School Name: University of Florida
Location: Gainesville, Florida

After finishing in 10th place last year, UF is coming back stronger than ever in 2008! Popular dishes on campus include the tempeh pizza, Asian sesame pasta, and vegan tacos. As if that weren't enough, every single residential dining hall offers a fully vegan station, ensuring that vegan options are available at every meal.

Throw in a powerhouse student animal rights group, and UF is a veritable vegan valedictorian!

School Name: Florida State University
Location: Tallahassee, Florida

A newcomer to the competition, FSU has garnered buzz all over Florida for making great strides over the past year with its vegetarian and vegan options. With crowd-pleasers like vegan barbecue riblets, tofu wraps, and veggie sloppy Joes, it's no surprise that the Seminoles have so much energy when competing against their arch nemesis, UF!

School Name: University of Georgia
Location: Athens, Georgia

In the quintessential college town of Athens, it's no surprise that vegetarian-friendly options are found on every street corner—and in the dining halls too. With creative dishes such as Polynesian faux-chicken stir-fry, Hawaiian veggie riblets, and Mexicali soy casserole, students at UGA can grab a delicious vegan meal—even on the go.

With this menu and the legendary student group Speak Out for Species, it's no wonder that UGA has established a reputation for being at least a decade ahead of the curve.

School Name: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina

At a school renowned for its domination of college sports, UNC students have a ton of endurance, and it's easy to understand why. Delicious and cruelty-free meals such as vegan crispy tofu, sweet curried-vegetable pot pie, and vegan "hoppin' John" mean it's not a question of whether UNC is going to outrun the competition—but by how much!

School Name: University of Richmond
Location: Richmond, Virginia

Over the past year, we've received countless reports from University of Richmond students who have raved about the improvements that the school has been making. When we investigated for ourselves, we discovered tasty and simple vegan options, such as mushroom risotto, black-bean burgers, and barbecued lentil loaf. How did we ever miss this place?

School Name: American University
Location: Washington, D.C.

Often identified as one of the most politically active student populations in the nation, American's student body has continuously pushed for additional vegetarian and vegan choices to eat between demonstrations. With options such as vegan Korean barbecue, spicy seitan in miso broth with noodles, and vegetarian corn cakes with fruit salsa, one thing that students will never need to protest is a lack of delicious, cruelty-free food!

School Name: Georgetown University
Location: Washington, D.C.

After a ninth-place finish last year, the Hoyas have come back fighting! Georgetown worked with VegAdvantage to expand its menu of meatless meals, and now the menu is winning rave reviews. Some of the many highlights include barbecued veggie-riblet sandwiches, Asian sesame lo mein, and vegan tacos. No wonder Georgetown sits comfortably among the most prestigious universities in the country!

School Name: University of Maryland
Location: College Park, Maryland

Feeding a school of 36,000 is never an easy task, but kitchen staffers at UMD do not just meet the needs of students who seek vegetarian and vegan options. They have consistently shown a desire to improve year after year, making UMD one of the most acclaimed schools in the nation. Some of the many cruelty-free options include vegan faux-chicken salad, five-veggie ravioli, and vegan chili.

School Name: University of Delaware
Location: Newark, Delaware

With a "blue hen" chicken mascot, it's no surprise that the University of Delaware has gone above and beyond to offer alternatives to eating chickens and other animals. Mouth-watering choices such as sweet and sour tofu, vegan chicken cacciatore, and vegan barbecue riblets mean UD vegetarians can proudly state that no YoUDees died for their meals.

School Name: Temple University
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ranked as the most diverse university in the nation by the Princeton Review, it's wonderful to see that the requests of vegetarian and vegan students are being heard loud and clear. With hot picks such as General Tso's tofu, falafel wraps, and vegan chocolate cupcakes, students have a wide variety of ethnic and classic vegetarian dishes to satisfy their cravings.

School Name: University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Nominated for the third year in a row and one of two Ivy League schools on this year's list, Penn has consistently dazzled some of America's best and brightest students. With creative and innovative options such as vegan enchiladas, the "Take 10" fire-roasted veggie burger, and vegan chicken cutlets, it's no surprise that admission rates for this veg-friendly powerhouse are among the nation's most selective.

School Name: Pennsylvania State University
Location: State College, Pennsylvania

In a town like State College, where 42,000 students live, it can be tough to meet every student's needs. Penn State has never backed down from the challenge, though. The school's Vegetarian Advisory Board holds regular meetings to insist that there be two vegan soups, veggie burgers, and veggie dogs available every day. As if that weren't enough, creative dishes such as Thai tofu and noodles, tomato-basil breakfast burritos, and tabouli whole-wheat wraps help meet the superhuman task of keeping the Nittany Lions' stomachs satisfied.

School Name: Drew University
Location: Madison, New Jersey

At a campus nicknamed the "University of the Forest" for its serene wooded surroundings, it should come as no surprise that the school has dining options that not only save animals' lives but also are more environmentally sustainable. With eco-friendly options such as vegan pizza, sweet and sour tofu, and vegan chicken, students can eat healthy and delicious food with a clear conscience.

School Name: Purchase College (SUNY)
Location: Purchase, New York (near New York City)

Even with its close proximity to the vegan paradise of Manhattan, students at Purchase never have to stray off campus to find delicious cruelty-free dining options. With regular choices that include breaded soy chicken and barbecued tofu, and portobello mushrooms stuffed with wild rice and cranberries—as well as the completely vegetarian Terre Ve Café—the student body can proudly continue its tradition of setting the trend for forward thinking and progressive eating.

School Name: Hofstra University
Location: Long Island, New York

After gaining national attention by winning the right to host the final debate in this year's presidential election, it's no surprise that Hofstra is putting its best foot forward by offering some of the most impressive options in the country. Encouraged by an active student group, the Student Organization for Animal Rights, the university has gone above and beyond to overhaul its meatless options by offering dishes such as vegan stuffed shells, vegan Thai dumplings, and vegan brownies! Now that's change we can believe in!

School Name: Yale University
Location: New Haven, Connecticut

At a school that lays claim to educating more of the nation's leaders than any other, it shouldn't be surprising that these intellectual heavyweights expect the best of the best—and they get nothing less. With choices such as vegan waffles, broccoli and tofu casserole, and vegan ravioli with tomato sauce, students have no shortage of healthy and humane options to last them through those late-night study sessions. Indeed, after finishing as last year's runner-up, Yale is aiming for the sky this time around.

School Name: Wesleyan University
Location: Middletown, Connecticut

At a university legendary for its student activism (particularly with issues relating to sustainability, animal rights, and labor wages), the dining halls have responded by giving students what they want—amazing vegan options. With regular meat-free choices available at each dining hall, some of the many standouts include barbecue tempeh wraps, Moroccan-style chickpea and tomato stew, and seared tofu with broccoli over sticky rice.

School Name: University of Rhode Island
Location: Kingston, Rhode Island

A newcomer to this year's list, URI has shown that just because it's located in the smallest state in the union, that doesn't mean it can't compete head-to-head with the big boys. Powering URI's nationally recognized Greek community are some remarkable meatless choices, including vegan stuffed shells, vegan cutlets, and vegan sloppy Joes.

School Name: Brandeis University
Location: Waltham, Massachusetts (near Boston)

As the sole nominee from the Boston area on this year's list, Brandeis has risen above the plethora of universities in the region as a veritable vegan oasis. With nearly 300 student organizations on campus and a history of student activism that goes back decades, the university is consistently raising the bar on what dining should be. Some of the many options offered include vegan dumplings, grilled seitan tips, and African sweet-potato gratin with golden raisins.

School Name: SUNY Fredonia
Location: Fredonia, New York (near Buffalo)

When we received reports from the campus student group Voices for Animals about remarkable changes taking place at SUNY Fredonia, we could hardly believe our ears. After first placing on our list two years ago, the university has overhauled the menu with inventive and dazzling options, including vegan seitan subs, faux-chicken and faux-beef ramen stir-fries, and vegan tortellini, and these dishes are winning fans all over campus. Throw in Mein Street Wok—an all-vegan dining station with a variety of vegetables and mock-meat dishes—and you have the ingredients for one of the single-most impressive school dining halls in the nation.

School Name: Ohio University
Location: Athens, Ohio

After failing to crack our top 10 last year, OU has come out swinging with some of the most creative and visually appealing animal-free options we've ever seen. We're talking about vegan pizza margherita with soy cheese, vegan Creole tofu po'boys, and vegan mussamun curry over quinoa. Be sure to check out the sample pictures to the right of this text!

School Name: Northwestern University
Location: Evanston, Illinois (near Chicago)

The bar to maintain the title is set high, but as last year's contest winner, Northwestern isn't giving up easily! At a school where at least 35 percent of students select a vegetarian or vegan entrée every day, the chefs aim to please by offering delicious choices such as veggie chicken picatta topped with lemon-caper sauce over herb linguini, seitan marsala, and garlic-orange chili tofu over jasmine rice. These items might seem more at home at an upscale restaurant than a dining hall, but at Northwestern, students seeking meatless options are truly living the high life three times a day.

School Name: University of Missouri
Location: Columbia, Missouri

"Mizzou" dining hall administrators don't take their jobs lightly when it comes to pleasing the student body. By holding regular meetings and taste tests with Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the MU Animal Rights League, the school turns to its students to find ways that it can improve. The results speak for themselves. Vegan sloppy Joes, gazpacho sandwiches, and vegan fruit pies satisfy students of all stripes, and we have no doubt that the university will continue to improve its menu for years to come.

School Name: University of Texas
Location: Austin, Texas

The local bumper stickers read, "Keep Austin Weird," but at UT, the only thing that would be strange would be not taking advantage of the vegan options. Under the watchful eye of one of the nation's premiere student groups, Students Against Cruelty to Animals, and with the support of monthly vegetarian focus groups, the school's menus offer dishes that even the most ardent Texan cowboy would enjoy. Vegan brownies, veggie barbecue riblets, and Italian "meatball" subs stand out as some of the many student favorites. They've even got the peta2 staff cheering "Hook 'em, Horns"!

School Name: University of Montana
Location: Missoula, Montana

In what might come as a surprise to those outside "Big Sky Country," the University of Montana has long stood out for its efforts to satisfy the needs of vegetarians and vegans on campus. With choices such as toasted chili-seitan tacos and burritos, veggie pad Thai, and Moroccan bisteeya with seitan, UMT is winning over this traditionally cattle-ranching state, one meal at a time.

School Name: Boise State University
Location: Boise, Idaho

"Bronco Nation" might seem like a surprising nominee for this contest, but it doesn't take more than one trip to Boise to refute that assumption. Impressive dishes, including Cajun blackened tofu, garden veggie couscous, and Thai curry noodles with tofu, are winning over fans. At a school where more than 90 percent of the students commute from off-campus, it's clear that it's not just classes that make students want to make the drive every day.

School Name: University of Oregon
Location: Eugene, Oregon

Located in the vegan mecca of Eugene, the campus dining halls serve up remarkable meatless options such as tempeh fajitas, tofu Philly sandwiches, and teriyaki tempeh skewers every day. As one dining-services representative said about the vegan options on campus, "[I]t is simply part of what we do and absolutely ingrained into our menus and culture."

Here's a fun fact: In response to student demand, the university purchases more than 10,000 pounds of locally produced tofu every year!

School Name: Humboldt State University
Location: Arcata, California

Placing on our list for the third year in a row, HSU is aiming for the sky this year by offering creative and visually appealing dishes, including vegan curried tofu with basmati rice, vegan tamale corn pies, and marinated tofu cutlets with mushrooms. Even at a campus renowned for its picturesque scenery—encompassing both the Redwood forest and the Pacific coast—it's clear that the vegan options are what really catch people's eyes.

School Name: University of California, Berkeley
Location: Berkeley, California (near San Francisco)

Long recognized as the quintessential student-powered university, dining-services managers have figured out the key to pleasing their customers—offering what are arguably the very best vegan options anywhere in the country. We're talking about vegan mozzarella and sausage pizza, roasted vegetable ravioli, and black-bean–potato "sausage" hash, just to name a few. After finishing in third place last year, Berkeley is giving other schools a run for their money. Given the success rate of its students' campus campaigns, I wouldn't bet against it.

School Name: University of California, Santa Cruz
Location: Santa Cruz, California

Overlooking the picturesque Pacific Ocean and Monterey Bay is a campus world-renowned for being at least a decade ahead of the general population when it comes to social justice issues. With a heavy emphasis on renewable energy and sustainability, it should come as no surprise that the dining halls pack a punch with their eco-friendly vegan options. Choices such as vegan breakfast burritos, polenta lasagne, and tofu scramble served on tomato-chipotle flatbread enhance the school's clear dedication to environmentally conscious eating. Toss in a dining commons called "College 9/10" with a completely vegan cook station and it's clear why students are so proud to be Banana Slugs.

School Name: University of California, Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles, California

Fueled by the legendary student group Bruins for Animals, UCLA has taken the already vegetarian-friendly area of southern California and given it a unique Bruin twist. Delicious American-style vegan dishes such as vegan chicken salad wraps, vegan chili-cheese fries, and barbecued tofu sandwiches dominate the menus. It's pretty clear that when it comes to vegetarian options, this school's main rival (USC) can't compete.

School Name: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the first college from Hawaii to be nominated in our contest. Strengthened by an active student group called the Veggie Club, the school has a menu that includes dining choices ranging from the intriguing vegan "full o' beans" bagel sandwich to more traditional choices such as tofu Cantonese with black-bean sauce and vegan shepherd's pie. At a school known for celebrating its diversity, it's encouraging to see that vegetarian and vegan students, too, have every reason to cheer.