Lily Pavliscsak, an Honors student at Georgia Southern University, described on May 21 how a new sustainability science degree program allowed her to follow her interest in environmental science. Pavliscsak began participating in campus cleanups and creating free little libraries soon after arriving at the university.
The introduction of the sustainability science degree provided an opportunity for students like Pavliscsak to pursue their interests without leaving Georgia Southern. “About a month before I made my college decision, I saw that Georgia Southern opened up the sustainability science degree, and it was the first time it was being offered anywhere in Georgia,” said Pavliscsak. “I thought ‘this feels like it was meant for me’ because it was so perfect.”
Pavliscsak said she sought out ways to get involved early on by connecting with campus organizations such as Eagles for Sustainability and working on projects during Sustainability Week. Her background included spending time outdoors as a child and working in a plant nursery during high school.
As part of earning a sustainable leadership certificate alongside her bachelor’s degree, Pavliscsak developed initiatives aimed at improving student life. She added a “little library” to the community garden where students could access pots, seeds, and gardening tools. When unable to build new structures for these items, she repurposed old newspaper stands from the Statesboro Herald office into seed and book libraries.
After graduating in Spring 2026, Pavliscsak plans to continue her studies as part of Georgia Southern’s environmental science master’s program with a focus on water quality research. “I loved the experience so much that I couldn’t help myself. I had to come back and play student just a little bit longer,” she said.
Reflecting on her undergraduate years, Pavliscsak emphasized hands-on learning outside of traditional coursework: “I really think the experiences are where you learn and grow the most,” she said.
