Texas pro-life groups raise money for pregnant women

Pro-life groups on college campuses across Texas have worked to raise money to fund scholarships to support parenting or pregnant students, according to a recent Texas Right to Life article.

According to the piece, “’pregnant and parenting scholarships’ are provided by 16 Pro-Life college clubs in Texas thanks to the collaboration of students in Texas Right to Life’s Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship for College Pro-Life Leaders.”

Funding for these initiatives increased in 2022, when “Texas Right to Life created a grant to match funds raised by” the various college pro-life clubs across Texas, “in order to encourage more groups to start the initiative if they have not yet or to expand their existing efforts.”

One such scholarship is run by Pro-Life Aggies at Texas A&M.

Texas A&M Students for Life chapter member Faith Montgomery told Campus Reform that the scholarship “ensures that Texas A&M students do not have to sacrifice their studies for their new child or vice versa.”

Montgomery believes the scholarship will “encourage students to pursue their future and that of their child’s.”

Montgomery went on to tell Campus Reform that Pro-life Aggies raised funds for the scholarship by hosting profit shares at restaurants in town, selling hand-stitched sweatshirts, and making a Go Fund Me page.  

Pro-life Aggies president Grace Howat told Campus Reform that the scholarship “helps parents be empowered to choose life for their child and tangibly feel that they are not alone.”

Howat explained that the club is constantly fundraising to support the scholarship. Each year Pro-life Aggies hosts a 5K to raise money for recipients of the scholarship. Howat emphasized to Campus Reform that at last year’s 5K event, the club awarded over $10,000 worth of funds to pregnant and parenting students. 

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Texas Right to Life attorney Emily Cook funded the first scholarship for pregnant and parenting college students in 2009.

Cook told Campus Reform she has been “amazed to witness God working through these scholarships each year, and especially now on a bigger level through Texas Right to Life’s matching grants.”

“Providing scholarships to students who chose Life shows that we’re not just Pro-Life in word but also in deed,” Cook added.

Texas Right to Life’s Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship for College Pro-Life Leaders equips pro-life students to fund the grant.

Texas Right to Life Education Director Rachel Bush told Campus Reform the grant allows recipients to “spend more time focusing on their education and their children and less time worrying about paying for tuition or books or expenses for their children.” 

Bush added that “Texas Right to Life is honored to contribute to these scholarships so that choosing Life and pursuing a college education are not mutually exclusive.”

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Another Texas Right to Life article shows that Abilene Christian University fundraised for their club’s grant by selling t-shirts, raffling gift cards, and partnering with a local restaurant. 

Crusaders for Life at the University of Dallas hosted a pro-life symposium in April of 2022 to raise funds for their scholarship. 

Other Texas colleges that offer a pregnant and parenting scholarship include Baylor, Houston Baptist, and Texas Tech.

Campus Reform contacted every organization mentioned for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.