So, 9 weeks in DC. Not only did I have an incredible learning experience with my organization, but I got to see a lot of cool sights. I have a few pictures to show you, just to get the fun part here out of the way. Pictured here is my host family, a retired but active couple with a border collie mix named Nola. Students for Life hosts a group of interns, so I was one of 6, and this is a picture of that group, minus Anne, who we didn't see as much outside of work. As you can see, we had some fun together, going to Jazz in the Sculpture Garden, the National Basilica on the 4th of July, and even taking a weekend trip to New York City. I met up with another Rockhurst friend doing an internship in DC, and even ran into an old acquaintance who I didn't expect to. Finally, we got to meet some pretty cool people, like Kelly Anne Conway, a strategist and pollster, and Supreme Court Justice Scalia.
My 9 weeks was divided into 3 rotations, hence the title "Missionary." The whole time I reported to my intern supervisor at Students for Life, but the goal of this internship program is to give aspiring pro-life leaders a taste of different parts of the movement. My first 3 weeks were on Capitol Hill with Congressman Andy Harris, who represents the 1st District of Maryland. Next I spent 3 weeks in Manassas, VA, at the Students for Life headquarters. And finally I spent 3 weeks between the 4 area locations of Care Net, a network of pregnancy resource centers. Pregnancy resource centers, of which there are about 3,000 in the U.S., exist to serve women in crisis pregnancies by providing free, confidential, and always optional resources, information, and counseling. So I got a well-rounded experience of some politics, some education and activism, and some direct service.
So what is Students for Life about? Their mission is to create a student pro-life movement that will lead the charge to restore human rights to preborn Americans in our lifetime. From the science of embryology and a philosophical understanding of all life as valuable, SFLA sees the unborn as human persons who have a fundamental right to life that should be protected by law. They want to see the repeal of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, and the companion case, Doe v. Bolton, which makes abortion legal through all 9 months of pregnancy. They work towards their mission by identifying, educating, equipping, empowering and promoting students, particularly college students. They seek to connect the national pro-life movement with students across the nation, not to re-invent the wheel.
I knew a little bit about Students for Life, SFLA, before this internship, because I've attended the Conference they put on in DC, and their Midwest staff person has met with our Rockhurst group in the past. But I learned this summer just how much they do with a staff of just 11. The heart of SFLA is the Field Program, which meets students where they are at on their campuses. Currently there are 637 active pro-life groups on campuses across the U.S., and full-time Field Agents work and travel in their regions to start and grow even more groups, keeping careful metrics of their success. SFLA offers these groups a myriad of free resources and trainings. They put on a day-long National Conference every January the day before or after the March for Life, and this past year were sold out with 1,800 attendees and a theme of "Social Justice Begins in the Womb." SFLA is actively engaged in social media efforts through Facebook, twitter, and email blasts. Pregnant on Campus is a new initiative that is truly visionary in my opinion. 48% of abortions are performed on college-aged women, yet it's startling to realize what little resources campuses offer so that students faced with unplanned pregnancies can be empowered to continue their education while choosing to give life to her child. And finally, Med Students for Life, what its Director calls "the 2nd wave of the pro-life movement" was just launched, also visionary in that Medical Students for Choice is represented at virtually all of the 170 med schools across the U.S., but there had been no unified movement to support and educate pro-life medical students. Instead, med students are taught that abortion is part of healthcare. With groups at over 25 med campuses, we will start to see the tide turning. And finally, Law Students for Life is what's planned next.
Here's a snapshot of the type of tasks I had at each of my locations, and next I'll go into more detail about what I learned from them.
I've divided what I learned into 4 sections: Knowledge, Skills, Personal Growth, and Career Development. As far as knowledge, I learned how to be a part of a small nonprofit organization. With a staff of only 11, I got to know each of them and their roles in the organization pretty well. One thing that was brought up more than once was the concept of mission creep that we have learned about in class. As a small nonprofit, it's so important to remain focused. They are also seeking to redevelop their website, so I saw a con of a small nonprofit, in that the project seemed rushed to me. I learned how I would treat interns, or will treat them, when I am staff myself. I gained a lot of knowledge about American politics. And finally, I strengthened my confidence in defending the pro-life position logically and compassionately.
I learned some technical skills like navigating software systems. Through weekly blogging on behalf of SFLA, I honed writing skills. I drafted a constituent response letter for the Congressman, and also drafted a letter to SFLA's board on behalf of the Executive Director. I learned how to be a good representative of an organization, in answering phone calls, and meeting donors in person at the Summer Social. At CareNet, I learned some technical skills as far as how to counsel and listen well.
I could talk at length about my personal and career growth this summer. These are some of the main points. (don't need to type this out because I'll be able to elaborate easily)
Going to mention that I kept a personal blog this summer as well.
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