PERMIAS Minnesota is an Indonesian student organization based at the University of Minnesota and is open to all Indonesian college students and alumni in the state of Minnesota. 

The club aims to create an Indonesian community that supports the development of its members through different events and activities. 

PERMIAS stands for “Persatuan Mahasiswa Indonesia di Amerika Serikat,” which translates to “Indonesian Student Association in the United States.” 

Jonah Sitorus, a first-year student and the club’s public relations officer, said PERMIAS provides a safe space for Indonesian students, and even those who are not Indonesian, to express their ideas and be more involved in the community. 

Sitorus said people can find connections through the club, given that a lot of the club’s board members are University alumni, many of whom are involved with other organizations.

“We really just promote community, and being in our community helps you both professionally and personally,” Sitorus said. 

Benedictus Punjab, a third-year student and the club’s event organizer, said a lot of its events involve games as a way for members to connect with each other. 

Punjab added the club will do a gift exchange in December where members will serve Indonesian food, play games and celebrate Christmas. The event will also be right before finals, so people can discuss their feelings about the semester. 

Punjab said the club’s biggest event, “Indofest,” will most likely be in the spring semester at Coffman Union. At this event, PERMIAS will share about Indonesian culture including some of the languages and musical instruments native to the country.

According to Punjab, the event will feature traditional Indonesian dances and educate people about the country itself, which has over 1,000 ethnic groups.

Sitorus said it is nice to be able to talk to people from the same ethnicity as him because he is not often surrounded by other Indonesians in Minnesota. 

As a first-year student, Sitorus said the club has also been a helpful way for him to get to know other people on campus and learn about other student organizations. 

Risel Matani, a third-year student and the club’s other public relations officer, said PERMIAS wants to invite other people from different cultures to be involved in the future. Matani added being a member of PERMIAS has positively impacted him.

“Coming in as a transfer student from Seattle, I did not know anyone else around campus or in Minnesota,” Matani said. “PERMIAS provided that space and community that welcomed me with open arms.” 

Punjab, who is also a transfer student from Seattle, said he was scared he would not make new friends at the University or adapt to the new environment and culture. 

“I feel like they welcomed me as not just a community, but as a family,” Punjab said. “They understand me because they have the same culture as me.”