At 13, Ernita first discovered her passion for leadership through her school’s simulation of the United Nations conference where students represent different countries to develop skills in diplomacy, negotiation, and public speaking.
Winning the Best Position Paper was rewarding, but it was the role of Secretary-General that truly tested her as the responsibility of organising the event fell on her.
Ernita recalled, “The conference, which was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, had only a few registrants. My team and I had contacted most of the local schools and were running out of ideas."
With most local schools already approached, Ernita and her team hit a wall. But instead of stopping there, she reframed the challenge and drew inspiration from an earlier experience from an international leader's convention: What if they looked beyond Indonesia?
By reaching out to international schools, she turned a failing local event into an international platform. Registrations poured in. What once looked like failure became a springboard for innovation.
The same resilience showed up again when Ernita became Head of Marketing in her student council. After weeks of preparation, a meet-and-greet with a local influencer barely attracted an audience—people were still hesitant about in-person events after COVID-19.
Rather than accepting defeat, Ernita saw potential in the situation. Together with the team, they proposed livestreaming the event for a small fee. The result? Higher participation and new revenue. Another obstacle, another opportunity unlocked.
Broadening Horizons at SIM
After excelling in her IGCSEs and completing her A Levels a year early, Ernita was ready for her next step. At 17, Ernita moved from Indonesia to Singapore to pursue her education at SIM. She enrolled in the Diploma in Management Studies (DMS), determined to build a strong foundation for her future career.
Beyond her academic curriculum, Ernita participated in extracurricular activities such as Business Strategy Club.
“These CCAs developed my presentation skills and helped me achieve greater confidence in my work,” she explained. It also exposed her to many industry events which became the start of her interest in consulting and investment banking.
Ernita also slowly grew fond of case competitions and even reached the finals of the National Sustainability Case Challenge and earned a Certificate of Commendation in the Singapore Business Case Competition.
At the end of her diploma, Ernita received the MapleTree Gold Award in 2024. The Award is presented to the highest-performing student in each cohort, recognising exceptional academic achievement.
“Being awarded the MapleTree Gold Award in DMS was a testimony of my hard work,” Ernita said proudly. “It taught me that hard work pays off and motivates me to continue striving. I believe that it is not only an end of a chapter but also the beginning of a new chapter.”
When Rejection Sparks Growth
One of Ernita’s toughest challenges came when she applied for an internship with a consulting and private equity firm in her first year of university and was rejected.
Instead of letting disappointment take over, she turned it into a lesson. She analysed her interview, spotted her weaknesses, and set out to improve. Hours of practice in Excel, business analysis, and case frameworks gave her sharper skills and deeper confidence.
When she reapplied months later, she secured the internship. “It’s not the failure, but the actions we take after the failure that matter,” Ernita reflected. What could have been a dead end became a doorway.
However, the internship also brought about a new set of challenges. Juggling internship alongside a full-time programme, Ernita’s schedule was fully packed.
“Throughout the day, I would be hopping between classes and my internship responsibilities. Once it was time to clock off, I would immediately switch gears to complete university projects or prepare for upcoming presentations,” she elaborated.
With back-to-back classes, internship duties, and project deadlines, there were moments when Ernita wondered if she could manage it all.
Yet again, she chose to see the challenge differently. By structuring her days with time-blocking and to-do lists, she created order out of chaos. Her resilience paid off—she not only managed but thrived.
By displaying resilience, responsibility, and resourcefulness, Ernita earned herself the SIM STARRR Award. The SIM STARRR Award is part of the SIM Impact Fund which distributes $6 million annually to various scholarships and awards over the next decade.
“I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, joy, and responsibility,” she shared. “It reinforced my commitment to making the most of every opportunity and giving back to the community that has supported me.”
Looking back, Ernita’s story isn’t one of smooth sailing. It’s a story of persistence—of seeing every roadblock as a chance to take a new direction. From building international platforms in her teens, to turning rejection into readiness, to balancing studies and professional growth, she has consistently shown that obstacles can become opportunities when met with resilience and creativity.
While her story is still unfolding, one thing is clear: success is not merely about talent or opportunity. It is about persistence, creativity, and the courage to keep moving forward.