University of North Carolina–Asheville Hot in the Running to Be Named peta2’s Favorite Vegan-Friendly College

For the First Time Ever, Voters Get the Final Word as Schools Across the Country Meet the Demand for Humane, Healthy Fare

For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2014

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

As more and more people go vegan every day and as young people lead the charge, college campuses across the country are becoming more animal-friendly than ever before, so it’s only fitting that peta2, PETA’s youth division, is once again launching its annual Favorite Vegan-Friendly College contest. And the University of North Carolina–Asheville is squarely in the running, offering students delicious, healthy, cruelty-free food—including smoked tofu with vegan cornbread and hearty gravies—that would be the envy of many upscale restaurants. This year’s race includes 32 universities—all of which have already received an A on peta2’s Vegan Report Card—but only two champions, one large school and one small, will be crowned. The winners will be chosen exclusively by voters, who can cast their ballots at peta2.com.

“One of the most important lessons that college students can learn is to adopt a diet that will keep their bodies healthy and their consciences clear,” says peta2 Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “Students who go vegan and don’t bog themselves down with cholesterol-laden meat, eggs, and dairy products have more energy, and that can mean better grades, too.”

Some of the University of North Carolina–Asheville’s competitors include Brown University, Framingham State University, Bates College, and Warren Wilson College.

There will be four rounds of voting. The contest launched on February 5, and the first round ends on February 12. Round two runs from February 17 to 26, round three from March 3 to 12, and round four from March 17 to 26. Winners will be announced on March 31. Each winning school will receive framed certificates to hang in its dining halls.

For more information and to vote, please visit peta2.com.