We are immensely proud to celebrate the achievements of two outstanding PhD(Arts) students who have both been recognised with awards by the Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, in conjunction with His Majesty’s 77th birthday in January.
Atriza Umar, 39, was awarded the prestigious Pingat Khidmat Cemerlang Masyarakat, while Zarinna Abu Zarin, 56, was conferred the Ahli Setia Negeri Sembilan at Balairong Seri, Istana Seri Menanti.
Both are OUM students for the third time, having earned their Bachelor of Islamic Studies (Islamic Management) with Honours and Master of Islamic Studies before embarking on their doctoral journey in 2023. They are carrying out their thesis work under the supervision of Dr Hamidah Mat, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Atriza is a senior officer in the Community Education Department of an Islamic NGO, Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia, whose inspiring contributions to community service have made a significant impact. In 2023, she authored a book entitled Makin Diuji Makin Berani.
Meanwhile, Zarinna is an accomplished entrepreneur in real estate, F&B, and training consultancy, who is also active in politics and passionate about empowering youth, women, and communities. Before becoming an entrepreneur, she had worked as a registered nurse at Kuala Lumpur Hospital for 9 years.
Regarding her studies, Atriza said, “OUM is an accredited university, so its PhD programme meets prevailing academic standards. PhD students generally undergo a long and in-depth process of research and thesis writing under supervision for several years. OUM PhD students follow the same process, as its academic procedure for earning a PhD is as standardised and stringent as that of other universities.”
Zarinna added, “As our PhD advisor, Dr Hamidah provides fantastic support for our studies. She checks in with us regularly, offers encouragement, and is genuinely interested in our thesis topics. Our fellow students are a great source of support, too. Their updates and achievements challenge me to work harder and motivate me to be more proactive. A PhD at OUM is an enjoyable journey and I believe it can produce graduates who are not only of international quality but also care deeply about helping their communities.”
These two doctorate students exemplify the spirit of excellence, service, and lifelong learning that OUM upholds.
Congratulations, Atriza and Zarinna, on these well-deserved state awards. We wish you continued success in your impactful endeavours.
