Students for Life of Illinois (SFLI) is a student-run non-profit organization that promotes a culture of life on campuses in and around the state of Illinois.
SFLI networks and educates college pro-life groups in order to make them more effective at building a culture of life on their campuses. This organization trains pro-life groups and students on college campuses to educate their fellow students and eliminate the root causes of abortion and other life issues.
Functions
Network - The main function of Students for Life of Illinois is to network students from different campuses. This serves to better communication and collaboration between students.
Students for Life of Illinois sponsors and advocates for many student oriented events.
Leadership Retreat - This is a summer-time retreat during which students can come and receive leadership training and help form the future of the organization.
Past retreats have included training sessions by Students for Life of America and Pete Mockaitis (see links). The first leadership retreat was held in Rockford, IL and featured Joe Scheidler of the "Pro-Life Action League."
Conference - This is an annual conference for all students to come and learn more about life issues and to receive training on how to improve their pro-life efforts on their campus.
March for Life - Multiple groups of students travel to Washington, D.C. to stand up for life in January each year. SFLI helps to coordinate and promote these trips.
Students for Life of Illinois acts mainly by combining and consolidating multiple trips that come from many schools. The two largest are from Chicago, led by the Archdioces of Chicago, and from Champaign, led by Illini Collegians for Life.
History
Students began grassroots activity in February of 2006 but was officially incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation in November of that same year.
In the summer of 2006 SFLI held the first 'Summer Leadership Retreat.'
Campuses
Since it's inception SFLI has added many student groups to its network. As of October of 2007 these include organizations at the following Universities:
Illinois:
Benedictine University BU Students for Life
DePaul University CCM Respect For Life
Dominican Pro Vita
Eastern Illinois University EIU Open Arms
Illinois Wesleyan University
Loyola University Chicago
Northwestern
Olivet Nazarene University Olivetians for Life
Quincy University Dignity for Life
Saint Francis University
Saint Xavier University
University of Chicago
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Illini Collegians for Life
Western Illinois University Newman Center - Service and Social Justice Committee