Students for Life of America
Encyclopedia
Students for Life of America, also known as simply Students for Life or SFLA, is a pro-life
501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to end abortion
, euthanasia
, and infanticide
by educating students about the issue and identifying pro-life student leaders and giving them the training, skills, and resources to effectively spread their message. They send out field teams to organize new campus pro-life groups on American college campuses, and have started over 300 campus pro-life groups at colleges since 2006. Students for Life has also founded Law Students for Life and Medical Students for Life.
in Washington, D.C.
formed "American Collegians for Life, which was a student-run, volunteer-based organization that held an annual conference and developed a resource website and a publication. Elizabeth Schmitz, Catherine Deeds, Michael Pauley, and Susan Meuller were among the founders of American Collegians for Life, who set up their organization as "a national coalition of college and university-based pro-life action groups." Until 2006, the base of operations for American Collegians for Life (ACL) remained in Washington, D.C. with a new set of student officers being elected every year at the annual conference, the conference being held on the eve of the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade
Supreme Court
decision.
From 1988 to 2006, ACL's main activity was the annual conference. In 2006, ACL became Students for Life of America, hiring a staff and opening a national headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Kristan Hawkins became the executive director. SFLA changed its focus from conferences to a more active role on college campuses. Though the organization still continues to hold the annual conference, its activities have greatly broadened to do more direct campus organizing work and direct action
. Since 2006, they have been very dedicated to starting new college
pro-life organizations across The United states
. The SFLA has started 278 new pro-life campus organization. There are now Students for Life groups in 48 states and the annual conference has doubled in attendance.
SFLA has connects college students who are pro-life to each other using the annual conference and a national directory of college pro-life organizations on their website.
Historically there has been the chronic problem in the college pro-life movement of transient and unstable campus groups. Students for Life of America aims to provide stability and support to this particular sector of pro-life activity.
SFLA helps start groups and gives them specific pro-life assistance, training, and activism ideas. SFLA networks with existing groups, sending them activism packs and providing guides such as “How to Make a Cemetery of the Innocents” and “How to Start a Pro-Life Publication.” They also keep in touch with these groups during the year and have a national student conference every year the weekend prior to the National March for Life in Washington, DC. This year 1,100 students attended the conference, which hosted such speakers as Bobby Schindler, breast cancer expert Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, and Steven W. Mosher
, president of the Population Research Institute
.
SFLA encourages groups to volunteer with local Pregnancy Support Service Centers, engage the campus pro-choice movement in discussion and debate, and reach out to their fellow students with a pro-life message.
On October 9, 2011, two SFLA staffers, Kortney Gordon, who was pregnant, and Jon Scharfenberger, were in a fatal car accident in Macon, Georgia
. Gordon and her unborn baby died at the scene, and Scharfenberger died ten days later.
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to end abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, and infanticide
Infanticide
Infanticide or infant homicide is the killing of a human infant. Neonaticide, a killing within 24 hours of a baby's birth, is most commonly done by the mother.In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible...
by educating students about the issue and identifying pro-life student leaders and giving them the training, skills, and resources to effectively spread their message. They send out field teams to organize new campus pro-life groups on American college campuses, and have started over 300 campus pro-life groups at colleges since 2006. Students for Life has also founded Law Students for Life and Medical Students for Life.
History
In 1988, students at Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
formed "American Collegians for Life, which was a student-run, volunteer-based organization that held an annual conference and developed a resource website and a publication. Elizabeth Schmitz, Catherine Deeds, Michael Pauley, and Susan Meuller were among the founders of American Collegians for Life, who set up their organization as "a national coalition of college and university-based pro-life action groups." Until 2006, the base of operations for American Collegians for Life (ACL) remained in Washington, D.C. with a new set of student officers being elected every year at the annual conference, the conference being held on the eve of the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
decision.
From 1988 to 2006, ACL's main activity was the annual conference. In 2006, ACL became Students for Life of America, hiring a staff and opening a national headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Kristan Hawkins became the executive director. SFLA changed its focus from conferences to a more active role on college campuses. Though the organization still continues to hold the annual conference, its activities have greatly broadened to do more direct campus organizing work and direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
. Since 2006, they have been very dedicated to starting new college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
pro-life organizations across The United states
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The SFLA has started 278 new pro-life campus organization. There are now Students for Life groups in 48 states and the annual conference has doubled in attendance.
Organization
In addition to student officers and staff, SFLA is also advised by a non-student board, some being former SFLA student officers.SFLA has connects college students who are pro-life to each other using the annual conference and a national directory of college pro-life organizations on their website.
Historically there has been the chronic problem in the college pro-life movement of transient and unstable campus groups. Students for Life of America aims to provide stability and support to this particular sector of pro-life activity.
SFLA helps start groups and gives them specific pro-life assistance, training, and activism ideas. SFLA networks with existing groups, sending them activism packs and providing guides such as “How to Make a Cemetery of the Innocents” and “How to Start a Pro-Life Publication.” They also keep in touch with these groups during the year and have a national student conference every year the weekend prior to the National March for Life in Washington, DC. This year 1,100 students attended the conference, which hosted such speakers as Bobby Schindler, breast cancer expert Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, and Steven W. Mosher
Steven W. Mosher
Steven W. Mosher is a writer who publishes books and essays on matters dealing with China. He speaks both Mandarin and Cantonese. He is the president of the Population Research Institute, located in the state of Virginia , a pro-life organization with connections to Human Life International...
, president of the Population Research Institute
Population Research Institute
The Population Research Institute is a non-profit organization based in Virginia. The PRI describes itself as "a non-profit research and educational organization dedicated to objectively presenting the truth about population-related issues." PRI argues against the notion that human overpopulation...
.
SFLA encourages groups to volunteer with local Pregnancy Support Service Centers, engage the campus pro-choice movement in discussion and debate, and reach out to their fellow students with a pro-life message.
On October 9, 2011, two SFLA staffers, Kortney Gordon, who was pregnant, and Jon Scharfenberger, were in a fatal car accident in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
. Gordon and her unborn baby died at the scene, and Scharfenberger died ten days later.