The College Fix

Thousands of students will rally today in Washington, D.C. at the 38th annual March for Life.

The event, first organized on the one-year anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, has become the most prominent assembly of pro-life college students—a group that doesn’t always garner much attention on campus.

“There is, I think, a generally apathetic attitude about the topic of abortion,” said Ben VanBerkum, a member of Stanford’s Students for Life. “It doesn’t come up nearly as often as, for example, gay rights issues, and I think many people choose just to more or less ignore it, or to take a position on the issue and then not think about it further.”

VanBerkum and 42 Stanford students, staff and alumni attended Saturday’s Walk for Life: West Coast in San Francisco. First held in 2005, the event has become an easier trip for a lot of western student groups.

At Catholic institutions, the numbers are much larger.

“Seven buses and several vans with over 400 students will leave Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio Sunday evening,” said Tom Sofio, a spokesman for the school.

“In total, over 800 students and alumni will represent Franciscan University at the March for Life,” Sofio said. “The students will gather under a larger banner that includes the scripture verse, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you… Before you were born I dedicated you.’”

Roughly 400,000 people are expected to attend today’s event, similar to last year’s attendance. The theme for the 2011 March is, “Thou shalt protect the equal right to life of each innocent born and preborn human in existence at fertilization. No exception! No compromise!”

Sofio and VanBerkum emphasized that though the rallies are a major annual event, pro-life activism happens all year on campus.

“As an ongoing ministry at Franciscan, members of Students for Life pray and peacefully conduct sidewalk counseling twice a week at a Pittsburgh abortion clinic,” Sofio said. He said Franciscan students led a retreat this weekend for pro-life teenagers.

At Stanford, Students for Life organizes an annual Roe v. Wade memorial by placing rows of roses in a central part of campus and informing students about the online process for seeking a refund of the university fee that funds pro-abortion groups.

“I think our role is important in helping people to really think about the issue of abortion,” VanBerkum said.

Andrew Rota is the online editor of the Boston College Observer. He is a member of the Student Free Press Association.

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