June 20, 2025
Madeline Abbott, one of the National Leaders Collective’s Top Leaders, is a State Action Captain attending the University of Mary in North Dakota. Learn more about Abbott’s activism, in her own words, below.
I didn’t know how to get involved in the pro-life movement until Students for Life of America (SFLA) helped me. As a Communications major participating in the State Action Captains Program this year, I was both excited and nervous to use my love of speaking to protect Life in my home state of North Dakota.
I have been involved with the pro-life movement since middle school and previously participated in SFLA’s Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship during my senior year of high school, but the Captains Programs’ political focus still felt like relatively new territory for me. I was worried about my lack of political activism experience, but I was able to get involved right away with the help of my state’s Right to Life Director.
I had the opportunity to testify against a piece of pro-abortion legislation in January. This legislation, HB 1488, which sought to create an “abortion approval committee” and eliminate most of North Dakota’s abortion restrictions, was fortunately struck down.
I realized that there were many other students on my campus who were also passionate about the pro-life cause and wanted to be involved from a political standpoint, but they were facing the same problem I had initially dealt with: they didn’t know where to start. To solve this problem, I focused on giving my peers at the University of Mary a variety of opportunities to defend Life while engaging with policy, including lobbying. I coordinated a meeting between my Students for Life group, a state legislator, and a lobbyist. Additionally, my SFLA Regional Coordinator was extremely helpful in jumpstarting my involvement as he helped record a video for a legislator when a snowstorm kept me from joining him on another lobby day.
By getting so involved in North Dakota politics, I was connected with the North Dakota Family Alliance. They asked me to speak at their conference, which was an amazing opportunity for me to share my experiences on campus and in the community with over 100 attendees, many of whom were state legislators.
Overall, the Captains program has helped me gain confidence and realize the importance of connecting with likeminded people to achieve a common goal. I hope to continue to grow in my activism as President of the University of Mary Collegians for Life next year, and I will always be grateful to Students for Life for showing me that anyone from any state can change hearts and minds to create a Culture of Life.
READ: Meet Charlotte Swannack, One of our National Leaders Collective’s Top Leaders