Dandy Nugraha: A Journey Beyond the Plan

At Analytic Design Lab in Plain City, Utah, Dandy Nugraha is learning what it means to solve problems without always having a clear set of instructions. As a software analyst intern, he works across software, digital logic, hardware, research, testing, and technical documentationexperience that is helping him connect his computer science education to the demands of a professional career. Majoring in computer science, this internship provides him with experience that will influence his future career, adding to the stacked arsenal of entrepreneurial experience hes previously honed himself.

Before coming to BYUHawaii, Nugraha had originally planned to stay in Indonesia to work, help with the family business, and eventually develop a business of his own. However, after returning from his mission, his parents encouraged him to pursue a higher education at BYUHawaii. Although skeptical at first, he decided to give it a trya decision that would change the course of his life. Little did he know that that application led to a path that would enhance his academic, professional, personal, and spiritual growth.

The beauty of BYUHawaii, Nugraha said, is that it doesnt force students to stick to one thing; it helps them explore, navigate, and chart their own holokai

I am majoring in computer science because I have always enjoyed technology, computers, and learning how systems work, he shared. But I am also minoring in mathematics, entrepreneurship, and film. Although these subjects are different, each one has helped develop a different part of me.

One such example was when he participated in the Empower Your Dreams Competition, where he won first place in 2024. Despite his major being in a completely separate field, the competition allowed him to draw on his background in business and continue developing it. The business we presented was not created only for the competition. It was a business I had already started in Indonesia after completing my mission, he said. Winning was meaningful to me, but the experience itself was even more valuable. It helped me become more confident in sharing my ideas and showed me that the experiences I had before coming to BYUHawaii still had value and could become part of my education.

I am grateful that my journey brought me to BYUHawaii. Even though it was not part of my original plan, it has become an important part of my life and has helped prepare me for my future, he said.

Dandys internship experience with Analytic Design Lab so far has introduced him to concepts he had not studied deeply in the classroom and has required him to research unfamiliar topics, study existing designs, and test different possibilities. Sometimes there is no step-by-step instruction or one clear answer, so I have had to research unfamiliar topics, study existing designs, test different possibilities, and learn from results that did not work as expected, Nugraha said.

Working with John Campbell, who previously served as a senior missionary at BYUHawaii and was also one of my professors, has been an important mentoring experience for me, Nugraha said. After getting to know me as a student and seeing my work in class, he offered me the opportunity to intern with him. His guidance has helped me improve my technical knowledge, ask better questions, and become more confident and independent in approaching unfamiliar problems.

Nugraha has also had the opportunity to meet with patent attorneys and learn how inventions are reviewed, documented, and prepared for possible patent protection. Through those experiences, he learned that a technical idea must also be communicated clearly and supported by evidence.

The experience has taught him to be patient and careful when solving problems, especially when a small detail in a code or design can affect an entire system, and Campbell's mentorship has also helped Nugraha understand that professional growth does not require knowing every answer immediately

When he first arrived at BYUHawaii, Nugraha was grateful to live only a few minutes away from the Laie Temple. Back in Indonesia, the closest temples available to them required international travel to the Philippines or Hong Kong. So being able to attend worship in the House of the Lord was a blessing that he did not get to experience regularly back home, and he committed himself to attending frequently.

During his first year, however, it wasnt easy. Even though the temple was nearby, my schedule often made it difficult to find time to go, he said. But I continued praying and asking Heavenly Father to help me remain committed to my goal. Later, I was able to move from my job at the Polynesian Cultural Center to a position on campus. I felt that this opportunity was an answer to my prayers because it gave me more time and flexibility to attend the temple regularly.

With this change of pace, another lesson followed in its wake. I learned that I also needed to reorganize my priorities and intentionally make time for the things that mattered most to me, said Nugraha. Living close to the temple did not automatically mean that I would attend. I still needed to choose to go and remain committed to the goal I had made.

My time at BYUHawaii has helped me understand that discipleship requires consistent choices, he continued. Attending the temple and serving as a temple worker have strengthened my relationship with Heavenly Father and helped me become more committed to following Jesus Christ in my everyday life.

Although Nugrahas journey to BYUHawaii began with his parents encouragement, the opportunities he has found since arriving have continued to shape his future. From his internship at Analytic Design Lab to his academic and spiritual growth, he has learned how his different interests and experiences can work together.

Looking back, I am very grateful that my parents encouraged me to apply, he said. Coming to BYUHawaii changed the direction of my life and gave me opportunities that I had never expected.