During her senior year of high school in 2017, Katie Paxton applied and was accepted into the Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship for College Pro-Life Leaders. Katie is now a junior at Texas A&M and is serving her second term as the president for Pro-Life Aggies.
Under Katie’s leadership, Pro-Life Aggies has enjoyed tremendous success funding and promoting the Pregnant and Parenting Student Scholarship that enables expectant students to continue their education. In the 2019-2020 schoolyear, Pro-Life Aggies raised $14,000 that was distributed to nine applicants, each of whom could use the grant for any need.
Katie thoroughly enjoyed interviewing applicants for the scholarship, noting that during the interview process, almost all of the applicants asked how they can help other students who are pregnant or parenting. Although these students are in difficult circumstances themselves, without extra time or money, they still sought ways to affirm the decision to choose Life. Additionally, the Pro-Life Aggies also organize and operate the volunteer-run babysitting program for parenting students at Texas A&M, an outgrowth of the Pregnant and Parenting Student Scholarship.
“Without the time we spent training, even though I was Pro-Life, I wouldn’t have been confident enough to go out and talk to people about abortion.”
Katie Paxton
One of the most impactful events hosted by Pro-Life Aggies is the annual Run for Their Lives 5K, which serves both as a fundraiser and the time at which scholarship recipients are announced. At the Run for Their Lives, scholarship recipients and their children mingle with the investors in the scholarship, and both groups reap the reciprocal benefits of the program. The 5K’s officer team was encouraged to learn that the parenting students built community among themselves, exchanging contact information and forging friends. Support from Katie and other Pro-Life Aggies is invaluable for students who are endeavoring to care for their child and finish their college courses.
Shortly after the 2019 annual 5K, the COVID-19 shut-downs forced Pro-Life Aggies to adjust to plans for the rest of the semester. Even with weekly meetings online, attendance was at capacity because the students did not want their Pro-Life activities to diminish. They contacted their local pregnancy center about a diaper drive. These compassionate Aggies hosted an online fundraiser for Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach and raised $500 in just one week!
Katie believes that her training from the Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship equipped her for all of the life-affirming work she and other students do on their college campuses. “Without the time we spent training, even though I was Pro-Life, I wouldn’t have been confident enough to go out and talk to people about abortion.” She shared that, “Having that education on college campuses is critical because there is so much misinformation out there.” Katie is scheduled for graduation in December of 2021.
Katie plans to be a teacher for pre-kindergarten or kindergarten students. Because she believes that young children understand that Life inside the womb is precious and worthy of love and protection, she plans to teach her students about fetal development. Katie is grateful for all of the opportunities that you, our supporters, have provided through the Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship. Because of you, Katie is empowered and unstoppable in her desire to share the truth about abortion.
Thank you for defending Life with these students!