DCTC students love their animals
In August 2011, DCTC Facebook invited students to share photos of their pets. The following students garnered the most likes for their submitted photos.
Jaycob Martin & Fred
“Fred is a social butterfly,” said Jaycob Martin, 30, of Eagan, Minn. “He’s very personable and loves everybody.”
Fred is a 10-year-old beagle who likes lots of attention and warms up quickly to everyone he meets. Ginger, 8, Fred’s co-beagle in the Martin household, is the exact opposite.
“Ginger is pretty much antisocial,” said Jaycob, a 1999 graduate of Burnsville High School.
Jaycob is working on his A.A.S. degree in Multimedia and Web Design at DCTC. His studies include creating interactive media and content for websites, applications and stand-alone delivery. He also uses industry-standard software to design and develop images, 2D and 3D animations, audio, video and navigation for use in higher education, business, advertising and the entertainment industry.
Right out of high school, Jaycob earned a radio and broadcasting certificate at Brown Institute. For a year, he worked Sundays as a DJ for KYMN in Northfield, Minn., and loved it.
A student senator and governing council platform alternate with the MSCSA, Jaycob was part of the student group that helped DCTC become a Star Campus. After graduating, he plans to work as a Web designer for a corporation and as a freelance podcaster.
Chad and Katie Doyle & Toxie
Toxie lives the good life on a beautiful hobby farm outside Ellsworth, Wis. A 10-year-old paint, Toxie shares her home with two appaloosas, Rusty and Bo, along with the rest of the Doyle family, Chad and Katie and their two daughters, Madisyn, 4, and baby Jordyn, only five months.
Both Chad, 28, and Katie, 27, are 2002 graduates of Rosemount High School. In fact, they are high school sweethearts. During high school, Chad worked two full-time jobs as a diesel mechanic. Today, he is enrolled in the Biomedical Equipment Technology program at DCTC with plans to earn his A.A.S. degree in spring 2012.
“Steve Bezanson, our instructor, is great at getting us to think for ourselves,” said Chad, who pointed out that his daughter Madisyn is no stranger to the college, having made friends with the president and several deans. She might even have an honorary diploma from DCTC. Chad is also an avid digital photographer. You can check out his work at ckdphotography.
Katie earned her Medical Assistant diploma from DCTC in 2010. Her training allows her to assist primary care physicians and specialists in clinics ranging in size from single-doctor to large, multi-specialty. She loved the program and works in her field at Hudson Physicians in Hudson, Wis.
Katie’s also had a lifelong love for horses. She’s ridden pleasure, both English and Western, on Toxie, who has made a big fan of the Doyle family’s youngest member.
“Jordyn was looking at Toxie when she smiled for the very first time,” said Chad.
Amanda Nelson & Soup
Soup is a 9-year-old retired show dog. Her breed, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, is classified as a toy by most kennel clubs and ranks as one of the most popular dogs in the United Kingdom. Soup is also a rescue dog.
“Soup loves everyone,” said Amanda Nelson, 20, a student in the Photographic Imaging Technology program at DCTC. “She’s deaf, but still sees very well.”
A resident of New Brighton, Minn., and a 2009 graduate of Irondale High School, Amanda took up photography as a recent hobby. She loves it and sees a whole world of possibilities in terms of career choices. Amanda started in the Photo Imaging program in spring 2011 and is working on her A.A.S. degree.
Amanda’s studies include planning and capturing unique photographs. She then processes, manages and digitally enhances the images to produce professional quality prints. She’s also building her skills in photography, digital workflow and color management of images as well as mastering advanced Photoshop and large-format printing techniques.
With help from her mom and sister Amy, 16, Amanda brought Soup to the college for a visit. Everyone took a quick tour of the campus, but Soup, unfortunately, had to wait outside.
Amanda loves to travel and considers Florida a great destination. Soup, on the other paw, loves treats.
Heidi Bailly & Zeke
“Zeke is the best-trained dog ever,” said Heidi Bailly, 33, a former U.S. Marine enrolled in the Photography program at DCTC. “What makes this amazing is that Zeke is a rescue dog. He was left in a kennel in a field off a country road. He tried to chew his way out and wore his top and bottom teeth down to the gums.”
Heidi and her husband, Todd, also a former Marine, took Zeke in as a foster dog, but no one seemed ready to adopt him. Heidi soon realized Zeke had already found his permanent home.
“He was housebroken and knew all the commands—sit, lie down, stay and come—and he always asked permission before doing something,” said Heidi, who grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and has dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship. “He’s really protective of our kids (Heidi and Todd have three: daughters Kailee, 13, and Skylar, 10, and son Caden, 4) and checks on them every night at bedtime. He’s very loyal to me and rarely leaves my side.”
Heidi has made photography her dream career. Her MOS in the Marines was Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear—and wearing a MOPP (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) suit never topped her fun-things-to-do list, but photography has always been one of her favorite pursuits. She busted her parent’s film budget as a child.
Her photo of Zeke and Ducky Momo (right) took second place in the judge’s and People’s Choice categories at a photo contest during Leprechaun Days in the city of Rosemount. She submitted the same photo on DCTC Facebook. Her photo of pink coneflowers (left) took first in both categories. The photo contest was Heidi’s first ever.
Heidi is set to earn an A.A.S. degree in Photography in May 2012. Understanding she needed the business and marketing piece to increase her chances of success as a professional photographer, she is also earning her A.A.S. degree in the Marketing Design Specialist program. Her goal is to work for a megacorporation in the field of commercial product photography.
To see all the student-submitted pet photos in a gallery on DCTC Facebook, just click the image below:
Your animals demand it! Join the nearly 1,800 people who like DCTC on Facebook!
Coming Spring Semester 2012 in the Photography program: Special Topics: Dog Photography. For more information, contact:
- Peter Latner
Photography Instructor
651-423-8590