ZIGGY ABAY was fleeing a communist takeover in her home country before most current undergraduates were born. Transitioning from the sands of Ethiopia to the frost of Wheaton in 1993 and learning her fourth language was a challenge, but Ziggy was blown away by the compassion and patience that she witnessed.

In 2010, when Ziggy needed a new job to save money to visit her ailing father, she saw a job opening at Wheaton College. “I knew that was my dream,” Ziggy said. “I love working around Christians, because God has done so many things in my life.”

Beyond being an accomplished overnight supervisor, Ziggy also facilitates community among her staff, many of whom consider her a mentor. “I try to visit everyone every night to pray or show love to them. We have people from so many different countries and races and we love each other and call ourselves a family. I try to encourage that, because I know God loves that.”

Ziggy and her husband enjoy participating in all their kids’ activities. Surprisingly enough, after spending the night making sure the campus is clean, Ziggy likes to come home and tidy the house.