If there’s not enough time for Texas A&M University-San Antonio students to go shopping, worry not — shopping comes right to their doorstep.
Vendor Day is 10 a.m.-2 p.m., March 6 on the first floor of the Central Academic Building.
Jarrick Brown, student activities coordinator, said about 28 local businesses and organizations will promote and sell their products and services during the event.
Brown said Vendor Days are the first Wednesday of the month. The vendors include food carts, a medical clinic, a popcorn purveyor, a local church and even a museum.
“They just come out, and it’s their time to sell their stuff to the student body and campus in general,” Brown said.
Mesquite reporters interviewed a few businesses who will attend Vendor Day.
Caterer serves cool treats, inspiration
By Jules Ridenour
Corinne “Cori Jean” Jackson sells ice cream at the Vendor Day. She says her most popular sellers among Texas A&M University-San Antonio students are the Lucas flavors. Those flavors include chamoy and mango.
Jackson has participated since March 2018, when a staff member at A&M-San Antonio contacted her, requesting that she bring her cart each month to share her frozen treats with students. She offers ice cream, paletas, sorbet and fruit bars in a variety of fruit- or milk-based flavors.
When starting the catering company in 2016, Jackson had no idea how big Cori Jean Ice Cream would grow.
“I had a dream of doing something small that I could do to make sure that my work would never become work,” Jackson said. “I just loved being outside and wanted something that I could control the growth of.”
In under three years, Jackson’s business grew from a small ice cream cart to a full-size catering trailer. Having both allows her to cater events like Vendor Days, but also larger events like weddings and large parties.
Jackson continues to come to Vendor Day every month. Brown said Jackson’s ice cream cart is one of the most popular participants.
“They count on me to be there, you know,” Jackson said of students. “I love the students, and it’s nice to know that I remember their faces each month. When you stay consistent, they keep coming and know that even if they miss you one month, you will be there the next one.”
In addition to consistency, students can count on Jackson’s inclusivity. One-third of the menu caters to the dietary restrictions of non-dairy consumers.
“A lot of the time, students will walk past and say ‘Oh, you don’t have anything for me, because I am vegan’ or they will have an allergy,” she said. “And I always say ‘Wait, I have something for you.”
Jackson said she loves how chasing her dream allows her to serve as a role model for students. She said she doesn’t feel that tasty treats are the only thing she can offer this campus.
“If you have a dream, just go after it,” Jackson said. “If it seems like a mountain, start small. Take that first step, and the rest will come.”
Clinics provide health, wellness services
By Lupe Melendez
Olga Cedillo, a certified applications counselor with CentroMed, said it is important to participate in Vendor Day to remind students about the enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Many students are unaware, when they turn 26, they will no longer be covered on their parents’ health insurance, particularly if they are unemployed with no access to medical coverage.
Students can call CentroMed at 210-977-7997 and schedule a free appointment if they need help enrolling or have questions about the Health Insurance Marketplace, Cedillo said.
This is the second year CentroMed will participate in Vendor Day.
CentroMed welcomes all students to their clinics, uninsured and insured. If students are uninsured then they have a special discount program available.
“Depending on their household size and income, they can qualify for lower health insurance,” Cedillo said.
CentroMed has locations throughout San Antonio and provides services such as medical, dental, optical, pediatrics, OB-GYN, WIC and mental health. In addition, they also assist students with application assistance for Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
CentroMed clinics partner with companies like the American Cancer Society to teach free health and wellness classes. According to their website, https://centromedsa.com/, they offer classes on quitting smoking, managing stress and preventing diabetes. They include morning, evening and bilingual classes.
CentroMed patients can also receive a discount to the Centro fitness gym. They have two gym locations next to their clinics at Ray Ellison Boulevard and Commercial Avenue.
McNay among three museums with free general admission for campus
By Jerry Gonzalez Jr.
The McNay Art Museum will participate in Vendor Day for the first time March 6.
A partnership between the McNay and A&M-San Antonio allows students, faculty and staff to get free general admission into the museum, said Elisa Magnus, membership and visitor services manager at the McNay.
“Our passion is connecting to the community in any way that we can and helping enable the opportunity for community members to experience the luxury of art,” Magnus said.
The university’s partnership with the McNay — known as an educational membership — began in September 2018.
For free general admission, A&M-San Antonio students, faculty and staff must show their active school identification. They also can receive a 35 percent discount on a museum membership through the university’s partnership with the McNay.
McNay membership offers a variety of benefits, including free special exhibition admission, invitations to after-hours members-only events and special exhibition previews at no extra cost.
Magnus said she hopes visiting campus will help spread the word about the benefits of membership, all the museum’s programs and more than 22,000 pieces of art.
“If you ever visit [the McNay], it’s on beautiful grounds, it’s an inspiring place and can be a place for people to reflect, meditate and get away from everyday life,” Magnus said.
The most recent special exhibit at the McNay is “American Dreams: Classic Cars and Postwar Paintings.” The exhibition presents 10 classic cars as modern sculptures, alongside paintings from the McNay’s collection and select loans.
The McNay is located at 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave. For more information, visit http://www.mcnayart.org.
In addition to the McNay, students, faculty and staff receive free general admission with their campus ID to the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Witte Museum as part of an educational membership with all three museums, said Liesl Hons, manager of First Impressions at the Mays Center for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement.
Hons said the membership is valid through December 2019, and the university will decide whether to renew.
C Arce contributed to this story.
Jose De La Rosa contributed to this story package.
