A Kansas native and graduate of Elyria Christian School, Abby Ediger ’23, was used to a small school where you can get to know everyone, an attribute that resonated with her on the Hesston campus.

“I have never loved the idea of a big college, where no one really knows each other,” Ediger explains. “Hesston College gave me the opportunity to get to know a lot of people on campus.”

Her studies have led her to talk to more than just those on campus. Eager to put her educational skills in emergency management services to work, Ediger began volunteering with Hesston EMS in the fall of 2021 and started engaging with the broader community she serves.

I have always loved helping people, and EMS applies to that,” she says. “I get to help other people in their most vulnerable state.”

Ediger reveals another personal perk to this type of service, “I also have always loved adrenaline rushes, and EMS for sure gives me that adrenaline rush.”

She passed the EMT certification in July 2022, and continues to serve as a first responder with Hesston EMS in coordination with her education at Hesston College.

“Looking ahead, Ediger says she is exploring her options, “I am deciding between moving on and pursuing my paramedic certification, or working towards an ultrasound tech certification or taking a gap year and getting more experience as an EMT.”

Photos courtesy Keli Wray Photography