Meet Sam! - 2018 Summer Interns

Hello, my name is Sam! I'm a rising sophomore at the University of Illinois studying Marketing and General Management. I am the 2018-2019 Service Chair for weDignify at the University of Illinois.Growing up Catholic, and attending Catholic school for all of my 12 years of education, I never really understood the importance of talking about abortion from a non-religious perspective until the latter half of my high school career. Being at a small, all-boys school from 6th-12th grade limited my exposure to different world-views until my junior year when I began working a job in my free time. This exposed me to people who came from all different backgrounds and views, and it made me see the light in terms of how the pro-life message is spread most effectively.This experience only solidified my pro-life convictions, as the more I was challenged on secular, scientific, and historical aspects of the abortion debate, the more I found to be true. Finding weDignify here at U of I has given me access to a wealth of knowledge on the issue, and a platform to build a culture of life, especially among those in my generation.It took until April of this year for me to really become involved in weDignify at U of I. While I was late to the game, I was ready to dive in, and to contribute to the pro-life movement however I could. At first, this came in the form of taking over as Service Chair, but when I learned of the Summer Internship opportunity with weDignify, I realized I could be doing more. Being able to spend an entire summer educating myself about an issue I care deeply about was more appealing than taking a job solely to earn income. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to get this internship, and I’m very excited for all that is to come. This opportunity will teach me the skills and the knowledge necessary to grow as a leader, both in the pro-life movement and in all areas of my life. I hope to do my part in building a culture of life here on campus and encourage others to do the same. Most importantly, I will be able to come to a deeper understanding of weDignify’s vision and mission, and those of the pro-life movement as a whole. This will serve to strengthen my conviction to the movement and bring that spirit into the new school year, and beyond.