PSEO Student Spotlight: Crimson Olaleye

Crimson Olaleye

Eastview High School student aiming for U of M College of Design

Crimson Olaleye, 16, a junior at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota, is a student in the Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program at Dakota County Technical College. Crimson is on track to graduate from Eastview in 2022. Her higher education goals are centered on attending the College of Design at the University of Minnesota.

“I am working on completing the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) at DCTC so I can transfer my credits to the U of M,” Crimson said. “I would like to be a UX [user experience] designer. My main goal is to be able to create visual content for people so I would love to do more beyond product design like graphic design and user-interface design.”

“I love being able to create my own schedule and not being stuck to the same school schedule every day. I have freedom in how I organize my schoolwork. Although it can become stressful at times, I like the independence that comes with being a PSEO student.”
Crimson Olaleye
DCTC PSEO Student
Eastview High School Junior

More about PSEO at DCTC…

The Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program is a dual-credit program that allows high school students to simultaneously earn high school and college credit through enrollment in and successful completion of college-level courses on a college campus or online.

Students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis. The PSEO program provides students with a greater variety of class offerings as well as the opportunity to pursue more challenging coursework than may be available at the high school. Tuition, fees and required textbooks are at no cost to students.

Am I Ready for PSEO?

Successful Traits
  • Successful PSEO students exhibit the following qualities: an independent learning style, good time management skills and a willingness to seek help when it is needed. PSEO will challenge students. It is expected that a PSEO student will seek out assistance and support when needed.
  • PSEO students will need to be able to commit two to three hours of study time for every hour they are in the class room. When deciding if you are ready for PSEO you will need to take into account how many hours a week your work, participate in after school activities and are socially active. Missing class and turning in late assignments because of high school obligations such as band and sports are generally not accepted in PSEO.
  • A successful PSEO student does not need to take all classes at the college. They can take as few as on class or have their entire schedule based at the college. What is expected is that the student is going to take responsibility for their college classes, participate in group work, and seek out the instructor for clarification of class discussions and homework.
“Dakota County Technical College offers PSEO students the unique opportunity to receive a hands-on education that leads to the completion of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) and the 40 required general education credits for a bachelor’s degree in the state of Minnesota.
“PSEO advisors at DCTC work closely with students to help them select the courses that best fit their needs at high school, their goals for PSEO, and their plans for the future.”
Natalie Shrestha
Academic and Financial Aid Advisor
Dakota County Technical College
LEARN MORE…

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum 2020–2021

The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) is the format in which general education is defined and accomplished within the public two- and four-year colleges and universities in Minnesota. Completion of an MnTC course at one institution enables a student to receive credit for lower division general education MnTC coursework upon admission to other Minnesota State colleges and universities as well as the University of Minnesota.

DCTC provides general education in the MnTC format and accepts MnTC courses from other Minnesota State colleges and universities and from the University of Minnesota campuses.

Students who complete the entire general education transfer curriculum have shown competency in 10 goal areas. DCTC offers courses that meet all of the 10 goal areas. Students transferring these courses to other colleges transfer on a course-by-course basis. Courses approved for the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum are identified in DCTC publications by MnTC goal numbers.

LEARN MORE…

What Is User Experience (UX) Design?¹

Everything You Need To Know To Get Started

By Emily Stevens Updated March 19, 2021

User experience design is an extremely vast, multidisciplinary and fascinating field. It shapes the products and services we use on a daily basis, and can make or break the success of a business or brand.

A career in UX design is fast-paced and challenging, requiring a highly diverse skillset. If you want to break into this field, there’s plenty to learn!

LEARN MORE…

More about Crimson…

Crimson Olaleye

Originally from Burnsville, Minnesota, Crimson is an exceedingly active student at Eastview High School. She participates in musical theater, step team, choir and band. She also is a writer for the high school newspaper.

Crimson has four siblings, two sisters, Sidney, 21, and Maylee, 6, and two younger brothers, Laeton, 12, and Kyedon, 10. Her dad, Tim, is a product engineer, and her mom, Emily, is a stay-at-home-mom.

In her free time, Crimson enjoys watching YouTube and learning languages. “I’ve recently been watching a lot of interior design and apartment videos on YouTube,” she said, “but I also really enjoy traveling/lifestyle vlogs. I’m currently learning Korean with my brother—the last language I learned was Spanish.”

Crimson resides with her family in Burnsville.

Crimson family and performance gallery


Crimson Olaleye Q & A

Why did you choose DCTC?

I chose to go to DCTC because it was the closest commute from my high school, and I knew people who had gone to DCTC so I was a little familiar with the school. I also liked the variety of classes.

What do you like best about PSEO?

I love being able to create my own schedule and not being stuck to the same school schedule every day. I have freedom in how I organize my schoolwork. Although, it can become stressful at times, I like the independence that comes with being a PSEO student.

How has PSEO helped you succeed in college?

PSEO has really helped me to be independent. I know how to solve problems without needing to go to an adult or my parents for assistance.

What is your favorite DCTC course so far and why?

I really liked World History. Although history isn’t my favorite subject, Professor [Jill] Frahm’s passion about her subject made the class enjoyable. The content in the class was also really interesting.

Three words that describe you as a college student:
SELF-MOTIVATED. BUSY. CONSCIENTIOUS.

How is PSEO helping you choose your career path?

I think PSEO is helping me become more certain in the career I’m interested in. I haven’t taken any design classes, but I have taken classes from other fields that I thought I would enjoy, and I ended up not liking the subjects so I was able to eliminate those from my ideas for career choice.

What advice would you give students thinking about PSEO?

I would tell any student thinking about PSEO to make sure they know how to manage their time wisely. A lot of classes are fast-paced so it’s important to have a schedule even if a class is completely online.

What person has influenced you the most in life?

My parents have influenced me a lot. They both instilled a strong work ethic in me, so I’ve always tried to do my best at everything I do.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

In 20 years, I hope to be an established freelance designer with enough freedom to be able to travel and live my life to the fullest.

One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:

NICE

Crimson Olaleye 12 Answers

  1. Favorite sport or physical activity: Basketball
  2. Place you would most like to visit: My grandparent’s home in Nigeria
  3. The most exciting thing you’ve ever done: Get lost in Paris
  4. Three things you would do if you won a $1 billion lottery: 1) Pay off my family’s homes 2) Travel everywhere 3) Invest
  5. Favorite TV show you’re watching now: Attack on Titan
  6. Best movie you’ve seen lately: Coming 2 America
  7. One thing you most want to accomplish in life: Be able to volunteer full-time
  8. Your national bird if you were your own country: Northern cardinal
  9. Dream occupation: Own my own company that makes creative content
  10. Person you would most like to meet: BTS
  11. Skill you would most like to learn and master: Animation and video editing
  12. Most important issue or problem facing humankind: Racism
Learn more about PSEO at DCTC by contacting:

Natalie Shrestha
Academic and Financial Aid Advisor
651-423-8537

Kerry Lurken
Admissions Representative
651-423-8409

¹ SOURCE: Career Foundry