CEZZA CARDAROPOLI
News Editor
In January 2026, members of
Saint Anselm College’s Hawks

for Life club traveled to Wash-
ington, D.C. to participate in the

annual March for Life, joining
tens of thousands of students,
families, clergy, and activists from
across the country. Despite winter
weather cutting the trip slightly
short, students described the

experience as both faith-strength-
ening and community-building.

For Liam Hendricks ’29, a
member of Hawks for Life, the
decision to attend stemmed from
a desire to become more involved
on campus and within Campus
Ministry. “I wanted to attend the
march because last semester I felt
that I did not get involved enough,
especially not enough with
campus ministry,” Hendricks said.
He explained that after receiving
an email from Father Francis–
director of Campus Ministry–
about the trip, he was immediately
drawn to the idea of traveling

together as a unified group. “Trav-
eling as one large group to pro-
test… seemed like an amazing

experience, and so it was.”
Hendricks spoke candidly
about how recent exposure to

graphic images related to abor-
tion intensified his convictions.

He emphasized the importance
of recognizing the humanity of
the unborn, stating, “We should
treat every human being with the
respect they deserve. How can a
fetus grow closer to Christ if it is
killed?” For Hendricks, seeing fetal
development displays and images
during the march reinforced

why public witness mattered. “A
moment that strengthened my
faith was when I was marching

and I saw posters of the develop-
ment of fetuses until birth. That

reminded us how important it was
that we were protesting,” he said.
Another moment that left a
lasting impression on Hendricks
occurred during Mass at the
Basilica of the National Shrine of
the Immaculate Conception. He
recalled the priest’s words clearly:
“Our goal is not only to make
abortion illegal, our goal is to
make abortion unthinkable.”
Beyond the gravity of the march
itself, Hendricks also highlighted
the joy of shared experience. “I
had a really fun time in DC and on
the march,” he said, noting that the

trip helped him form new friend-
ships. He also recalled a memora-
ble moment when the group saw

Vice President JD Vance’s motor-
cade pass by, adding, “It is nice to

know that we have a Catholic vice

president that supports our pro-
test.”

Ryan Bender ’27, president of

Hawks for Life, again attended
the March for Life, making this
his third consecutive year. He
described abortion as “the single
greatest humanitarian crisis in
history” and explained that the
march represents a powerful
national response. “The March for

Life is also a wonderful opportu-
nity for pro-lifers to come together

and feel the presence of so many
others in our cause, and to know
that we do not stand alone in our
fight for the unborn,” Bender said.

One of Bender’s most mean-
ingful experiences during the

march involved prayer. “It was a
powerful moment when some of
my group prayed the Holy Rosary
together as we marched,” he said.
He described this as a visible
reminder of the club’s mission,
combining prayer and activism
through both the physical march
and shared devotion.
Sophia Dyjack, secretary of
Hawks for Life, emphasized the
theological foundation of her
pro-life beliefs. “The dignity and
protection of human life at every

stage, from conception to death,
is an incredibly important value I
hold,” she said. Dyjack explained
that she attended the march to
stand up for “the most vulnerable
in the womb who do not have a
voice.”
Although the group had
planned to attend the 27th Annual
Cardinal O’Connor Conference
on Life, a snowstorm forced them

to return to campus early. “Unfor-
tunately, we did not attend any

conferences or listen to speakers,”
Dyjack said, expressing hope that

the group will be able to attend
similar events in the future.
Dyjack also described her time

at the Basilica as the most spiritu-
ally impactful part of the trip. She

shared that having time for silent
reflection led her to the Sacrament
of Reconciliation before Mass.
“The Mass attended by thousands
of people was such an incredible
sight to witness,” she said, adding
that the diversity of attendees
demonstrated a shared passion
for protecting life. “In my heart,
I deeply understood that God
loves us individually more than
we could ever understand in this
lifetime.”
Both Bender and Dyjack
encouraged interested students

to become involved with the pro-
life movement on campus. Bender

invited students to reach out to him
directly, while Dyjack encouraged
contact through hawksforlife@
anselm.edu. As the Hawks for Life
club looks ahead, members say the
2026 March for Life strengthened
their faith, deepened friendships,
and reaffirmed their commitment
to advocating for the unborn.