Many college programs require an internship to graduate. It is up to the student to decide if they will just take the first job that they are offered so that they can fulfill their credits, or if they want to find an opportunity that could lead to a future career.
In my last semester of college, as I looked to find the right internship, I realized that I wanted a job that helped others in need; something I hoped could translate into a career. I shared this with a friend of mine, and he told me that his mom was looking for an intern at the pregnancy resource center (PRC) that she manages.
I felt that this could be a great opportunity to see if a prolife job after college was right for me. I got the internship and was excited to work for an organization that supports pregnant women and their children. I had heard of the services provided by PRCs, but I had never actually seen how they operate. I began in January of 2024 as a marketing intern and learned more than I could have imagined about the kindness and compassion that the prolife movement offers.
Through my internship, I found a strong desire to work for a prolife organization. The PRC I worked with consistently provides women with free medical services, pregnancy testing, and baby materials, showing them that they are not alone in their pregnancy. I realized that working for an organization that works tirelessly to support mothers and their children was something I would love to do, leading to me applying to Right to Life of Michigan when my internship ended.
PRCs and Right to Life of Michigan (RLM) work to encourage and provide for women who feel like they are alone in their pregnancies. Many women have reported that they felt coercion to abort from their partner, family, friends, or community. While passing no judgement or condemnation, RLM hopes to provide them with resources and support should they choose life for their child. While abortion is now legal in Michigan, we believe every pregnant woman should feel like she can choose life for her baby and be supported financially and emotionally in her decision.
To let women know that life is an available and realistic choice for them, RLM has created advertisements that end in a pregnancy hotline for women to call. The hotline will direct them to their local PRC where they can receive confidential counseling, medical assistance as needed, baby materials and more. You can find a couple of these ads on our YouTube channel here: youtube.com/@rtlmich. They are also now running in the digital space to reach women right where they are.
Providing information, resources, and a listening, compassionate ear is essential to letting women with an unexpected pregnancy know that there are people who are ready to give them copious amount of support through and after their pregnancy
The fight for life is not a violent one. It Is one that requires compassion, warmth, and gentleness. RLM continuously strives to encourage women and help them through a difficult time that few can fully imagine. But, just because an unexpected pregnancy can be difficult, it does not mean that it has to be gone through alone. To truly stand for the prolife cause, we must recognize the need to support women so that they may feel empowered to make the choice for life.
Michigan alone has over 100 pregnancy resource centers, which can be found here: rtl.org/find-help.
There is a help hotline if you or someone you know is dealing with an unexpected pregnancy and want to get in touch with a PRC near you: 1 (800) 712-HELP
Email any questions to Danny Earl at [email protected].