K College’s ’94 Student Pres. Wants Outgoing Pres. Gonzalez to Install Dining Hall Memorial to Eaten Animals

For Immediate Release:
April 14, 2026

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

Ahead of Kalamazoo College President Jorge G. Gonzalez’s retirement this June, former Kalamazoo College student body president—and current PETA Asia-Pacific President—Jason Baker is urging him to make one more lasting contribution: install a memorial plaque outside of Welles Dining Hall honoring the millions of animals killed for student and faculty meals. In a letter sent to Gonzalez this morning, Baker points out that this memorial would build on Kalamazoo College’s longstanding tradition of concern for animals and the environment championed by the school community, which cares deeply about the ideals of non-violence, compassion, freedom, and justice.

“As a student, I was taught the importance of understanding our complex world and examining all forms of oppression, yet, in the dining hall, it’s all too easy to ignore the inarguable suffering of the cows, chickens, pigs, and other animals who are confined on industrial factory farms, and routinely abused, exploited, and killed before they end up on our plates,” writes Baker. “As fellow living beings who feel fear, pain, and stress, and who value their lives just as we value our own, animals deserve our empathy and consideration.”

A March 2026 study found that a simple empathy-based intervention—such as encouraging college students to think about animals before eating them by placing images of living animals next to meat-based dishes—raised students’ odds of ordering a meat-free meal by 22 percent.

Each person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals every year, dramatically shrinks their food-related carbon footprint, and slashes their risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and obesity. PETA’s free vegan starter kit is filled with tips to help anyone thinking of making the switch.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

Baker’s letter to Gonzalez follows.

Dear President Gonzalez:

I hope this semester is going well. From my time as student body president at Kalamazoo to my current role as President of PETA Asia-Pacific, my Kalamazoo College international-focused education has served me well, providing me with the tools to think critically about complex ethical questions and lead with empathy and compassion as we navigate an increasingly interconnected world – one in which our daily choices have an enormous influence on the lives and wellbeing of others.

It’s in that spirit that I’m writing to respectfully request the installation of a memorial plaque outside of Welles. This plaque, entitled the “Kalamazoo Animal Recognition Memorial Artwork” or KARMA, invites our community to reflect on the realities of our food system and honor the millions of animals who have been killed so that their bodies could be served in the dining hall. Please let me elaborate:  

As a student, I was taught the importance of understanding our complex world and examining all forms of oppression, yet, in the dining hall, it’s all too easy to ignore the inarguable suffering of the cows, chickens, pigs, and other animals who are confined on industrial factory farms, and routinely abused, exploited, and killed before they end up on our plates. As fellow living beings who feel fear, pain, and stress, and who value their lives just as we value our own, animals deserve our empathy and consideration. The plaque (a rendering of which is included below) is an invitation for everyone to consider the experiences of these animals – who are just like us in all the ways that matter – and a reminder that every meal offers us an opportunity to make kinder choices.

This memorial project builds upon a longstanding tradition of concern for animals and the environment that is taught and promoted at Kalamazoo by students and faculty who care deeply about the ideals of non-violence, compassion, freedom, and justice. While I was student body president, I met weekly with then-president Bryan, where I would push that we show how progressive the school is, not just talk about it. I got a basketball court put up by the dorms, launched the campus paper‑recycling program, and helped get vegan options added in the dining hall. I also wrote for the school paper, using storytelling to encourage others to make the world a better place by questioning the status quo. These experiences shaped my belief that student advocacy and leadership make our community more compassionate and forward‑thinking.

As you prepare to conclude your presidency this June, I recognize and appreciate how many lasting contributions you have made to Kalamazoo College. Supporting this memorial would be a meaningful addition to that legacy: a lasting reminder of the values you have championed and the community you have helped shape.

Thank you for your consideration. I hope you will endorse this memorial that reflects the compassion, integrity, and intellectual courage that define Kalamazoo College.

Sincerely,

Jason Baker ‘94