Students for Life of America, a national pro-life advocacy organization, helped single mom Ruth Asmarzadeh finish her college degree.
According to Fox News, the group also provides education on pregnancy and parenting.
What are the details?
The group — which aims to educate pregnant college students and enrolled parents of their rights on campus — awarded Asmarzadeh with a scholarship through its Pregnant on Campus Initiative after she had to withdraw from Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado because of her pregnancy.
Asmarzadeh said that her Title IX rights were violated after becoming pregnant in 2017. She said that she was pressured to have an abortion, but stuck to her pro-life stance and carried out her pregnancy without incident.
Asmarzadeh explained that she lost her student financial aid and was not able to reschedule pertinent exams. That's when the organization stepped in, provided a $6,000 scholarship to help finish her education, and even threw her a baby shower.
"I don't like to imagine my life without my son or my education," she told the network. "In fact, it breaks my heart knowing at one point I had to choose between the two."
Kristan Hawkins, who is president of Students for Life of America, told Asmarzadeh in a video call that no woman "should have to choose between her education and her child."
Asmarzadeh thanked Hawkins profusely for the scholarship and the organization's kindness.
"Thank you. I'm honored and grateful for all of this," Asmarzadeh said. "I'm sure [son Eli] will be very thankful when he's able to understand one day. Thank you."
The organization told Asmarzadeh that they believed the college violated her Title IX rights, and informed her of the group's "Pregnant and Parenting Bill of Rights," which stipulates that the school cannot discriminate against students because of pregnancy or parental status, according to Fox News. The program offers to help students learn more about their rights under Title IX, and, if needed, refer them to agencies like Alliance Defending Freedom for legal assistance.
“Pregnancy should mark the beginning of a new life, not the end of an academic career," Hawkins told Fox News in a statement. “Know your Title IX rights."
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