The Catholic University of America has been awarded an A+ for its outstanding pro-life initiatives by The Pro-Life Generation’s (PLG) Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement.
The University’s guiding principles advocate for the dignity and protection of all human life, from conception to natural death. On and off campus, opportunities abound for engagement: the National March for Life; the student organization Cardinals for Life; Sidewalk Ministry; and partnerships with St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth, and Families.
Two years ago, the University started the Guadalupe Project under the leadership of Deputy General Counsel Jennie Bradley Lichter. The project’s objective is to create an environment of accompaniment and support on campus for expecting mothers and new parents, addressing the challenges and celebrating the joys that arise in family life for all members of the University community—undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and their families.
“We lead with love. We celebrate life,” Lichter said.
Support for her legacy, the Guadalupe Project, is strong across campus, thanks to University President Peter Kilpatrick, his predecessor, John Garvey, and the entire community. This project has been pivotal in strengthening life-affirming values within the campus environment. For example, Lichter said, “We revamped the whole look and feel of the [pregnancy resource] book, kind of beefed it up, updated it, and then put it online.”
Lichter believes the A+ rating underscores the University’s dedication to providing comprehensive support for pregnant and parenting students, staff, and faculty, aligning with its core Catholic values. Initiatives like maternity parking spaces, wellness room upgrades for use by nursing mothers, extended paid parental leave for staff and faculty, and sending gifts to new parents have been implemented to enhance campus support. Another popular initiative has been the addition of diapers and wipes to the Cardinal Cupboard, the University’s food pantry.
Lichter also highlighted a new outreach effort for this academic year that parents on campus will notice in buildings across the University: “We’re … seeding the campus with little backpacks that are full of stuff for kids to do.”
The fun activities inside will keep children on campus busy while parents – at any stage of life on campus – complete a task. Another new initiative is a new parent policy for graduate students, signed by President Kilpatrick this month, to standardize and communicate the academic accommodations available to graduate students who have recently welcomed a child.
Recently named president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, the organization that hosts the National March for Life each January, Lichter stepped down from her role at the University earlier this month. Moving forward, the Office of Campus Ministry will take on an increased role in spearheading the Guadalupe Project.
Lichter added: “We have a positive message that’s infused with love, and I think we can have the peace and the confidence that comes from working for a truly righteous cause. If we remember those things and engage from that place, we as a University and as individuals can be effective messengers for the beauty and dignity of every human life, even in a divided culture.”
Get involved: Contact the Guadalupe Project via cua-guadalupe@cua.edu