By Syifarida Muhamad Zaki
Photo by Marina Ismail
Muhamad Faris Jaafar, menyampaikan Ucapan Graduan Sidang Tujuh, Majlis Konvokesyen UPM Ke-41
SERDANG – Determined to try something new and not wanting to rely on his parents to fund his studies at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Muhammad Faris Jaafar ventured into a small cendol business which has now grown into a lucrative business.
He recently earned his Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering & Biosystem at the Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) 41st Convocation Ceremony here.
Muhammad Faris said that in his third year of studies, he decided to stop depending on parents to finance his studies.
"I wanted to try something new with the cendol business.
"This heritage drink can have a positive impact on not only local but global markets as well.
"I had to discipline myself in allocating my time, so I would not miss out on my studies," he said.
As a former President of UPM’s Thirteen College session 2013/2014, and Director of the Malaysia-Japan International Mobility Exchange Programme, Muhammad Faris was also an active member of UPM’s Serdang Angels rugby team. To top this list, he is not only now the proud recipient of a bachelor’s degree but is also the owner a Food Truck known as Serdang Cendol and has two other Serdang Cendol branches in UPM.
Serdang Cendol is now actively catering cendols for wedding packages and official functions around the Klang Valley and Seremban.
His many achievements as an undergraduate included winning the Special Student Entrepreneurship Excellence Awards, the CEM UPM 2016 Achievement Icon. He took second place at the "Business Pitch" Varsity Entrepreneurship Skills & Talents 2017 Competition defeating 435 groups from 20 other Higher Education Institutions and at the Special Jury Award (Trade Entrepreneurs Challenge 2015). - UPM
