Meet Lily Stenroos, a member of the Honors College pursuing an environmental studies degree with minors in sustainability, environmental justice and political science, from Mayfield Village, Ohio. Stenroos chose her academic path out of a deep fascination with relationships between the natural world and humans.
Through undergraduate research and campus involvement, Stenroos has made the most of her time at Kent State University.
“I want to explore how environmental systems work, how human activities impact them and how we can develop solutions to address ecological challenges,” Stenroos told Kent State Today.
“This major allows me to approach environmental issues from multiple perspectives, scientific, social and policy-oriented,” Stenroos said, “which I find both fascinating and necessary for making meaningful change.”
Stenroos is active in aquatics and has been a part of the Kent State Swim Club for two years. When she is not swimming, she works in the Recreation and Wellness Services aquatics department as a lifeguard supervisor, water safety instructor or assists with teaching swim lessons. Her job at the recreation center also led her to meaningful friendships, including meeting her best friend and roommate of two years.
Academically, Stenroos participated in the 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium, where she won second place in aeronautics, engineering, computer science and math. Stenroos and her team researched methods to make FLASHcards more accessible for students by integrating into digital wallets. In spring 2025, she received the environmental studies major award, recognizing her overall GPA of 3.7 or higher.
One of the most influential figures in Stenroos’ Kent State journey has been Elaine Hsiao, Ph.D., in the School of Peace and Conflict Studies.
“Assistant Professor Elaine Hsiao, with whom I had the honor to co-author research, taught me to be a better writer and researcher and piqued my interest in grad school, which I applied to with her letter of recommendation,” she said.
Outside of her academics and work, Stenroos enjoys staying active, discovering new coffee shops and thrifting with friends. One of her favorite memories at Kent State was going sledding down Taylor Hall hill during her first year.
Stenroos highly recommends fellow Golden Flashes connect with their professors as she did.
“Professors can provide guidance on internships, research opportunities, career paths, write strong recommendation letters and even introduce you to professionals in your field,” Stenroos said. “Building these relationships early can give you insights you won’t find anywhere else and open doors you didn’t know existed.”