RUSSELLVILLE — An Arkansas Tech University student has been recognized for her efforts to raise awareness about veganism that led to changes on campus.
Faith Robinson, a senior psychology major, was given the Campus Representative of the Semester award by peta2, PETA’s youth division and the largest youth animal-rights group in the world, according to peta2’s website.
“Receiving the award was a complete surprise to me,” Robinson said. “It was very fulfilling to be recognized for the progress I’ve made when I didn’t even have the award as a goal in mind.”
Robinson, along with a student from the University of Florida and a student from the University of Texas at Austin, was flown to California to be recognized and congratulated for her efforts.
“Their open-mindedness and desire to fight for a better world are precisely what animals need now more than ever, and we are consistently proud to see the work students do to promote a vegan lifestyle,” said Grace Woodward, peta2 campus representative strategist, in an email. “Faith was chosen as one of three campus reps for the fall [2015] semester because of her unique position, being a vegan in Arkansas, and all she was able to achieve. We are thoroughly impressed with the passion, hard work and success Faith has had in her first semester in the program.”
Beginning last August, Robinson organized documentary screenings, distributions of informational pamphlets and events such as Hug a Vegan Day. In September, Robinson furthered her efforts by petitioning for vegan-friendly options in Tech’s cafeteria.
“They had a veggie burger in there, but we couldn’t eat it because it had eggs in it,” Robinson said.
Tech now has two vegan-information pamphlet centers, vegan vegetable burgers and vegan mayonnaise in its two, on-campus eating locations. While Robinson wouldn’t consider the cafeteria “vegan friendly,” she does have hopes of working to provide more options for vegan students who live on campus and utilize meal plans.
“One of my biggest goals for this semester is to meet with cafeteria management to develop some sort of document that outlines how to eat vegan in the caf,” Robinson said. “At a school like ours, it’s unlikely we’ll get a full vegan station anytime soon, so it’s important for students to know what options they have, even if the meal isn’t already labeled as vegan.”
Veganism, as defined by Wikipedia, is, “the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet.” The practice can also extend to products and services that test or use animals to produce a product. The conditions in which some animals are treated were a motivator for Robinson’s life change.
“What pushed me is how unfair is it to treat animals
[inhumanely] because they’re different from you,” Robinson said. “It’s hard for me to see these videos and know that they’re going to be abused and grow up for food. They can’t live happy and healthy lives.”
Robinson’s vegan journey began when she was a freshman at Tech.
“I was making my own food choices,” Robinson said. “Since I was picking my own stuff, I wanted to know what was going into my food.”
Becoming a vegetarian was Robinson’s first step, and after reading more articles and viewing more documentaries, Robinson became a vegan.
“I don’t feel like I’m missing anything, which I feel like is what most people are scared of,” Robinson said. “I eat the same food I grew up on, plus some really fresh vegetable dishes.”
Robinson’s journey has changed more than her eating habits — it has changed the community at Arkansas Tech University.
“It’s kind of become her whole life,” said Klay Rutherford, a senior at Arkansas Tech University and Robinson’s fiance. “It’s definitely a bold thing to do. I don’t think this conversation would be happening on campus if it weren’t for Faith’s position.”