Future child life assistant major wins Samsung Galaxy Tab 4
Emilee Fishbaugher, 19, is starting her higher education adventure at Dakota County Technical College in spring semester 2018. Emilee is earning her Child Life Assistant Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in the Early Childhood & Youth Development program.
Originally from Fountain, Minnesota, a town of just over 400 residents in Fillmore County on the state’s southeastern border with Iowa, Emilee graduated from Fillmore Central School in 2017. She chose DCTC because the Rosemount-based technical college is the only school in Minnesota offering the Child Life Assistant A.A.S. Her decision to work in the medical field is founded on her desire to help children and their families struggling with health issues.
“I hope to work at the Mayo Clinic or the Saint Marys hospital campus in Rochester, Minnesota, in the children’s wing as a child life assistant,” Emilee said. “At the moment, I don’t have any transfer plans for after I graduate from DCTC.”
More about the Child Life Assistant A.A.S.
This 60-credit program gives you the knowledge and skill set necessary for you to work with children in hospital settings or assist them with their health care needs. As a child life assistant, you will be part of a team responsible for supporting children and their families through often traumatic health care experiences. You will help children cope effectively by using developmental play and normalized activities in their environment.
The Child Life Assistant A.A.S. is available in the classroom; most courses are also available online.
Emilee resides in Rosemount, Minnesota. Her family includes her mom, Kristin, her stepdad, Bob, her dad, John, her stepmom, Kristina, her half-brother, Jake, her brothers, Alex and Clay, her sisters-in-law, Julia and Audrey, her niece, Lia, and three dogs, Beckett, Reagan and Cyrus. In her free time, Emilee enjoys watching Netflix and Vikings games. She also enjoys going out with friends.
Three words that describe you as a college student:
HARD-WORKER. FUN. PUNCTUAL.
Winning the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4
Emilee won a DCTC social media Thanksgiving photo contest called #DCTCrealTHANKFUL. She submitted the top photos and took home a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4. According to Samsung, the “10.1-inch 16:10 WXGA (1280 x 800) screen provides a crystal clear view. Multi Window multi-tasking lets you watch movies, check email, shop online and chat with friends on a single screen. A 1.2GHz quad-core processor keeps everything running smoothly.”
Interesting fact
Fountain, Minnesota, is known as the “Sinkhole Capital of the United States” thanks to the area’s karst topography. According to Wikipedia, karst topographies result from the “dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite and gypsum.”
Karst hotspots are defined by robust underground drainage systems that create caves, cavern systems and sinkholes. Fillmore County reportedly has more than 10,000 sinkholes of various sizes.
Emilee Fishbaugher • Nine Answers
Favorite sport or physical activity: Hockey- Place you would most like to visit: Bora Bora
- Favorite all-time TV show: Sons of Anarchy
- Favorite all-time movie: The Best of Me
- One thing you most want to accomplish in life: Succeed at my career
Most precious material possession: Shoes- Dream occupation: Child life assistant
- Person you would most like to meet: Adam Theilen
- Skill you would most like to learn and master: Whistle with my fingers
To learn more about Early Childhood & Youth Development program, including the Child Life Assistant A.A.S. at DCTC, contact:
Dawn Braa
Early Childhood & Youth Development Faculty
651-423-8315
Sharon Bergen
Early Childhood & Youth Development Faculty
651-423-8398
