Despite shattered bus windows and numerous delays, more than 150 Hillsdale students, a record high, traveled to Washington, D.C., this past weekend for the annual March for Life. 

Hillsdale College For Life organized the group. Students rode two coach buses through the night Thursday to arrive in time for the march Friday morning. 

While Hillsdale has done this trip in the past, the recent Supreme Court decision concerning abortion made this year’s trip unique.

Freshman Aidan Christian said it felt less like a protest and more like a celebration. 

“The chant had changed from ‘hey hey ho ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go’ to ‘hey hey ho ho, Roe v. Wade is gone, let’s go,’” Christian said.

Sophomore and Social Media Coordinator for the HCFL Rachel Schroder has attended in previous years, and said she could see the difference the Dobbs decision made on this year’s march.

“I personally did not see a single counter-protester, much different from when I went in 2022,” Schroder said.

Junior Emma Montague also noticed the lack of pro-choice advocates.

“There were no arguments or heated exchanges, as compared to previous years,” Montague said. “It was peaceful.” 

Retired NFL coach Tony Dungy and his wife, Lauren, spoke at the pre-march rally, alongside Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus in the TV series “The Chosen.”

The Hillsdale group missed the rally because one of the buses collided with a truck in downtown D.C., smashing multiple windows on the bus. No one was hurt, but the group walked the rest of the way to the march. 

“The leaders handled the situation remarkably well, making the best of a situation completely out of their control,” said freshman Alayna Schoepp.

Freshman Adeline Kaufman said when the group eventually joined the ranks of protesters weaving their way across the city, the scene was powerful.

“We stood as a testament to the ability of Hillsdale students to exercise their freedom of speech and act on their moral convictions,” Kaufman said.

Freshman Jude Barton was surprised by the level of excitement that met them once they arrived. 

“Everyone was energetic and spirited, and clearly happy to be there,” Barton said.

“You could see the march was celebratory, but at the same time there was still work to be done,” Kaufman said. “Instead of ending on the steps of the Supreme Court, we were led to the Capitol building. This represented that the fight was now for legislative protection, signaling that though our focus had changed, our convictions stayed the same.”

Students were able to spend the rest of the day Friday exploring the many monuments and memorials to our nation’s history before making the trip back to Hillsdale on Saturday.

“It was such a profound experience,” Kaufman said. “A unifying statement that there is still work to be done and lives to be protected.”