Twin sisters Kristal and Krisan Spencer have turned a shared interest in technology into a professional journey, graduating from Northern Caribbean University (NCU) with Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science.  Their journey into technology began at DeCarteret College in Mandeville, Manchester, where an information technology teacher helped spark their interest in a field that would eventually shape their careers. For Kristal, the attraction to technology was also evident at home, where she naturally became the family’s go-to person whenever gadgets and computers caused trouble. “I liked the tech side of things. If my parents or cousins had any difficulties with technology, they would ask me for assistance,” she related. That childhood interest eventually evolved into a career path. But the sisters’ university journey began under extraordinary circumstances. They started their studies in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic had pushed much of university education online. Adjusting to remote classes was difficult, but Kristal said the support of their lecturers helped them navigate the unfamiliar terrain. “It was a bit hard at first, especially as we started with online classes during the coronavirus,” Kristal recalled. Despite the challenges, the sisters pressed on, building a broad foundation in computing through NCU’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science programme, which requires 134 credits and covers areas including software development, algorithms, data structures and computer architecture. Students can also specialise in software engineering, information security, or data communications and Nnetworks. But for Kristal and Krisan, the degree represents more than a collection of courses. It has given them a deeper understanding of a world increasingly driven by technology — while also allowing them to discover their own strengths. Krisan, who considers herself the more creative of the pair, is drawn to the user-facing side of computer science and how technology can be designed around the people who use it. Her relationship with technology was not always so positive. “I did not like information technology in high school,” she related. Yet she was constantly experimenting with computers, and over time, the subject became less intimidating and more intuitive. Her teacher at DeCarteret College helped complete that transformation. “She really made the subject interesting,” Krisan recounted. That early influence has since helped shape her professional ambitions. Rather than concentrating only on the machinery behind digital systems, Krisan is interested in the intersection of technology, creativity and the user experience. While their professional interests are beginning to diverge, the sisters have spent much of their lives moving in tandem. They come from a family with two sets of twins. Their mother is an auditor and their father is a librarian, and they have four daughters, with the two sets of twins born 10 years apart. From DeCarteret College to NCU and now into the professional world, Kristal and Krisan have shared many of life’s biggest milestones. Their next chapters, however, could take them thousands of miles apart. Kristal has her sights set on Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching programme, better known as the JET programme. She is currently on standby and hopes to teach in Japan, combining her academic background with education and cultural exchange. Krisan is looking west, with hopes of participating in a J-1 internship programme in information technology in the United States. The opportunity would give her practical experience in her field, while exposing her to a different professional environment. For the sisters, the road ahead is a natural extension of a journey that began with a teacher who made technology exciting and a family that encouraged them to explore their talents.