"I went from having no voice to wanting to be the voice of the pro-life movement."
Courtney McEachon '15 is a graduate of Yale University. Among her many courses and activities, she was a key student leader in the pro-life movement at Yale. In her efforts to bring greater visibility to the pro-life movement among college students, Courtney gained considerable insight into the role people of influence play in determining what constitutes "good" and "just" in society.
For one thing, Courtney was a core member and leader of the student organization Choose Life at Yale. The organization sought full membership into the university's umbrella organization for social justice service and advocacy. Remarkably, the pro-life organization became the first "in living memory" to be denied.
Courtney was undeterred. She was looking for a way to make the pro-life position more intelligible to her peers. In fall 2013, Courtney launched the pro-life conference Vita et Veritas, which in Latin means life and truth, held at Yale. Prominent leaders spoke to students (representing about 50 colleges) about their roles in policy, medicine, philosophy, and advocacy in the pro-life movement.
Courtney served as conference director in 2014 for the now-annual event, and her efforts have born fruit; the caliber and location of the conference are raising awareness among many men and women who will give shape to the broader culture in a variety of fields.
In addition to these efforts, Courtney was involved with a Christian Union ministry at Yale. In the short video interview above, she shares about her pro-life convictions and how the ministry supported and encouraged her to find her voice as a much-needed leader, to become a person willing to step up and speak out again the social injustice of abortion.
What began it for her, Courtney noted, is how "...the signs of embryology pointed to the fact that, from the moment of conception, we had a human life."
As Courtney shares her story, imagine a generation of men and women just as passionate, articulate, and highly skillled, leveraging their voices, their careers, and their very lives to restore dignity to society and protect its most vulnerable.
Catching up with Courtney post-graduation, she shared, "I began working as a medical assistant...Meanwhile, I have been applying to and preparing for medical school." Courtney plans to continue pro-life work by pursuing a career as a neonatologist.
In the meantime, she continues to promote life in other ways, too: "In New York I found a great community of passionate young professionals and am continuing to work in the pro-life movement by training to sidewalk counsel outside of an abortion clinic in Manhattan.
In addition, I volunteer-teach a catechism class to second graders once a week, which is both challenging and rejuvenating to my faith."
Courtney is just one example of the diverse ways that leaders can put their faith into action. Her example uplifts and energizes us to continue to develop the next generation of national leaders for a wide array of culture-shaping fields.
Please join in the exciting ministry of developing Christian leaders who live fully for Christ and channel their influence for the blessing of society. Your generous support will make a difference. 