While there are many college students across the nation who choose to live a vegetarian lifestyle or have strong beliefs about the treatment of animals, not all campuses offer a club for the aforementioned population. NEIU has recently added to their list of diverse student groups with the Animal Rights Club. Students Regina M. Torres and Charlie Jurewicz are President and Vice-President of the new organization. “It started at the beginning of the summer, sort of just a germ of an idea,” Torres said. “We sat on campus and had informal meetings over coffee and we decided to take the plunge in starting it up.”
Torres herself is a vegetarian. “I have always loved animals and nature. As I learned more about the inhumane, wasteful, and ridiculous practices in our world, I began to make better educated decisions as a consumer,” Torres said. “I seriously love my vegetarian lifestyle and after evolving enough with my personal and spiritual education, I decided that meat was dead to me. I don’t miss it. I eat veggie dogs now. Yum!”
Being a vegetarian or vegan, however, is not a requirement for members. Any student or faculty member can join or attend a meeting to learn more. The club focuses on the ways in which wastefulness and animal treatment affect our environment in hopes of raising awareness within the student body. “We believe wholeheartedly in the benefits and utter importance of having a conscientious activist club on campus where people from all walks of life, and whatever levels of involvement can take part in and learn along with,” Torres said.
Some current issues being addressed include: factory farming, labs and experimentation, proper and humane pet care, health and diet, environmental impacts, cruelty-free buying power and resources. “Through networking with other groups and organizations on campus and across the U.S. we aim to provide resources on these issues as well as greater awareness,” Torres said.
The NEIU Student Organization Fair proved to be an informative event and prime opportunity for many groups to be on display across campus. The Animal Rights Club was no exception and hopes the exposure benefits their new and unique vision. “That was our first exposure to the campus in general and our club deemed it a great success,” Torres said. “On Sept. 15-19 we will be taking part in Tent State University on our campus, which is going to be an exciting event. We will be networking and handing out leaflets as well,” she continued.
Other events include Vegan Outreach speaker Joe Espinosa as well as an informative table and video in Village Square on Sept. 23. The club will also be participating in some form of fundraising by selling organic, local, vegan and vegetarian goods.
There are numerous campus clubs and opportunities for involvement at NEIU. The Animal Rights Club offers a brand new chance for students to make a difference in their environment. “This is probably one of the most fundamentally important groups to seek out on our campus. There are many opportunities to be found, you can get involved in various areas depending on your interest and abilities,” Torres said. “Everyone’s input is regarded as equally important to our ultimate cause: to inspire wisdom, compassion, and progress in all hearts and minds. Humans are animals as well, with a responsibility to our perishable planet so that all can endure fruitfully.”
Students and faculty interested in participating with the Animal Rights Club should email animalrightsneiu@hotmail.com for more information. Meetings are held twice a month, during activity hour, 1:40 to 2: 40 p.m. and Friday at 3:00 p.m. Dates and locations are announced in advance. The next meeting will take place on Sept. 19 at 3:00 p.m. in SU-217.
“Basically, we are looking forward to being a proactive, well-rounded, and energetic group of people in the pursuit of helping to promote change starting with our campus here at NEIU,” Torres said. “We will be a very fun and alive club, guaranteed.”