Fox Students For Life Looks To Spread Awareness and Kindness
Reported By: Sam Erickson
Photographed By: Yolanda Diaz
George Fox University’s (GFU) newest club, Fox Students For Life, started at the end of last year. Now they enter their first full school year with hopes and plans to make a difference in the lives of pregnant women while engaging further in the conversation around abortion.
Ian Carver and several floormates had an idea last year; Carver was deeply pro-life, and as he met more people who shared his same values, he saw an opportunity to start a club. He was introduced to several people, including Abby Antonov, the current treasurer, and together they opened a chapter of the national Students For Life club.
One of Antonov’s goals for the club is empowerment. “Being a woman means I can do many things, many that men can’t, and that includes carrying a child, bringing the child into the world, nurturing them, and loving them forever,” Antonov said. “That is true empowerment.”
Their version of empowerment is different from other versions, built on the belief that life begins in the womb. This belief alone, regardless of their actions, pits them against the pro-choice community. The club is aware of that, and while their view may differ from others, they never want to go out of their way to disregard others.
While the club's existence is to try and convince people to see things from their perspective, they aim to keep their meetings welcoming.
In a club where most people with opposing views would expect to be judged, the leadership team all seem to care deeply about people, whether or not you agree with them.
After a few introductory meetings during the spring semester of 2022, the club is looking to involve more people in their activism.“We are planning to bring out a speaker, and partner with local pregnancy centers to help provide resources for pregnant and parenting students and staff, ” Antonov said.
Students for Life is breaking into separate teams in the coming weeks to focus on several angles of the club’s agenda. One team will focus on social media, one on marketing and events, another on service and, lastly, one on outreach.
Each of these teams strives to fulfill their mission to “connect students to pregnancy and parenting resources in the community and volunteer within those organizations.”
Members recently volunteered at a benefit concert for Stand Up Girl, a local online pregnancy resource center that helps over four million pregnant women a year by linking them to online resources. “Our team helped greet and direct people, set up, and help at the booths,” said Antonov.
If anyone should take anything away from this club, it is this: they are pro-life; however, they are more importantly pro-people. “Our hope is for women and young girls to know that there are people here that care so much about them, no matter their circumstances. We are here to listen, guide, pray, provide any kind of help we can, and be there through it all,” Antonov said. “We want every woman to know just how much she is loved, first by her Creator, and also by the community she has around her.”