Plant Sciences junior Ashlynn McManus was recently awarded the Student Environmental Leadership Award in Academics (SELA) by the Office of Sustainability as a part of the 2025 Environmental Leadership Awards. These awards recognize students, faculty, staff, and community members who work to make a lasting impact on sustainability across campus and in the community.

You may have previously seen McManus featured for her internship with UT Facilities Services, in which she helps develop planting designs that are being implemented on campus. McManus also intends to pursue a Master of Landscape Architecture in the future.

McManus says she was “…ecstatic to have been selected as a nominee for this event and [to be] chosen for the Student Environmental Leadership Award in Academics (SELA)!”.

For more information about the awards and a look at the other nominees, click here.

Check out some photos from the event below.

Are you a member of the Department of Plant Sciences and would like to be featured? If so, let us know by emailing Victoria Cavaliere at vcavalie@utk.edu.

By Victoria Cavaliere