Even with financial struggles, Valeska Matbob proved that success can be achieved with patience, faith, and hard work.

The Bachelor of Business Accounting Bronze Medal recipient Valeska Matbob was part of the 793 graduates from the 44th graduation ceremony at Divine Word University held on Friday, 6 March.

Her quiet determination earned her an impressive Grade Point Average of 4.5, representing something deeper than just academic performance but the culmination of a journey shaped by hardship, patience, and resilience.

At 25, Valeska traces her roots to Madang, Simbu, Oro Province and Germany and credits her upbringing to the strength of her family, particularly her mother.

Raised by a single parent, she grew up in a home where faith, resilience, and perseverance were constant lessons.

Her mother’s words stayed with her through every stage of her life. She often reminded Valeska that patience would one day bring its reward.

“They can all have their laugh now, but when your time comes, you will laugh the longest and the loudest,” her mother’s words.

It was a simple message, but one that would guide her through some of the most difficult years of her life.

After completing Grade 10 in 2017, Valeska’s path to higher education was suddenly interrupted as financial challenges and family responsibilities forced her to step away from school.

While many of her peers moved forward with their education, she spent the next two years in 2018 and 2019 out of the classroom.

Those years were not easy. She took on small part time jobs in local shops around Madang Province, doing whatever work she could find to help support herself and her family.

The experience tested her determination, but it also strengthened her resolve.

Rather than abandoning her dreams, Valeska chose patience. Reflecting on those years, she said the struggles became lessons that kept her focused on her goals.

“During those times I learned to be patient, and that patience kept me focused on my goals and eventually saw me through my studies,” she said.

When she eventually returned to continue her education, she approached her studies with renewed purpose, making it all the way to Divine Word University.

There she enrolled in the Bachelor of Business Accounting program where university life proved demanding with academic pressures, deadlines, and the intensity of coursework requiring discipline and commitment.

Through it all, Valeska learned one of the most valuable lessons of her university years was the importance of living a balanced life.

Even in the busiest moments of academic life, she discovered that maintaining balance between studies, personal wellbeing, and faith was essential to sustaining success.

Her dedication steadily translated into academic excellence. Semester after semester, her results reflected not only intelligence but also the discipline forged during the years she had spent outside the classroom.

By the time she reached the end of her program, her hard work had produced an outstanding 4.5 GPA, placing her among the top performing students among the 44th DWU graduating class.

Yet even on graduation day, the recognition came as a surprise as she missed the rehearsal the day before and had no idea she would be receiving the Bronze Medal.

It was only after she took her seat inside the graduation hall and began flipping through the ceremony program that she discovered her name listed among the award recipients.

The realization filled her with pride and gratitude as the medal represented more than academic success as it symbolized the long journey from uncertainty to achievement.

Behind that achievement stood the support of many people who believed in her along the way.

Her parents, her uncles particularly her father’s younger brothers and several mentors and supporters outside her family all played a role in helping her reach this milestone.

Their encouragement, along with her strong faith, helped sustain her during difficult moments.

Today, Valeska has already begun the next stage of her professional journey. She is currently working with one of the Big Four accounting firms where she hopes to continue developing her skills while building a meaningful career.

But her ambitions extend far beyond personal success.

Valeska hopes to use her knowledge to serve communities, particularly those in rural areas. She believes financial literacy and business knowledge can help ordinary people improve their livelihoods.

Her long-term goal is rooted in service. “I would certainly like to help local communities and the rural population through financial literacy programs and entrepreneurship education,” she said.

The story of Valeska Matbob is a reminder that success is rarely immediate. Sometimes the journey includes pauses, setbacks, and years of quiet perseverance.

Yet with patience, faith, and determination, those difficult seasons can become the very foundation of future triumph.

For Valeska, the applause that echoed through the graduation hall that morning was not just for a medal or a degree. It was for a journey defined by resilience and proof that patience, in time, can turn hardship into achievement.