The Pro-Life Aggies are awarding scholarships to parenting or expecting students in order to provide for the child and bring awareness to pregnant and parenting students.
The scholarship started in 2009 with the creation of the organization, and funds are raised from donations and a 5K race.
“We are just hoping to lessen the burden because I don’t think anyone should have to give up their educational goals to be a parent,” said Pro-Life Aggies president and genetics senior Allyson Hunter. “Hopefully, this scholarship will help make that goal easier.”
The goal for the organization is to raise $10,000. In the past the group has given out two or three $1,000 scholarships, according to public relations officer Anthony Doak.
“We are doing everything we can to raise as much money as possible because it really sucks when you can’t help out the people that need the money,” Doak said. “While we aren’t able to fully fund someone going through college, we are hoping this starts conversations about supporting parents who are trying to raise their kid and at the same time follow their dreams.”
The only requirements for the scholarship are to maintain full-time student status at either Blinn or Texas A&M and be either a pregnant or parenting student. Child professional services senior Jamie McCaskill received the scholarship last year and said it made her happy to see how much other people cared.
“It meant a lot that my community and my school cared enough about me to help me out,” McCaskill said. “It really helped me pay for child care for the summer, so I could take two summer classes [and] graduate in May.”
McCaskill, whose daughter Audrey is 16 months old, said she is grateful of what Pro-Life Aggies did for her and Audrey.
“When they say they are pro-life, they are really there to help you out through it,” McCaskill said. “I think it shows students that their community cares about them and is there to help them.”
Hunter said her favorite part of the scholarship is watching the reaction of the recipients at the award ceremony and telling more people how Pro-Life Aggies is helping students.
“[The recipients] always look so happy, everyone gets to see them awarded, their family and friends come, and it’s a really happy experience,” Hunter said. “It’s also to show the world that being pro-life isn’t just about caring for the baby — it means caring about everyone involved including the entire parenting experience.”