Putting the ‘Tech’ in Tech Threads

In October 2024, New York Tech’s Long Island and New York City campuses celebrated the official grand opening of Tech Threads. Student volunteers help keep the “professional closet” running, and computer science student Mukhammedali Zhadiger is leading the charge.

Tech Threads is an inclusive, on-campus resource that provides students with no-cost access to new and gently used clothing and accessories for career-related experiences like interviews, career fairs, networking events, and the workplace. Zhadiger first became involved as a freshman in spring 2024. One year later, the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences student continues to serve as a senior consultant for both campuses’ closets, leveraging his technology skills and knowledge to ensure the smooth operation of the university resource.

To kick off Tech Threads, Zhadiger selected, trained, and now manages a team of 11 student volunteers—six in New York City and five on Long Island—for roles in inventory tracking, social media marketing, and community outreach and development. Then, using inventory management software Sortly, he established procedures to streamline inventory intake, maintenance, display, reporting, and scheduling. After setting up the closet’s Instagram account and creating targeted marketing materials, he and his team report having secured more than $18,000 in donations since March 2024. Zhadiger regularly compiles reports on inventory, student usage, and social media engagement, as well as holds meetings with Tech Threads volunteers to evaluate Tech Threads’ performance and set goals.

“I saw a great opportunity to make a positive impact in my community and help students grow,” says Zhadiger, who delivered remarks in New York City during the campus’ closet grand opening. “I believed in building a program that connected technology, community outreach, and professional development right from the start, and now we can see the direct impact our work has on students’ lives.”

Balanced with his Tech Threads duties are a handful of extracurriculars, including a passion project to develop his own food delivery website and application. Using a variety of software tools, Zhadiger is handling every aspect of the project from secure data storage and front-end visuals to payment processing and back-end details. Once launched, the website will provide customers with a user-friendly and efficient online food ordering system. Streamlining the ordering process whether users are at home or on the go, the website can help local restaurants and food businesses reach more customers and improve how they manage orders and payments.

Off campus, Zhadiger co-hosts weekly, in-person meetings with other college students in the area who seek to practice the language of their homeland, Kazakhstan. The Kazakh Speaking Club, as the duo have named it, enables local Kazakhs to support each other and keep their homeland culture alive. The club is critical to Zhadiger, who hopes to return to Kazakhstan someday and launch his own startup company, contributing to the nation’s technology development.

With a couple of years to go before his New York Tech graduation, Zhadiger is weighing whether to graduate with only his bachelor’s degree or to pursue his master’s degree through the university’s B.S. with Accelerated M.S. Options program. Either way, he looks forward to applying his technical and leadership skills to an impactful career with a tech company.

For those who also dream of becoming leaders in computer science, Zhadiger advises participating in student organizations and building meaningful relationships with others in the field. “On-campus groups develop your ability to guide and motivate others, as well as enhance skills like teamwork, leadership, and time management.”