As plant-based diets grow, so does Vegan Club

Editor’s note: It’s not always easy for students to find their place at a large, research university like UB. Thankfully, there are hundreds of clubs on campus — nearly 500, in fact — where students can take a break from their studies, make friends, pursue their passions or simply try something new. UB clubs build a sense of belonging and True Blue pride in the university. To help, UBNow has introduced Club Watch, an occasional feature highlighting one of UB’s many student clubs or organizations that you may not know about — but should.

The first thing you should know about joining Vegan Club is that you don’t actually need to be vegan — just interested.

“A lot of people when they see Vegan Club think, ‘I’m not vegan, I can’t go,’” says Nicole Tremsky, a UB senior and vice president of the club.

“But veganism is not just what we put on our plates,” Tremsky says. “It’s how we act as civilians on this Earth, how we waste less in terms of food or material and clothing. We also talk about decreasing our carbon footprint.”

Vegan Club is relatively new to UB. Started in 2021 by its current president, Marissa D’Antoni, the club was an opportunity to connect with others who were committed to a plant-based diet and abstaining from foods derived from animals. The first meeting totaled just four people: D’Antoni, Tremsky and two others.

But as the movement has grown, so has the club. It now includes as many as 30 members, who gather bi-weekly for general body meetings to delve into vegan topics of interest. It can be difficult being on such a strict diet and the club provides welcome support.

Which restaurants have the best vegan menus?

How do you get more protein on a vegan diet?

Any good vegan recipes to share?

“I would say mostly it’s a community to show people how to go vegan or the reasons to go vegan,” says D’Antoni, who is also a senior. “For people who are already vegan, it’s about spreading that message of living a healthy lifestyle, cleaning up the Earth and animal liberation.”

Outside its formal meetings, the club routinely hosts events, like its recent Plant-Powered Ball or the upcoming vegan BBQ or its vegan pizza party on May 1. On weekends, club members can be found volunteering at Asha’s Farm in Newfane or Let’s Goat Buffalo in Springville, where they help around the sanctuaries and enjoy spending time with the animals.

As for vegan options on campus, there’s been some progress.

More awareness and communication about what students want and why has added some variety to menus, whether it’s chicken-less patties or vegan meatballs or swapping beef for Tofu.

“These were things that were once hard to find,” Tremsky says. “Changes are small, but since my freshman year, I have definitely seen improvement.”

How to join: “Just show up,” says D’Antoni. “That’s all you have to do.” For more information, upcoming events or to reach out to the club directly, visit Vegan Club at UBLinked. Meetings are bi-weekly from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in 222 Student Union.