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Last Friday afternoon, playful pop music rang out through the heart of campus as students sipped fresh juice out of pineapples and tried on new-to-them vintage jewelry. The last Sustainable Spartan Market of the semester was set up on the lawn in front of the Sykes College of Business, featuring more than a dozen local businesses that prioritize environmental sustainability.

Sydney Roux ’28 has planned and executed six markets since September, and she estimates an attendance of 300-400 shoppers each time. Roux inherited overseeing the markets from Alex Carson ’25, who launched the event in 2022 as a social change project for the Presidential Leadership Fellows, of which Roux is also a part. The markets quickly became a popular mainstay on campus and are now managed by UTampa’s student-run Environmental Protection Coalition.

As the market organizer, Roux handles the logistics, such as selecting and communicating with vendors, renting space and equipment from facilities, and curating the day-of atmosphere with music and merch. When she took over, one of her main objectives was making sure the vendors’ values aligned with the mission of sustainability. Roux said that sometimes it can lead to tough calls, as she would rather have small vendors who use 0-10% plastic than local businesses that are more well known but less committed to eco-conscious practices. 

The markets have gained enough recognition that most of the vendors are chosen by request rather than by Roux and the team reaching out. Vendors can apply through a link on the EPC Instagram, or it’s common that someone with a personal connection to a business owner will reach out to Roux and ask to join the lineup.

Roux’s favorite part of the process is building connections with the vendors, many of which are longtime regulars. Recently, she’s been making the extra effort to do her own scouting at other local markets, like the Hyde Park Village monthly farmers market or the Water Street Sunday Market.

“It’s been really great being able to grow this connection with them and listen to them share their stories on how they started their business,” said Roux.  

Kerry Ekberg has had a booth at every Sustainable Spartan Market since shortly after she founded Ocean Gems in 2023. Ocean Gems is a jewelry and décor line that uses natural materials like preserved wildflowers, renewable wood like bamboo, and mica powder for pigment. 

“I love chatting with the students and faculty; I love being under the trees,” Ekberg said about what keeps her coming back. “They do such a good job of making sure we have everything we need.”

The market’s branded merch handed out to attendees is another fan favorite and often doesn’t make it through the day. This year, the EPC collaborated with graphic designer Ana Sofía Perez ’27 to design T-shirts, tote bags and stickers that have become staples in students’ wardrobes.

Roux’s passion for environmental sustainability comes from her love of travel. She once aspired to be a marine biologist, until realizing that science wasn’t her strength. When she saw that UTampa’s environmental studies major had other concentrations, she chose a focus in public policy as a way to channel her love for Earth.

“The world is so vast,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of places … but I can’t see the world if we don’t protect it.”