Alain Dephonse ’25: Dual Degree Program + Internships Pave Way to Cybersecurity Job Current Role: Associate Cybersecurity Analyst, New York Power Authority Dual Degree: B.S. in Computer Science and Information Security (May 2025); M.S. in Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity (December 2025) Advanced Certificate: Applied Digital Forensics Internships: New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Intern; New York Power Authority, Cybersecurity Intern Hometown: Queens, NY Career Aspiration: Computer Science Professional What was life like before John Jay? I grew up in Queens, New York, in a Haitian American household, living with my mom, dad, and sister. My parents are from Haiti, and I grew up visiting the country. I learned a bit of Haitian Creole as a kid, though I’m a little rusty now, but I have immense appreciation and love for my culture. I went to school in Queens for most of my life. What sparked your passion for computer science? It was through my father’s love of music that my passion for computers and technology was born. It was interesting to me to see how quickly technology evolved and how, with each evolution, the access to music was better, the devices were smaller, and the quality of the sound was improved. My dad always had the latest gear to play his music: record players, stereo systems, CD burners to make mixed albums, and the newest devices and laptops. I also grew up with friends who were always doing something tech-related. We’d have conversations about emerging technology and share information on the latest products. So, technology has always been a big focus in my life. My passion for computer science continued to grow in high school. I went to the Thomas Edison Career & Technical Education High School, where I learned about computer programming and computer repair. My knowledge