KOKOMO, Ind. – “We are the pro-life generation.”
“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”
“Pro-life is caring for all people at all stages of life.”
Those words, written in brightly-colored chalk on sidewalks in the Quad, announce the presence of a new student organization at Indiana University Kokomo, dedicated to promoting respect for all life from natural conception to death.
“We as the pro-life generation are taking a step forward,” said freshman Abigail Hibler, president of the newly-formed Students for Life. “We want to bring everyone together to realize the importance and value of life.”
Kaitlyn Alexander, secretary, added they want to provide assistance for students who experience an unplanned pregnancy, or even those who have had an abortion.
“Some girls may believe it’s the only option,” she said. “We can help them find alternatives, and support them while they are pregnant.” She added they want to host a donation drive for local pregnancy resource centers.
All students are welcome to join, and Hibler noted about a third of those who have joined are men.
“It’s not solely a women-focused organization, it’s about human rights,” she said.
It’s a personal issue for Alexander, whose mother became pregnant with her as a high school senior, and for their treasurer, Adam Rood, who was born to older parents who were told he might be born with birth defects because of their age.
“They put their feet down and refused to have an abortion, and now here I am, planning to train for the Olympics after college,” said Rood, who is on the track and cross country teams.
Alexander noted that her mother graduated from college and has had a successful career.
“Anyone can succeed in life, even with an unplanned pregnancy,” she said.
Since starting in late September, members joined hundreds of pro-life area residents in the national Life Chain, forming a line stretching along Washington Street from North Street to Sycamore Street, and hosted a pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity, inviting the campus community to take a vow of silence to honor an unborn life lost.
They plan another life chain during the spring semester, and want to attend the March for Life January 20 in Indianapolis.
“We’ve had really positive reactions on campus to our organization,” said Hibler, from Kokomo. “We look forward to seeing how many others are interested in participating.”
They also will host a screening of Unplanned, a movie that tells the story of a former abortion clinic director who became an anti-abortion activist.
Rood encouraged other students to join — even if they don’t have a stance on the issue, or are pro-choice.
“Their minds might be changed, or they might be able to make a decision based on what they learn from our organization,” he said.
There’s no religious affiliation as all students are welcome to join.
Students for Life meets at 2:30 p.m. Thursdays in the Library Gathering Space. For more information, contact studentsforlifeatiuk@gmail.com, or go to Students for Life at IUK on Facebook.
The group is a branch of Students for Life of America, a national non-profit organization that seeks to end abortion by educating students on issues, and training student leaders to spread their message.
Indiana University Kokomo celebrates 75 years as north central Indiana’s choice for higher education.