Yerzhan Yerbatyr (Category: Social and Humanitarian Contributors)
My name is Yerzhan Yerbatyr, and I am a graduating student of the Class of 2025 majoring in Computer Science.
Throughout my time at NU, I have been deeply committed to building an inclusive, engaging, and empowered student community through leadership, volunteerism, and service.
ACM@NU (Association for Computing Machinery Student Chapter)
As Chair of ACM@NU, I led initiatives to support technical growth, peer learning, and career development. Under my leadership:
We organized the first-ever NU datathon, DataSaur, and hosted HackNU/25 and the national competitive programming competition NU OPEN 2024.
These events brought together over 1,000 participants from across Kazakhstan, including girls from rural areas who were supported through travel grants (25,000 KZT each) to attend.
The total budget for these events reached $11,250, reflecting our scale and impact.
ACM@NU was awarded Academic Club of the Year, and HackNU won Academic Event of the Year at the annual NU Student Awards.
I’ve also been a member of the ACM-Women Student Chapter since my freshman year, actively supporting events and initiatives to inspire and empower women in STEM.
Student Government
I’ve served two terms in the NU Student Government, starting as Minister of Media and Communication in my freshman year — the only freshman in the executive body at the time. During this role:
I led the mascot and motto initiative, resulting in the adoption of the saiga antelope as NU’s official mascot.
I contributed to launching a creative space initiative for students.
I co-produced the “NU Pogovorim” YouTube series, fostering conversations between students and faculty.
In my sophomore year, I served as Vice President, assisting the President and leading major initiatives such as school councils and union frameworks. I was also a voting member of NU’s Teaching and Learning Committee. As of now, I remain the highest-ranking senior student (NU class of 2025) in SG, with no other senior having held the role of VP or President.
Cooking Club
As President of the NU Cooking Club, I combined my passion for food and community. We organized biweekly cooking sessions and collaborated with other clubs for events:
Baked baursaks for the NU Orchestra and Kazakh Stage performance
Made cookies and brownies for Halloween with the Board Games Club
Baked cupcakes for Red Crescent blood drives, and club fairs
Recognition & Volunteering
I was nominated for Freshman of the Year (2022) and Leadership Contribution of the Year (2023) at the NU Awards.
I actively volunteered with the NU Volunteers Club during Orientation Week twice, NU Entrance Exams, and held campus tours.
I volunteered at the first-ever ICPC contest held in Kazakhstan, which was a major event for the competitive programming community in Kazakhstan.
These experiences have taught me the power of servant leadership, the impact of inclusive community-building, and the value of creating opportunities for others. I hope my journey can inspire current and future students to lead with passion and purpose.
Challenges Overcome:
Balancing academics with leadership roles was a challenge, but it taught me resilience, time management, and the value of teamwork. Leading diverse teams across different organizations also pushed me to grow as a communicator and listener.
Lessons Learned:
These experiences taught me that leadership is most powerful when it uplifts others. I’ve learned to lead with purpose, collaborate with empathy, and create impact not just through technical achievements, but through community-building and advocacy.
Attached to this email, you’ll find:
A high-resolution formal photo
And a confirmation letter of my leadership positions from the Department of Student Services.
Thank you for your time and consideration. It would be an honor to be featured among alumni who have made meaningful social and humanitarian contributions through their time at NU SEDS.
My contact information: 87773378411, yerzhan.yerbatyr@nu.edu.kz