NCPBA Division Scholarship Recipient Abigail Ashburn Aiming for Career as Medical Sonographer

Mar 12, 2025

By Cindy Baugher

Abby Ashburn, of Belew’s Creek, North Carolina is “very thankful” that she was chosen to receive a scholarship for the North Carolina Division of the SSPBA through the Police Benevolent Foundation. She said that her plans are to “continue to work hard in my college years so that this scholarship will be put to good use.”

Arduous work is a concept with which Abby is very familiar. Upon her graduation from East Forsyth High School in June 2024, she had multiple achievements to her credit. Graduating in the top 10% of her class with honors is just one notable accomplishment. She also completed over 100 hours of volunteer service with her membership in Key Club alone and was also actively involved in Senior and Junior Deans, FTA, National Honor Society, Leading Ladies, and Senior Girls. Abby’s sports schedule, including tennis, soccer, pickleball, and volleyball, kept her busy as well during high school.

Abigail in her cap and gown from her senior photo session for high school graduation.

Abby’s father, Steve Ashburn, a detective, has served 21 years with the Winston-Salem Police Department. He said that “law enforcement was an interest going back to my late teenage years and something that organically came together for me. I enjoy the people that I work with.” His membership in PBA, he said, “has provided a sense of security for me while carrying out my duties.” As a benefit of an active membership with PBA, members’ children and stepchildren are able to apply for college scholarships. Abby was one of 24 students selected this year.

Abby is attending East Tennessee State University and is majoring in radiology with plans to become a medical sonographer, or ultrasound technician. She hopes to be licensed in OBGYN and pediatrics, among other areas. She chose ETSU because she loves the mountains, and she feels the college is the perfect distance from her home. Since her older sister, who she calls “one of the biggest influences on my life” and her “best friend” was already enrolled at ETSU, that made the decision even easier. She said, “because she is so close to my age, I see her go through new experiences and set the standards for those experiences, and then I have the pressure on me to live up to those standards when I go through those experiences the very next year. She has always been one to get good grades and be a very social person, so I always have the pressure to do well in school and have a good group of friends.”

Abigail Ashburn moving into her freshman college dorm at East Tennessee State University.

Abby’s parents were high school sweethearts, and she said that watching their relationship has “given me the blueprint on what a relationship should look like, and it has shown me that I should keep high standards in any relationship I am involved in.” She also has two younger siblings who “show pure love, and I know that they both look up to me and my older sister so much, especially my younger sister.” Abby also describes herself as close to her grandparents and loves that she’s always lived near them. She elaborated, “My family has always been there for me, and they are the reason that I have worked so hard to make it to the point in my life that I am at now.”

Abigail and her sister, Lily Ashburn and parents, Gwen and Steven Ashburn.

Her dad’s role as a homicide detective has its pluses and minuses according to Abby. “Growing up with a police officer as your dad has its benefits and drawbacks,” said Abby, “On the one hand I was taught to always be prepared for the worst. My dad would come up behind me and act like he was going to pick me up and he would always say ‘how do you get out of this?’

“I would have to act out the steps we learned repeatedly to prove that I could escape a dangerous situation if needed,” she continued. “I was also taught to be selective about who I trust and to make sure that I am aware of my surroundings. This knowledge is something that I have carried with me my whole life and it has gotten me through some situations where I was not in the safest place.”

“On the other hand, I could never get anything past my dad, and sometimes felt like he was using his work tactics on me when he needed to just be my father,” concluded Abby. “Overall, his work means so much to me because I have learned to respect the people who lay their lives down for me and him being a police officer has taught me many lessons and life practices that I am very thankful for.”

Abby’s father said that he “could not be more proud of” his daughter, adding that “she has demonstrated a maturity and dedication to hard work that is a blessing.” Ashburn feels honored and humbled that Abby was entrusted to represent the PBF Scholarship program and he says he “knows that she will work hard so she does not disappoint those that trusted her with this selection.”