Public Relations Communication Of The Nusantara Student Dormitory (AMN) Surabaya In Promoting Scholarship Programs To New Students From 3T Regions

Abstract

This study examines the Public Relations (PR) communication strategies implemented by the Nusantara Student Dormitory (Asrama Mahasiswa Nusantara - AMN) Surabaya in promoting national affirmation scholarship programs to incoming university freshmen originating from Indonesia’s frontier, outermost, and least developed regions (3T -Tertinggal, Terdepan, Terluar). Utilizing James E. Grunig Excellence Theory as an analytical framework, this research explores how a newly established institutional PR department navigates multi-layered administrative boundaries and severe regional socioeconomic disparities to foster inclusivity. A descriptive qualitative methodology was employed, harvesting primary data through semi-structured in-depth interviews with the AMN PR administrator,
senior management, and scholarship recipients from 3T territories including Papua, Maluku, and Nusa Tenggara, cross-validated by continuous digital content analyses. The findings reveal that AMN Surabaya successfully operationalizes a "Distributed Public Relations Model" to counter critical staffing shortages, effectively transforming every operational employee and dormitory mentor into an active institutional brand ambassador. Furthermore, the PR unit successfully bridged deep-seated psychological barriers among remote student populations such as low self- efficacy and digital anxiety by heavily integrating interactive two-way symmetrical communication ecosystems across digital mediums, complemented by localized cultural adaptations and peer-led, face-to-face field campaigns. However, structural challenges persist, particularly regarding an asymmetric distribution of information that leans heavily toward certain geographical regions and structural friction regarding intra-institutional role definitions. This research provides significant empirical and theoretical enrichment to the understudied domain of educational public relations tasked with executing high-stakes affirmative social campaigns.