The Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship for College Pro-Life Leaders, otherwhise known as “the Fellowship,” is the difference between Life and death on campus at A&M.
My name is Mary Pinedo and I am a proud Aggie. I graduated with a degree in Industrial Systems Engineering from Texas A&M University in 2021.
When I started at A&M I was Pro-Life and I wanted to make a difference. But you can get lost in the shuffle in college.
How can one person make a difference?
What can one person do for the Pro-Life cause while also balancing classes, labs, tests, and mountains of project work?
When I joined the Fellowship I received expert training from voices across the Pro-Life movement. I left training energized and motivated to fight for the lives of the preborn and vulnerable.
The Fellowship gave me a plan, training, and enabled me to make a real difference for Life on my campus.
At A&M I became very involved with the Pro-Life Aggies club (PLA). Along with other Fellows and club members, we actively engaged our peers to dialogue with them about Life and abortion at our “tabling” events.
Sometimes I was shocked by the radically anti-Life beliefs some students expressed to me. Oftentimes I could tell that people were hurting and bitter. Many desperately needed someone to lovingly share the message of Life with them. I was honored to be that person.
Thanks to the leadership of the Fellows, PLA is extremely active. This might just be my Aggie pride talking, but I think PLA is the best Pro-Life club in the country!
Every week was jam packed with so many different forms of Pro-Life outreach, like hosting Pro-Life lectures, babysitting for student-parents, volunteering at the two pregnancy centers in town, lobbying, and more. We raised thousands of dollars every year to give to pregnant and parenting students who were desperate for financial help so that they could choose Life and pursue their dreams.
As Pro-Lifers we are often accused of only caring about preborn babies and forgetting about children once they’re born. But much of my time as a Fellow was spent volunteering to care for small children whose student parents just needed some free help to get by.
I was also honored to work on the Bryan Sanctuary City for the Unborn initiative which is currently being discussed by the city of Bryan. Along with my peers, Fellows Nancy and Hector Ariza, we spearheaded a student and community effort to join the city of Bryan to a growing movement of cities banning abortion.
Though my time at A&M was crazy busy, I am so glad that I got to be a Fellow. I got to not only participate but lead in the greatest struggle of our time, the struggle to defend Life. I made incredible and lasting friendships in the Pro-Life movement. I was able to see students change their minds and embrace the Pro-Life message. Most beautiful of all, I witnessed firsthand the utter joy of mothers and families choosing Life.
I can say without a doubt that the Fellowship is the difference between Life and death on campus.
Because the Fellowship is funded by Pro-Lifers like you I wanted to thank you. All the wonderful victories for Life I experienced during my time as a Fellow are YOUR victories. You are changing the very culture on campuses like A&M.
Our work for Life never finishes! Please watch this short video about the Fellowship and share the word about this incredible program that made such a difference in my life.
As a Fellow alumnus I will always cherish my time in the Fellowship and I will never back down from the fight for Life. I hope you too will always stand up for the Right to Life.
If you are interested in joining the Fellowship or know a Pro-Life student click here for more info and to apply!
Help defend Life by donating today!