Editor’s Note: As we celebrate 10 years of Inspiring Women, we caught up with a few of our past ‘cover girls’…

Her story: Abbey, a high school senior, was successful in track and balanced many duties: student council president, student manager of Century football team, Girls State and more. She was also responsible for helping out on her family’s ranch.

IW: Your track coach described you as a great leader. Have you continued to use your leadership skills in college and beyond?

AE: I think my leadership skills have remained important to me since high school.  In college I was a member of the University of Montana (U of M) track and field team where I was a three year captain. I have to tell you that having the coaches select me to be
the captain as a sophomore over several seniors on my team was a test
of my leadership. I had to delicately balance being younger and less
experienced, with leading the team vocally and by example.
I also developed my skill as a senator for the Associated Students of
the University of Montana which is the student government at U of M.  It
was a great way for me to learn about how governing bodies really work
and gave me a new understanding of what it would be like to be in
public office.
Now I am in physician assistant school at the University of Nebraska
Medical Center where I was elected the Representative to the Assembly of
Representatives at the National Association of Physician Assistant
Conference.  This was in Las Vegas the first week of June and offered
me more experience with governing bodies but more importantly it
inspired and amazed me in regards to the magnitude of the profession I
am entering.

IW: So you continued participating in track at the U of M?

AE: Yes. I went to the U of M on a track scholarship and
was unsure if it was something I really wanted to do, but decided I
better give it a try.  I absolutely loved it.  It gave me purpose,
drive, and a family.  I spent so much time with my teammates and
coaches they truly became my second family.  I also met my fiancé
while I was at the U of M.  He was a football player and I was on the
track team; I always tell people it was a weight room romance!  So I
am very thankful for my years of the track team.

IW: You are currently working on your masters degree. Tell us about that.

AE: I am currently working toward my Masters of Physician Assistant
Studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha,
Nebraska.  It is an intense 28 month program with 13 months of
classroom work and 15 months of clinical rotations.  I will start
rotations in September and I am so excited! My goal is to survive
school and eventually get a job in North Dakota.  North Dakota is in
need of high quality practitioners and I hope to do my part someday.
I also want to get back to my agriculture roots.  I hope to move close
to my parents and help with the ranch.  I honestly can’t wait to get
back to North Dakota.  It has been fun living in different states but
it has made me realize how great North Dakota is and how lucky I was
to grow up in Bismarck.

IW: Do you have any advice for young girls on how to balance school work, part time jobs and athletics?

AE: My advise for young girls, or anyone for that matter, is do what makes
you happy.  Set your goals high and live up to your own expectations.
Get rid of the “I can’t” state of mind because YOU CAN and negative
thoughts will just get in your way.  Working hard and being busy with
work, school, sports and hobbies is part of life, make it fun.  I
firmly believe that hard work is fun and gratifying. With the right
attitude and motivation anything is possible.  I also encourage people
to make a difference everyday, whether it’s your own life or impacting
someone else, at the end of the day you can say you did some good.

IW: Who inspires you and why?

AE: My parents inspire me.  I am amazed my them.  When I was a kid I
thought I knew my parents but you don’t really get to know your
parents until you’ve grown up.  I think about the courage my parents
must have had to start a ranch halfway through their lives and it
blows me away. They moved to the ranch with five kids and began a
journey that would change our lives.  My mom is the best mom ever, I
am sure most kids say that but I mean it, she just raised us the right
way and as I get a little older and begin to think about having a
family of my own I hope I can be half the mother she has been.  I
don’t known how it happened but all of us kids are best friends and
always have been, sure, we got into arguments, but there isn’t
anyone else we would rather hang out with than the siblings.  I think
that says a lot about our parents.  Also, it is no easy task to raise
five kids on a incredibly unpredictable salary. But mom did it with
grace and ease. My dad is the smartest man I know, he is incredibly
brave and is not afraid to fight for what he believes in, even if it is
against the grain.  He works harder and longer hours than any man half
his age and never complains.  One thing I admire most is that his
passion for his work and his love of family is unwavering. He is my
role model and someday I hope I can be just like him.

Abbey’s Favorites
Quote: “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s
about learning to dance in the rain.”
Book: I just read The Help and Water for Elephants, both were great,
but I am always looking for my new favorite book.
Movie: this is way to hard to pick, I love pretty much all movies!