The Trinity Market provides students, faculty and the greater San Antonio community numerous opportunities to reach out to others and choose from healthier eating options. Hayley Sayrs, a recent Trinity graduate, now works full time as the Market Manager to guarantee these chances.
“The position name is Outreach and Development. My role is really securing the proper funding to ensure the sustainability of the market,” Sayrs, a biology and environmental studies double major, said.
Last October, Sayrs secured a grant while working with Luis Martinez from the department of entrepreneurship, Carolyn Becker from the department of psychology and Christina Verzijil, who received the grant jointly with Sayrs and also helped to make the Trinity Market a reality.
“The vision was to have a space that connected students and entrepreneurs in the community, as well as farmers and ranches,” Sayrs said. “It’s definitely evolved into something more.”
Sayrs foresees a bright future for the Trinity Market; she is already aspiring to introduce significant changes to the way it operates. These will allow the Trinity community to have access to healthier eating options. In order to do so, the market is currently partnering with companies such as ¡Por Vida! and TU Dining.
“We are launching a campus-wide program to increase local procurement of goods,” Sayrs said. “We’re going to try to get products into the PODs on campus. I’m also working to increase the catering options on our food trucks.”
In order to accomplish these goals, Sayrs must work closely with a number of parties, including Aramark and TUPD, so the process goes smoothly.
“These partnerships really just require constant communication,” Sayrs said.
From the first Saturday, the Trinity Market was a success, attracting many people and inspiring them to make a difference in their community. With the market on campus, it has become easily accessible to the variety of shoppers it attracts, including students, faculty and nearby residents.
“Everyone around campus has their own unique talents to give to the Trinity Market,” said Zoheb Hirani, a sophomore chemistry major. “It’s shaped by the interests in our community. If you have something incredible to offer, it’s free for students to set up their own tent!”
The market has also worked with KRTU to provide live music while customers shop at the various stands and vendors, implementing the use of other operations managed by Trinity students.
“I started out as a co-president for the community garden on campus and I was also working for KRTU,” said John Morgan, a junior music education major. “One day I came up with this idea: Why can’t we just integrate these two things?”
Morgan later proposed this idea to Sayrs, who was involved with the community garden at the time. Together, the two worked together to make it a reality.
“I thought it was a really cool idea to get kids to know about the stuff we do on campus,” Morgan said. “She thought it was a lovely idea.”
As the Trinity Market continues to grow, it is able to provide greater outreach to Trinity and the surrounding community by offering services to San Antonio citizens outside of the Trinity community.
“When I was working with the community garden, I wanted to make it something that could burst the Trinity bubble,” Morgan said. “We could make it this thing that we can all grow together.”
The Trinity Market accepts donations through its website, allowing the market to continue to support the variety of vendors who sell products every weekend, local artists who perform at the site and offer fitness classes every Saturday, among other opportunities, to support the emerging healthy and energized lifestyles of the community.
