Combining a Passion for Technology and Community Service: Taite Nazifi '22 MS MIS

Some of us often get caught up asking ourselves, “What can the latest technological advancement do for me?” Taite Nazifi ‘22 MS MIS, however, finds himself asking, “How can I use the latest technology advancement to help others?”

Nazifi’s passion for technology started with earning a degree in computer science from the University of Arizona. Throughout his undergraduate studies, he was able to learn and master various elements of web development and cloud hosting. With an attitude to experience new things and a willingness to share his knowledge, he was eager to give back to the Tucson community.

One of his initial community service projects involved creating and launching web development initiatives for the Tucson Church of Christ. His role as the nonprofit’s webmaster entailed creating an entire website and mobile app from scratch. “I started to understand that there’s not really a technological boundary,” he says. “We have the means of solving problems with technology.” This project ultimately inspired his understanding of the importance and utility of management information systems and business technology.

This inspiration brought Nazifi to pursue a career within business-oriented information systems and technologies. He made sure to immerse himself within the university’s computer science program in order to grow professionally and attain his goals. He held multiple section leader positions where he encouraged and empowered computer science students to deepen their interests in computer technology. And he was delighted to share his own passions with his fellow peers by introducing them to new technologies and assisting them with their coursework. 

Nazifi’s experience as a student section leader opened up many opportunities for him within the university’s information and technology division. His enthusiasm to expand his knowledge, among other things, ultimately earned him a position as a full stack developer for Tech Core. Formerly known as Tech.Global, Tech Core provides University of Arizona students on-the-job training and an opportunity to contribute to technology innovations and solutions across campus.

One of his most notable accomplishments as part of the Tech Core team was the migration of its platforms to Microsoft Azure while simultaneously determining ways to effectively minimize costs. Azure is one of the various cloud hosting solutions that allows users to build, test and manage applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers.

“We needed a solution for moving our on-base local servers to the Eller College of Management,” Nazifi explains. “Our primary goal was to keep all the servers secure; we didn’t want to leave them in a vulnerable state.” The integration resulted in a significantly tighter security system for Tech Core, which also meant far more opportunities for the division.

In addition to gaining exposure to cybersecurity principles and multiple programming languages through this and other projects at Tech Core, Nazifi has also been able to develop his teamwork and communication skills. By interacting with faculty to determine solutions for various research tool complications and by building software solutions for university partners, he enhanced his personal communications skills and reinforced his leadership and adaptation abilities.

Nazifi seeks to live a life of service and to work within a team-based environment with plentiful leadership opportunities—he’s hoping Eller’s Master’s in Management Information Science will enable him to cultivate the skills necessary to achieve these goals.

“Humans are naturally curious,” he says. “Institutions like the University of Arizona facilitate the advancement of humanity and allow us to push the boundaries of what we already know.” Nazifi is confident that the amount of discipline that he developed throughout his undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona has prepared him for this new chapter in his life.