While most students were sleeping in or participating in Martin Luther King Jr. Day events, four Ball State students were preparing to march in Washington, D.C.
The students are members of Ball State Students for Life, an organization advocating the protection of the rights of the unborn.
They participated in the 29th annual March for Life. The march originated in response to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision which legalized abortion.
According to president Alison Bruns, this is the first time they have attended the march as a group.
Opening activities Sat-urday and Sunday featured speakers on pro-life issues, leading up to the march Tuesday.
Vice president Monica Moak said this helped her feel more active on the issue.
"It was a great experience," Moak said. "I learned more about the pro-life stance and it changed how I felt about it a little."
Bruns said the march was a fulfilling experience.
"It was overwhelming," she said. "I was not expecting to see that many people marching."
According to Bruns, most pro-life people may believe there are not many other people with the same stance on the issue.
"We're putting our beliefs into action," Bruns said. "It's easy for people to say 'this is how we feel' and not do anything."
Moak said the march made her optimistic about the cause. She said the turnout was larger than last year, this being her third time marching.
"It's amazing to see all the people who believe in the same thing you do," Moak said. "It made us optimistic that Roe v. Wade will be overturned."
Treasurer Phyllis Makowski said having the legislation overturned is the ultimate goal.
"The march is a political event," Makowski said. "We are taking smaller steps like getting the partial-birth abortion legislation back to the president to meet that goal."
The group returned to campus Wednesday morning to prepare for their second annual rose ceremony that evening.
According to Makowski, the ceremony was held in remembrance of all those affected by abortion.
"The purpose is to remember, not to debate," Makowski said.
The ceremony featured a slide-show presentation with abortion information and statistics. It was followed by a procession of roses in which 29 white roses were placed in vases. According to Bruns, each rose signified a year Roe v. Wade has been in effect. White roses were chosen to symbolize the purity of children.
Makowski said this year the group faced no opposition by other groups on campus.
"I believe many of the people on campus are pro-choice," she said. "Last year some students said we did not effectively remember the women affected by abortion."
The group remedied such a reaction by including many pictures of mothers and children in its presentation, according to Makowski.
"As a club we recognize abortion doesn't affect just the unborn child," she said. "It affects fathers, mothers, siblings and grandparents."
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