Founding of our community
VSA Utrecht was started in July 2020 with one goal: to build a supportive community for vegan-minded students. We never expected the overwhelmingly positive response we received! VSA Utrecht is now an association with approximately 100 members and has multiple committees and clubs. We are proud to call ourselves an inclusive and welcoming community to everyone, no matter your current lifestyle!
Monthly newsletter
Not only for our members but for anyone interested in being up to date about our events, vegan news, and inspiring columns written by our members: you can sign up for free here or through the button below to receive our monthly newsletter!
Why veganism?
You can eat plant-based for many different reasons. The ones we stand for are the environment and the animals. The environment: The meat, dairy, and egg industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all transportation combined. Switching to a plant-based diet is the best thing you can do for the environment. The animals: We can all agree that killing and harming another being is bad, but somewhere along the way lost that connection with the animals we consume. When it comes to milk, cows just like any other mammal produce milk for their baby. For us humans to be able to drink milk, we take away their baby after he or she is born. A bit of a Dumbo situation. Okay, but what’s wrong with eggs? Hens lay eggs to get babies. When humans started taking away her eggs, her body had no choice but to produce more since she of course wanted to have her babies. Hens naturally lay around 12 eggs a year, and now, after years and years of humans stealing her eggs, they lay around 300 a year and their natural system is now fully corrupt.
We have weekly events in and around Utrecht. Our events are centered around veganism, vegan food, sustainability, animal rights, and equality.
Meet The Board
2022 -2023
Luīze Ancāne
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President
I’m a twenty-one year old Cultural Anthropology student. I love reading, and (when I have the money) pole dancing. Oh, and I worship Taylor Swift and adore oat milk lattes with caramel syrup. For two years now I’ve been very passionate about veganism. I’ve done my fair share of activism, and I want to keep on spreading the vegan message as much as possible. Joining the board of VSAUtrecht offers me a chance to do this, and to be hands-on with decisions that impact the community. I hope to help our small, Utrecht based, veganminded community grow and improve.
Leon Borgdorf
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Secretary
My name is Leon
and I started my PhD at Utrecht University about the ethical and societal implications of genome editing in so-called farm animals in December 2021. I joined the VSA this year and was already part of the most recent podcast episode, the board game club, and the Summer Committee. As a board member, I want to contribute to forming a strong vegan community at the university to do fun stuff together, inspire each other, and fight for animals at the university and in the city.
Anni Auvinen
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Treasurer
I will start my second year at Utrecht University,
studying economics and business economics. Originally, I am from
Helsinki, Finland, but like most international students, I have lived all over the world. I have been vegan for three years now, and I would never consider going back to eating animal products. I am forward-thinking, full of ideas, and I have plenty of opinions, and I cannot wait to help make Utrecht more vegan-friendly and expand the word of veganism.
2021 -2022
Maya Schaap
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President
Maya (25) is studying to become a clinical psychologist. Besider her studies and presidency, she keeps busy with dog- and babysitting, doing yoga, playing boardgames, and escaping into nature whenever she can. She has been vegan since spring 2014 and even though the societal change will always be too slow for her liking, she feels hopeful by how much has already has changed since then. Her favorite vegan quote? “It costs us so little to go vegan. It costs animals so much if we don’t.”
Marleen van Kempen
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Vice President
Marleen (24) is a clinical neuropsychologist to be. Currently, she spends her gap year working and travelling, doing a pottery course and being VSA Utrecht’s vice president.
She has been vegan for over 2 years and hopes more and more people will adopt this loving lifestyle. She aspires to create a warm and welcoming vibe in VSA Utrecht for anyone wanting to connect to like minded people <3 Her favourite vegan quote? “My food is grown, not born.”
Dieuwertje Janssen
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Secretary
Dieuwertje (24) graduated from her Masters in Nutrition and Health, and is currently working as a research assistant. She has been vegan for over six years, and she hopes to see the community of vegan students grow even more in Utrecht! She hopes veganism will become more accessible and approachable for everyone, getting rid off the extremist image that others may have of veganism. Her favorite vegan quote? “Eat beans, not beings.”
Steven Bensdorp
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Treasurer
Steven (23) graduated as a historian and is currently studying to become an elementary school teacher. He works at the service hub of Bol.com and does an internship at the Nijekroost. He has been vegan for over two years and firmly believes a vegan Netherlands is possible in his lifetime. In his free time he loves to read and play boardgames. His favourite vegan quote? “The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of tyranny.”
2020-2021
Sandra Eindvall
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President
Sandra is a Graphic Design student from Sweden. She is currently doing an internship at Lazy Vegan in Amsterdam. Her dream for this association is to mainstream veganism and to create the coziest community in The Netherlands! Pasta is her favourite food.
Sophie Croon
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Vice President
Sophie is a Medical Master student from the Netherlands. Her dream for VSA is to connect with people from all the other VSA’s and have events together! Her favourite food is sushi.
Kelly Leewis
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Secretary
Kelly is a Journalism student from the Netherlands. Her dream for VSA Utrecht is to one day get our own location! That way VSA can make veganism more visible and accessible for students. Thai curry is her favourite food.
Sara Hageraats
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Treasurer
Sara is a Medical Master student from the Netherlands. Her dream for VSA is to create an open-minded and inclusive community where everyone feels welcome <3 . Her favourite food is peanut butter.