In 1978, John W. Limbong had nearly finished his master’s degree in economics. Between studying and his family he kept himself busy. He went to bed early to keep up with his demanding schedule. One night, he had a vivid dream in which Brigham Young asked him to establish a university in Limbong’s native Jakarta, Indonesia.
The next morning as he contemplated the dream, Limbong wondered if establishing such a university was possible. There were funding obstacles to overcome, government regulations to meet, and “everything else” to face, he says. But as he pondered the idea, he had the thought, “Everything is possible.”
Limbong began to organize himself. After graduating from BYU in 1978, Limbong completed a PhD at the University of Utah in 1982 and returned to Jakarta that same year. There he worked with the Indonesian Bank but could not forget the dream, and he eventually quit his job to pursue establishing a university.
Because of government regulations, Limbong had to create a nonprofit foundation before he could begin laying the groundwork for a university. Enlisting his wife, Rosemia, Limbong created the Golden Nusantara Foundation. Paving the way for the university included establishing a kindergarten, an elementary school, two secondary schools, and a college.
The University of International Golden Indonesia was established in 1983 and now hosts 2,500 students, fifty-two faculty members, and offers seven areas of study ranging from marketing and accounting to communications and health.
“I’m trying to fulfill the dream and make this university a BYU-standard university,” says Limbong, who serves as president of the university.
Limbong resides in Jakarta, Indonesia, with his wife. They have five children.
