was excited to apply. Finally, I applied (if I’m not mistaken, using the Bevy platform) and was asked to write my motivation for becoming a GDSC Lead for the initial selection stage. The following were the questions I had to answer:

1. What is your motivation to run a Google Developer Student Club at your Institution?
2. What is your experience in leading a project or a team?
3. What technology do you find most interesting and why? What is your experience with this technology?
4. Record a 90-second video and show us why you are the right person to be a GDSC Leader at your Institution.

Final Call Interview

To cut the story short, it turned out that I passed the initial selection stage and proceeded to the next stage, which was the interview. Faced with the dilemma of prioritizing my exams or attending the GDSC Lead interview, I decided to postpone my interview and focus on my exams. Eventually, I received the “final call interview” and felt that I had no other chance if I missed this opportunity. So I rescheduled my interview. Generally, the interview was conducted in English (most leads used English in the interview session), but perhaps because it was the “final call interview,” I ended up having the interview in Indonesian with Mr. Danang Juffry (Community Manager, Developer Relations Google Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam). He asked me some light questions, some of which I remember:

• Please introduce yourself.
• Did you already know about GDSC?
• What do you know about GDSC?
• What are your plans if you are chosen as a GDSC Lead?
• What is your background?
• What are your current activities?
• What is your organizational experience so far?

Those were the questions I received, and luckily, the questions from Mr. Danang were quite light and easy for me to answer. However, there are cases where other leads were interviewed in a more technical manner. So if you want to become a GDSC Lead, be prepared for both technical and non-technical questions.

Prepare and express your motivation to become a lead honestly. Practice your English before the interview because it is highly likely that English will be used. Use the STAR framework to answer questions if possible.

AFTER BEING SELECTED (continued)

After receiving this email, I was overjoyed because my dream of having GDSC at INSTIKI had come true. However, the story didn’t end there.

Afterward, I had to sign Legal Sign Offs, join the global GDSC lead Slack, and the GDSC lead Indonesia Discord for further information about GDSC.

Make sure you have signed and fulfilled the necessary requirements, join the lead communication channels, follow and read all guidelines, and utilize the resources provided by Google.

ONLINE ONBOARDING EXPERIENCE

After being selected, I had to participate in an online onboarding session attended by GDSC Leads from various countries in Asia. The event was fun as it involved games and the opportunity to meet many people who shared the same belief in the impact of GDSC in their respective universities.

OFFLINE ONBOARDING EXPERIENCE

A few days after attending the online onboarding event, I received an invitation email from GDSC Indonesia to attend the offline GDSC Indonesia Summit 2022 in Jakarta.

I was ecstatic because I was going to Jakarta again after a few years (the last event was a Scout Jamboree in Cibubur, East Jakarta).

To continue the story, I flew to Jakarta (since it’s outside of Java) thanks to Google covering the travel expenses. Upon arriving in Jakarta, I headed directly to the hotel, JS Luwansa Hotel, where my accommodation was also provided by Google. We stayed there for 3 days and 2 nights (as the event only lasted for that duration).

On the first day, after arriving at the hotel, we registered and received some merchandise (hats, stickers, camera covers, etc.). Then, we entered our respective rooms before heading to the Google Office Indonesia for the following events:

• Opening by Managing Director Google Indonesia, Mr. Randy Jusuf
• Welcoming Speech by Ms. Yuana Rochma Astuti (Baparekraf)
• ‘AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Googler’ by Dicky Muljana & Emanuel Ryan
• Google Office Indonesia Tour
• Dinner event at Google Office Indonesia

The second day’s events took place at JS Luwansa Hotel. It was a packed and serious day, and we received the following materials:

• ‘GDSC structure and a year ahead’ by Danang Juffry (Community Manager Indonesia & Brunei)
• ‘Future ready for the tech industry’ by Janise Tan (SEA Regional Lead)
• [Lightning Talks] ‘Jumpstart your chapter’ by Robert Hutapea (Former GDSC Lead, Universitas Bhayangkara Jakarta Raya)
• [Lightning Talks] ‘Increasing diversity & inclusivity’ by Anggita Pinasthika Dewi (Former GDSC Lead, Institut Teknologi PLN)
• [Sharing Session] ‘How to successfully run your chapter’ by Fiki Alamsyah, Fachridan Tio Mu’afa, Anggita Pinasthika Dewi (Former GDSC Leads)

There were also unconference discussions, where participants proposed and chose the sessions they wanted to attend, actively participating in idea generation, discussions, input sessions, or similar formats that required their input.

Unconference Discussion Result Presentation

During the unconference discussion session, I chose the topic of ‘Collaboration,’ where we discussed how GDSC leads should collaborate. I proposed creating a convention where leads shouldn’t just invite others with a simple “Hi, let’s collaborate?” Instead, we should use the 5W+1H framework. Before initiating collaboration, a lead should provide a proposal that answersquestions like “What is the event’s name?”, “Who will be invited?”, “When will the event take place?”, “Who will be involved and invited?”, etc., following the 5W+1H framework.

Conclusion and Reflection

Being selected as a Lead GDSC at INSTIKI has been an incredible journey for me. From the initial application process to the onboarding sessions and offline events, I have gained valuable experiences, knowledge, and connections. Leading the GDSC chapter has allowed me to make a positive impact on the student community, foster collaboration, and promote technology education.

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the GDSC community and to work alongside talented and passionate individuals. It has been a rewarding experience to see the growth and engagement of GDSC members, witnessing their enthusiasm for learning and innovation.

As I continue my journey as a Lead GDSC, I look forward to organizing more impactful events, fostering a supportive community, and empowering students to pursue their passion for technology.

If you’re a student interested in technology and looking for a platform to connect, learn, and grow, I highly recommend joining or starting a GDSC chapter at your institution. It’s an opportunity to be part of a vibrant community and make a difference in the tech ecosystem.

Thank you to Google and the GDSC community for this incredible experience. I am excited to continue this journey and contribute to the growth of GDSC and the student developer community.