EduAsiaNews, Jember – The 3rd National Fun Walk (JGN III), held as part of KAUJE FEST 2026 and organized by the Jember University Alumni Association (KAUJE), was successfully held on 4 July 2026, drawing an enthusiastic crowd.
More than 7,000 alumni returned to the Tegalboto Campus to reconnect with their alma mater, reminisce about their student days, and strengthen their ties with fellow graduates. On Saturday morning, the campus was filled not only with alumni but also with their families. Following a mass aerobic exercise session, KAUJE Central Executive Board Chair M. Sarmuji, together with the Rector of the University of Jember (UNEJ), officially flagged off the participants for the fun walk around the campus.
According to Abdul Kholik, Chair of the KAUJE FEST 2026 Organizing Committee, JGN III is a biennial event designed to bring together UNEJ alumni from across Indonesia and overseas. Prior to the fun walk, the KAUJE Central Executive Board organized a national forum featuring distinguished speakers who are also UNEJ alumni. After completing the fun walk, participants continued with reunion activities at their respective faculties.
“The largest number of participants in this year’s JGN III came from the Class of 1985, followed by the Classes of 1992 and 1984,” Abdul Kholik said.
Meanwhile, KAUJE Central Executive Board Chair M. Sarmuji expressed his appreciation to the organizing committee, UNEJ, and the Jember Regency Government for their full support in ensuring the success of KAUJE FEST 2026. He noted that holding JGN III at the Tegalboto Campus created a unique atmosphere, allowing participants to relive memories of their university years. He also recalled that the inaugural JGN was held in Jakarta in 2022 at the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex, followed by the second edition in Malang, while the third was hosted in Jember.
The event was attended by Lumajang Regent Indah Amperawati, Situbondo Regent Yusuf Rio Wahyu Prayogo, Pasuruan Mayor Adi Wibowo, Acting Regional Secretary of Jember Achmad Imam Fauzi, Member of the House of Representatives Charles Meikyansah, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) political expert Siti Zuhro, and numerous other UNEJ alumni.
Reflecting on his own experience as a student who enrolled in 1992, M. Sarmuji recalled that the Tegalboto Campus was far less green at the time, prompting students to participate in tree-planting initiatives. Today, he said, those efforts have transformed the campus into a lush environment that has become a favorite destination for Jember residents to exercise and relax.
“One lesson we can take away is that, as alumni, we should continue investing in UNEJ in various ways—through partnerships, collaboration, and greater contributions to our alma mater according to our respective roles and capacities. We may not experience the benefits directly, but future generations certainly will,” he remarked.
UNEJ Rector Iwan Taruna, who attended the event alongside the university’s leadership team, also expressed his appreciation for the alumni’s continued support. He emphasized that KAUJE FEST 2026 would further strengthen the partnership between UNEJ and its alumni, noting that a university’s reputation is closely linked to the achievements and positive contributions of its graduates.
“Thank you to all our alumni. UNEJ continues to thrive because of your contributions,” said Iwan Taruna.
The celebration concluded with the drawing of hundreds of door prizes donated by sponsors and alumni. The grand prize, a motorcycle, was awarded to M. Bintang Raja Fahleqy, an alumnus of UNEJ’s Faculty of Dentistry. Another major prize, an umrah pilgrimage package, was won by M. Sulaiman Aris, a 1994 graduate of the Faculty of Economics from Malang.
