Aalok Dhonju

Aalok Dhonju

NKU Graduate & Lifelong Learner

Passionate about using technology to improve business efficiency. Graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's in Information Technology at Northern Kentucky University.

Education

Aalok Dhonju

Northern Kentucky University

Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology

Graduation: May 2026

Network and System Administration Track | Minor in Health Informatics and Information Security

Cumulative GPA: 3.95 / 4.00

Honors: US Bank Cyber Security Scholarship, COI President's List 3x, COI Dean's List, Haile COB Dean's List, Haile Enrichment Fund, International Merit Scholarship, EDGE and EDGE+ Programs

Experience

Chartwells Higher Ed

Intern
October 2023 - August 2025 | January 2026 - Present
  • Administered and migrated the NKU Dine-on-Campus website
  • Analyzed marketing data using Python, Excel, and Power BI to provide consumer behavior insights
  • Managed digital displays and social media, and automated marketing emails for over 200 subscribers

Medpace Inc.

Network Engineering Intern
August 2025 - October 2025
  • Resolved Zscaler and network support tickets and monitored alerts with SolarWinds
  • Assisted in deploying Cisco 9200CX switches and installing Opengear appliances for network management
  • Automated routine tasks using PowerShell, including ACL extraction and group membership audits
  • Conducted authenticated network scans with Tanium and strengthened micro segmentation with Guardicore policies

Northern Kentucky University

Undergraduate Student Researcher
May 2024 - April 2025
  • Conducted research on SPHERE for reliable Edge Computing Services under Prof. Rasib Khan
  • Configured VMware vSphere instances to deploy local databases and edge computing servers
  • Secured IoT data streams using blockchain-based hash chains and cryptographic methods

Northern Kentucky University

Teaching Assistant
August 2024 - December 2024
  • Assisted with lab sessions and exam reviews for CIT 247 Networking Fundamentals
  • Supported hands-on learning with Cisco networking equipment in the Cyber Threat Intelligence Lab

Projects

Docker & NGINX Reverse Proxy

Deployed a multi-service containerized environment within an AWS VPC using Docker and NGINX Proxy Manager.

  • Hosted five web applications on a single EC2 instance using Docker
  • Configured NGINX Proxy Manager to route traffic via subdomains with HTTPS
  • Implemented centralized reverse proxy architecture for scalability

Server Cloning & Active Directory Deployment

Designed and deployed a Windows Server environment with Active Directory and image-based cloning.

  • Used FOG Project for image capture, deployment, and PXE booting
  • Configured primary and secondary domain controllers for redundancy
  • Created organizational units, roles, and user accounts

Secure Service Provenance in Edge Computing

Set up and managed MySQL Server, creating automated Python scripts to streamline data extraction and storage

  • Integrated Local APIs with databases for efficient and secure data transfer
  • Enhanced system integrity using blockchain, hash chains, and robust security protocols
  • Deployed and maintained multiple VM instances, ensuring optimal configuration and performance

Unix System Administrator Tool Using Python

A comprehensive system administration tool using Python to automate various tasks

  • User Management: Create, delete, and update user accounts, including batch creation from CSV files
  • System Monitoring: Track CPU and memory usage, check disk space, and list running processes
  • File Organization: Automatically categorize files based on extensions
  • Email Notifications: Automated alerts after task completion

Layer 2 Security Hardening on Cisco Switches

Configured a Cisco switch to enhance network security by implementing multiple security measures

  • Threat Prevention: Mitigated MAC spoofing, CAM Overflow, and DHCP Snooping attacks
  • Security Solutions: Enabled Port Fast, BPDU Guard, and auto-recovery in Cisco 3850
  • VLAN Management: Secured unused ports in a "parking lot VLAN"
  • Protocol Hardening: Disabled CDP to reduce attack surfaces

Self-Hosted Portfolio Website

Created and hosted portfolio website on a self-hosted Ubuntu server

  • Apache2 Web Server: Configured and hosted the website on port 80
  • NAT Forwarding: Enabled external access by forwarding port 80
  • Domain Linking: Mapped the server's IP address to custom domain
  • Live at: www.aalok.me

Certifications

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Issuer: Cisco
Issued Dec 2025 · Expires Dec 2028

Credential ID: aa1693ce-cd1f-45d6-a2c0-5577df479202

Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)

Issuer: ISC2
Issued Oct 2025 · Expires Oct 2028

Skills: Network Security · Cybersecurity

SASE Expert Level 1

Issuer: Cato Networks
Issued Sep 2025

Credential ID: xxd3imla0z

CompTIA Network+ ce Certification

Issuer: CompTIA
Issued Aug 2025 · Expires Aug 2028

Skills: Troubleshooting · Networking

Google Cybersecurity Certificate

Issuer: Google
Issued Aug 2023

Credential ID: QU795JB8FRKD
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