Alumni Spotlight: Emily Decker '20

Name: Emily Decker

Grad Year: 2020

Hometown: Elkhart, IN

What did you study at USF?
Exercise Science and Psychology

What was your favorite aspect of USF?
I was on the USF volleyball team. My teammates and the memories we made are my favorite to look back on and made my time at USF special.

What made you want to live in Sioux Falls?
After completing grad school for occupational therapy at Indiana Wesleyan University, I knew I wanted to move away from Indiana. As I began to look at different cities that interested me I would compare them to Sioux Falls. I got a job at LifeScape and it became an easy choice to move back to Sioux Falls. I missed living in a city that always had something happening but never felt overwhelming. I have some friends that live in Sioux Falls and I am looking forward to living closer to them again, as well as living in one place long enough to settle down and cultivate a community.

What are you excited about most with what’s happening in your industry or your new role?
In the field of occupational therapy, there are a lot of advocacy efforts happening both for the field and the patients; I am excited to be in a field that has potential for growth and the ability to be part of that growth. At LifeScape I am excited to continue to learn from the multidisciplinary team I will be working with.

In retrospect, how do you think USF helped prepare you to serve in your personal and professional lives?
The classes that were required to graduate, but were not necessary for completing my degrees (Art, Christian Thought...), seemed burdensome at the time, but looking back they helped lay the groundwork for understanding different opinions and professions which has become extremely beneficial as an occupational therapist. Personally, USF allowed me to move to a new state and know that there would be people who cared about my success. This has given me the courage to move to other places and use past experiences as a framework for success in my new environments.

Do you have a favorite USF memory?
Anytime we had a big win over another team in our conference. The actual win of course, but also knowing when we came back to class, peers and professors would ask how the team did and share in the joy of our wins.

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