EMS graduate shaves her head to raise money for childhood cancer research
NOTE: This Inver Hills News story was originally published October 27, 2017. The story was republished today, May 1, 2026, with some updates.
In March 2016, Victoria Neunsinger, 26, traveled nearly 600 miles from her home in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, to Helen Fitzgerald’s Irish Grill & Pub in St. Louis, Missouri, to have her head shaved. Victoria’s goal was raising money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-powered charity funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers.
She was a member of a 15-shavee team, 6 Is a Serious Number, that brought in more than $21,000 in donations, besting the team’s $17,000 goal.
Before and after
More about Victoria…
Victoria Neunsinger
Originally from Elk River, Minnesota, a city of 23,000 residents about 34 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Victoria graduated from Elk River Senior High School in 2010. She was an accomplished athlete, playing varsity hockey, soccer and lacrosse. Hockey was her favorite sport—she played the game for 13 years growing up. Her positions were center, wing, and goalie.
After high school, Victoria attended Anoka-Ramsey Community College, earning her Associate of Arts (A.A.) in 2012. From there, she attended Santa Reparata International School of Art, a prestigious art college in Florence, Italy, attended by mostly American international students seeking a study-abroad experience.
“I got talked into going by a very persuasive recruiter,” Victoria said. “I was thinking about becoming a fashion designer. I have the utmost respect for that profession—it brings a different kind of stress than paramedicine, but it wasn’t for me.”
Three words that describe you as a paramedic:
COMPASSIONATE. INDEPENDENT. RESOLUTE.
Victoria returned to the U.S. and enrolled in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program at Inver Hills Community College. She graduated from Inver in May 2015 with her Accelerated Track Paramedic Associate of Science (A.S.) degree. While in the program, she served as president of EMSSA, a volunteer student organization dedicated to supporting community well-being and education regarding emergency medical services.
“I became very close to some of my classmates, including Simone Ramler,” Victoria said. “We were the front-row girls. You get very little sleep in the EMS program and you have to develop unique study habits and learn how to manage your time. You need to know how to take care of yourself before you can take care of other people.”
Victoria Neunsinger and Simone Ramler (Courtesy of the Bendigo Advertiser)
After graduating from Inver Hills, Victoria went to work as a full-time paramedic at North Memorial Ambulance Service at the North Memorial location in Brooklyn Center. She works with a number of her former EMS classmates, including Simone.
“I work the day shift—4 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Victoria said. “You work with a partner and switch off driving between runs. You learn what kind of person you are on this job. You learn what kind of paramedic you want to be. I’ve found that I’ve become more thoughtful, introspective and compassionate. You see how families react in an emergency. Some are stoic and some are filled with empathy.”
Victoria has also become a preceptor to current EMS students. “My class and the class above us worked out the mentoring kinks,” she said.
When she’s not working, Victoria loves to snowboard and she’s looking forward to winter and lots of snow. She snowboards at Afton Alps and Welch. She also likes spending time with her two dogs, Bella, a 4-year-old, black labradoodle, and Kota, aka Dakota McGills Wenckebach, a 2-year-old St. Bernard, Siberian husky, border collie, and unknown mix.
She has an older sister, Dorie, who’s married and lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Victoria is an aunt to Dorie’s two children, nephew Alex, 21, and niece Isabella, 18. Victoria’s sister, Kimberly, resides in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and has two children, Ashlyn and Chloe.
Victoria Neunsinger • 6 Is a Serious Number • Q & A
What inspired you to shave your head to raise money for childhood cancer research?
My friend works as a music therapist in pediatric oncology and decided she would brave the shave. We talked for months about her decision; what would she look like, awkward hair stages, and other insecurities she would experience as a bald female. A couple weeks before the event, she called me and was a bundle of nerves—so I told her I would do it with her so she’d have a bald friend.
It was really uncomfortable at first. After 24 years with hair, it was a huge shock to my system. I would shiver at the slightest change in temperature and even in just a slight breeze.
Victoria Neunsinger • More Q & A
Victoria Neunsinger
Why did you choose paramedicine as your career field?
I was actually going to continue my education and go back to Italy. I expressed interest in the medical field and becoming a paramedic to a friend, and he convinced me to take an EMT class. Since it couldn’t hurt, I decided to take my friend’s advice and after the second week of class, I couldn’t imagine any other decision.
What was it like being an EMS student?
Exhausting, but extremely rewarding. However, it completely ruins watching any emergency hospital TV shows or movies that involve prehospital medicine.
What do you like best about paramedicine?
When I am able to help a patient on one of the worst days of their life and educate them on their disease, or what is happening to them. I also love the people I work with at North Memorial.
What is the most formidable part of your job as a paramedic?
Sometimes people don’t want our help for any number of reasons—even in life-threatening situations. That happens at least once a week.
What has been your toughest challenge in life?
Learning how to take life as it comes.
What would you tell someone who’s thinking about becoming a paramedic?
Get as much life experience as you can before you get started. I wish I had been more experienced when I came into the EMS program. Growing up in Elk River, I didn’t get the chance to meet a lot of people who were different from me.
What person has influenced you the most in life?
My sister, Dorie.
2015 Australia trip
(left to right) Laura Christiansen, Dave Page, Mike Bowen, Victoria Neunsinger, Brittney Hutchinson, George O’Gara, Simone Ramler
Victoria was one of five EMS students who won a La Trobe University EMS Conference Scholarship and traveled to Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, for an international EMS conference in January 2015. Paramedics and ambulance branches in the U.S. and Australia function in different ways. Those differences were key topics of discussion at the conference.
(top) Mike Bowen, Simone Ramler (bottom) Laura Christiansen, Victoria Neunsinger, Brittney Hutchinson
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Nursing programs at Inver Hills Community College joined forces Tuesday, November 7, 2017, for Management of Care Day.
The learning event brought working paramedics and EMS students together with nursing students to enact six EMS stations that would help semester 5 nursing students pass the NCLEX-RN exam.
A full-time paramedic at North Memorial at the time, Victoria brought her on-the-job experience to the event to help out both programs.
Join a health care team that saves lives on the front lines. Train at Inver Hills to become a paramedic or emergency medical technician (EMT). Paramedics provide care in a variety of emergency medical and traumatic situations. With enough education or experience, EMTs and paramedics can become emergency service supervisors, managers, directors, or executive directors.
Interested in learning more about the exciting career opportunities in the Emergency Medical Services field? Sign up to attend an information session to hear more about our EMT program, Paramedic program, and additional certification opportunities.
Apply critical thinking skills while engaging in the process of application, analysis, and evaluation to make accurate, ethical and informed decisions related to patient care.
Monitor and model interpersonal communication competence by effectively monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting their own communication behavior and demonstrating appropriate and effective conflict Management strategies.
Demonstrate the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical clinical and operational skills as defined by current national EMS Education Standards.
Relate the relevance of scholarly research and its application toward modern medical practices.
Apply critical thinking skills while engaging in the process of application, analysis, and evaluation to make accurate, ethical and informed decisions related to patient care.
Monitor and model interpersonal communication competence by effectively monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting their own communication behavior and demonstrating appropriate and effective conflict Management strategies.
Demonstrate the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical clinical and operational skills as defined by current national EMS Education Standards.
Relate the relevance of scholarly research and its application toward modern medical practices.
Apply critical thinking skills while engaging in the process of application, analysis, and evaluation to make accurate, ethical and informed decisions related to patient care.
Monitor and model interpersonal communication competence by effectively monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting their own communication behavior and demonstrating appropriate and effective conflict Management strategies.
Demonstrate the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical clinical and operational skills as defined by current national EMS Education Standards.
Relate the relevance of scholarly research and its application toward modern medical practices.
This certificate is designed to provide a basic education in emergency medical care, teach the competencies required for students to prepare for the national certification examination and to prepare students for certification and a career as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
This program will teach responsibility in emergency care of the critically sick or injured and develop skills in the use of and care of all basic emergency equipment. The program curriculum includes topics such as patient assessment, trauma skills, care and recognition of heart disease, respiratory problems and other medical emergencies and includes field clinical experience. You will need to obtain EMT certification to enroll in any paramedic course.
The EMT certificate program is approved by the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board. Participants who successfully complete the certificate program will be eligible to take the National Registry of EMT’s practical and written examinations for State of Minnesota and National Certification and employment as an EMT.
This certificate program provides additional training to certified, experienced paramedics in the following areas:
Public health
Health preservation
Patient advocacy
Triage
Disease management
Mental health
Management of ongoing illness or injury
As a community paramedic, you’ll work for an EMS medical director in cooperation with a primary care doctor. Community paramedics are employed at EMS agencies, health care organizations, or in other areas of public health.
Why study EMS at Inver Hills?
Earn your EMT certificate on your way to becoming a paramedic.
The 9-credit Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program delivers a basic education in emergency medical care. As a student in the program, you will develop the competencies you’ll need to take the national certification exam. You must pass the exam to become an EMT, which is a requirement to enroll in our paramedic A.S. degree programs.
Learn how to care for people during medical emergencies.
As a student in our EMT certificate program, you’ll learn to be responsible for delivering emergency care to critically sick or injured people. You’ll develop the skills to use and maintain basic emergency equipment. Topics covered include patient assessment, trauma skills, and care and recognition of heart disease and respiratory problems. This program will give you clinical experience in the field. An EMT certificate is required to enroll in our EMS A.S. programs.
Be the go-to professional in extreme-stress situations.
Our Emergency Medical Services (EMS) degree and diploma programs deliver comprehensive educational and occupational preparation in advanced, prehospital emergency care. As a paramedic, you will be employed by advanced, life-support ambulance services as well in various out-of-hospital care settings to provide care in medical and traumatic emergencies.
Three options to advance your paramedic career.
Our EMS Paramedic program offers two degree tracks, Traditional and Accelerated. Both lead to an A.S. in Emergency Medical Services. We also offer a diploma option if you already have a degree or are seeking a career as a paramedic without completing additional liberal arts coursework.
Trust in the quality of your EMS education.
The Inver Hills EMS program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) on the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
Outcomes
In 2023, the Inver Hills Paramedic Program achieved a retention rate of 88 percent, a 100 percent pass rate on the National Registry, and a 100 percent positive employment rate. For a additional outcomes, click on Program Details to learn more.
Attention paramedics looking for innovative training opportunities.
Our 12-credit Community Paramedic certificate provides additional training to certified, experienced paramedics in the areas of public health, health prevention, patient advocacy, triage, disease management, mental health, and the management of ongoing illness or injury. As a community paramedic, you’ll work for an EMS medical director in cooperation with a primary care doctor.
Be the first to respond in an emergency.
Paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMT) provide first-line medical care for sick and injured people at the scene of an emergency, which could be almost anywhere, including a private residence, accident site, terrorist attack, or disaster area.
Career Opportunities
Paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and first responders are primarily employed at the following locations, public safety agencies, hospitals, private and public ambulance services, and fire departments
As an EMS program graduate, you are eligible to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) written and practical exams to become certified nationally and in the state of Minnesota.
Administer basic or advanced emergency medical care and assess injuries and illnesses. May administer medication intravenously, use equipment such as EKGs, or administer advanced life support to sick or injured individuals.
Reported job titles
First Responder
Flight Paramedic
Paramedic
WAGES
Minnesota
Workers on average earn $68,000.
10% of workers earn $58,680 or less.
10% of workers earn $85,860 or more.
United States
Workers on average earn $58,410.
10% of workers earn $40,130 or less.
10% of workers earn $82,420 or more.
Minnesota source: Projections Central 2022–2032 long-term projections. United States source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 employment projections.
“Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period.
“Projected annual job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Visit O*NET OnLine for comprehensive information about the occupation: Paramedics
Chris Hayes, 71, senior writer and photographer in the Marketing and Communications department at Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College, is retiring after 18+ years. Monday, May 4, 2026, is his last day. This is his last post on Inver Hills News.
Dr. Ron Thomas
Chris started working at DCTC in November 2007. He was one of the first shared employees when he arrived at Inver Hills in 2012 (or thereabouts). He published about 2,000 posts on DCTC News and more than 1,100 on Inver Hills News.
As a photographer, he covered a lot of events for both colleges, publishing about 350 DCTC Flickr and 350 Inver Hills Flickr albums. Covering events, especially sports, theatre, and graduations, was one of the favorite parts of his job.
“A special shoutout to Ron Thomas, PhD, former DCTC president, who made sure I found a home at the college,” Chris added.
Annie, Rachel, Emily, Maranda, Lisé
Chris says so long to his coworkers and friends, Rachel Marzahn, interactive media coordinator, Annie Nguyen, web developer and content manager, Scott Glime, web developer, Megan Vave, content/graphic design coordinator, Maranda Weibel, graphic arts specialist/marketing coordinator, and Emily Zimmer, marketing coordinator.
Also, Chris sends a big thank you to all the students, staff, faculty, and alumni who completed interviews for DCTC News and Inver Hills News spotlight stories. Writing spotlights was another best part of his job.
Tocho and Skeggox
Ukko
Skooks and Ganesh
Bleuzzie’s Garden
Skeggox and Zulie
Meatball’s Garden
Lost in his yard…again
Lion Pond
The Legends: Xochi, Bleuzenn, Zulie, Skeggox
Haisley
First inukshuk
Haisley at Buddha Pond
Ginny
Gun-Bob ready to mow
Ginny with Csilla, Gunny, Skookum, and Haisley
Gun-Bob in Lion Garden
Ginny and Haisley
Lion Garden
Fairy Ring
Ginny greeting new lion
Haisley on kitchen duty
Selfie-realization
Bubbas on patrol
Children’s Garden
Finn, Trav, Bells, and Grumpa
Agility area
Bleuzzie’s Garden
Agility area
Twin brothers
Skookum
Twin brothers
Skookum and Gun-Bob
Gunny and Odin
Ginny with Skooks, Gunny, Haisley, and Csilla
You talkin’ to me?
Working on new Lion Garden
Csilla, Ginny, Gun-Bob, Skooks
Selfie-realization
Chris and Ginny
Selfie-realization
Csilla in Bleuzzie’s Garden
Crazy’s Garden
Bedtime
Bleuzzie’s Garden
Ancestral home in Red Wing
More about the retiree…
Mom, Mike, Chris, Dad
Chris was born in Washington, D.C., in 1955, the same year Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California, and Albert Einstein died. He was adopted along with his twin brother, Mike, by his parents, Captain Richard Hayes, a 29-year U.S. Navy veteran, and Doloris Hayes, a U.S. Navy nurse and later in civilian life an RN and Northwest Airlines flight attendant. His mom and dad met serving in the Pacific Theater during WWII (1941–1945). They are both buried in Arlington Cemetery.
Photoshop generative expand/AI denoise+sharpen experiment rescued young Chris…sort of
Mike retired as a commander from the U.S. Navy after 29 years of service. As a naval aviator, he flew an A-6 Intruder on 45 sorties during the first Gulf War. He resides with his wife, Jackie, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Mike and Jackie have two adult children, Katie and Steve, aka “Slade,” and four granddaughters.
“My brother-in-law, Del Stedman, was a U.S. Marine who saw extensive combat during the Vietnam War,” Chris said. “His wife and my beloved sister, Patty, died at the age of 22. Del was exposed to Agent Orange and died from cancer in 1983 at the age of 36.”
Chris graduated from Red Wing High School in 1973, the same year Bruce Lee died and the U.S. launched Skylab, NASA’s first space station. He promptly went to Bemidji State College, where he majored in reading dozens and dozens of novels and visiting the headwaters of the Mississippi River.
Nowadays, Chris resides in primordial Minnesota in a six-acre arboretum with Ginny, his wife of 42 years, three pumik (singular pumi) named MACH 7 Szimfónia Amerikai Csilla, Skookum, aka Little Skooks, and Haisley, a preternatural wunderkind, and one 95-pound, mind-bending giant schnauzer named Gungnir, aka Gunny and/or Gun-Bob.
Del and Patty
The Hayes family has been blessed with legendary dogs, including CH MACH2 Wildwoods Bleuzenn, the only giant schnauzer in the history of the breed to achieve championships in both conformation and agility. Bleuzzie went missing on July 4, 2008. You can read her story in the Pioneer Press,“Champion dog disappears without a trace.”
Chris reported that the family also lost Ukko, a once-in-a-lifetime pumi and agility phenom, to a sudden illness in 2023. Ginny and Ukko were soulmates. Skeggox, aka Meatball and/or Meatus, was another remarkable giant. His name is Old Norse and means “bearded axe.” Chris regarded Skeggs as a natural-born friend and mentor.
“Ginny and I met sleeving poinsettias together in December 1979 at the Bachman’s growing range in Lakeville, Minnesota,” Chris said. “Between us, we worked for Bachman’s for sixty years. Gin talked me into going back to college in 2004.
“We have a blended family that includes a son, Travis, and his wife Sarah, and their two young children, Finn and Isabella. We have one daughter, Brenda, who’s married to Tim Olson and has three grown children, Dale, Katie, and Ben. Our other daughter, Barb, has two grown children, Holden, a DCTC business management and Inver Hills EMS alumna, and Joey, who resides with his fiancée, Destiny, in Colorado. Holden is getting married to Michael Kelly this October.”
Skeggox and Bleuzenn with leery friends
Chris and Ginny’s blended family also includes five great-grandchildren, Jordan, Aubrie, RJ, Colt, and Ryatt.
Chris has traveled to India twice, once on a month-long trek from Badrinath in the Himalayas to Kanyakumari on the country’s southernmost coast on the Indian Ocean, and once on a month-long adventure to the Prayag Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in 2001, the latter event drawing 70 million people the latter event drawing 70 million people to the convergence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. He practices two types of meditation, mantra and gazing, both twice a day.
Equipped with a black belt in taekwondo, a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and a decades-long interest in jnana yoga, Chris understandably likes photographing insects and other bugs, resulting in Escape to the Bughouse on Flickr. He loves to write novels, novellas, novelettes, and short stories. You can check out his work by visiting his website, Chris Lux Hayes, Author.
“Best of luck to everyone at both Inver and DCTC as you unite as one institution—Minnesota Valley College*,” Chris said. “Happy trails and smooth sailing.”
* Pending approval from the Higher Learning Commission and the Minnesota State Board of Trustees.
Second inukshuk
“The inukshuk (or inuksuk) is a traditional Inuit stone landmark symbolizing safety, hope, friendship, and navigation, embodying the spirit of ‘acting in the capacity of a human.’ Spiritually, they represent guardianship, connection to ancestors, and reassurance that one is on the right path.”
— AI Overview
Chris family and life gallery two
Zulie, Ginny, Bleuzzie
Slaty skimmer
Taking things slow
Ukko’s Garden
Back acreage at night
Skookum rules
Haisley
Peacocks in the Fairy Garden
Monarch on coneflower
Halloween pennant
Buddha Pond at night
Lion Pond
Gun Snow
Lion Garden at night
Gun-Bob
Gunny playing with Buddha
Green darner
Metallic green sweat bee
First inukshuk
Four-spotted skimmer
Gin, Bleuzenn (t-shirt), Skeggox, Xochi
Dad and Gun-Bob
Ebony jewelwing
Crazy’s Garden
Dad and Trav
Black Russian
Celtic Garden
Bugging for dragonflies
Blue Knights baseball
Tocho
Ukko
Tocho and Ukko
Tocho and Csilla
Favorite sport or physical activity: Hockey
Your personal motto if you had to have one: “Sometimes the most complicated questions have simple answers.”
First thing you would buy if you won the $1.5 billion Powerball: Castle with land in Scotland so I could have a title and be a lady
