Like many students who join the Pro-Life Generation, I arrived at Northern Arizona University with conviction, passion, and a desire to make a difference. I knew I wanted to be part of the pro-life movement. What I did not know yet was where my gifts fit into the mission.

Through Students for Life, I began showing up tabling events on campus. I watched other student leaders use their strengths with confidence. Bryan and Fredreka were gifted at apologetics. Emeline knew how to meet people in grief and pain. Richard could explain the history and science behind the pro-life position with clarity.

I cared deeply about protecting Life, but starting conversations did not come naturally to me. I often felt stuck behind the table, unsure how to begin. Still, Students for Life kept placing me in moments where I could grow, be challenged, and discover that there is more than one way to serve the movement.

That search led me to Hope Pregnancy Resource Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.

I began volunteering weekly in the baby boutique, sorting baby clothes, organizing supplies, and serving in a quiet, practical way. At first, it seemed like a simple act of support. Over time, however, those hours became formative. Through conversations with staff and clients, I learned how compassionate service gives substance to the pro-life message. The issue was no longer only something I defended on campus; it was something I saw lived out in direct support for women, children, and families.

That experience changed the way I approached campus outreach. I became more confident at the Students for Life table because I had seen what real support looked like up close. I could point students and families toward tangible resources in Flagstaff, and I could speak from personal experience about the good work Pregnancy Centers do every day.

Students for Life also helped me recognize another way my skills could serve the mission: writing.

On behalf of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center, I worked closely with the director to write a proposal for the Catholic Community Foundation Giving Circle grant. By God’s grace, Hope received $12,000 to strengthen its Search Engine Optimization efforts and reach more abortion-minded women in northern Arizona. It was a powerful reminder that pro-life work is not limited to the public-facing moments on campus. Sometimes, the behind-the-scenes work helps make lifesaving outreach possible.

Looking back, I can see how Students for Life helped launch me into a deeper understanding of the movement. Campus activism pushed me beyond fear. Hope Pregnancy Resource Center gave me a place to serve, listen, and grow. Grant writing showed me that words could help fuel work that reaches women at critical moments.

I did not begin college as the boldest person at the table. But through Students for Life and Hope, I discovered that the pro-life movement needs many kinds of gifts: apologists, compassionate listeners, researchers, resource experts, writers, and people willing to do the quiet work that makes public work possible.

Today, I am blessed to continue that mission at Aid to Women Center in Chandler, Arizona, serving on the fundraising team. What once felt like uncertainty about where I belonged has become a calling I am grateful to live out every day. That is the lasting impact of Students for Life: It does not simply give students a place to stand on campus; it helps form leaders who continue serving Life long after graduation.