Kova JonesEach year, the Sustainability Champion Awards recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to sustainability at the University of Kentucky. This year, one of those champions is Dr. Kenton Sena, whose passion for the natural world and commitment to hands-on learning continue to shape how students see their environment.
Kenton Sena’s love for the natural world began in childhood.
Growing up on a small patch of land in northern Kentucky, he spent hours exploring the woods and playing in the nearby creek. An early memory stands out—a sprouting sweet potato his family nurtured in water until it grew roots. They planted it in their garden and, by the end of the season, harvested a small bounty.
“My mother would tell you that’s when I first got into sustainability,” said Sena.
Today, Sena is a senior lecturer at the Lewis Honors College at the University of Kentucky. He teaches a range of courses, including the required first-year Honors Foundation Seminar, Appalachian Natural History, the Lexington Ecosystem, and Urban Restoration Ecology. He even explores environmental themes through literature, using a class on The Lord of the Rings to spark discussions about ecology and stewardship. In every class, Sena hopes to inspire students to notice, appreciate, and engage with the world around them.
Service learning is an important part of Sena’s work. Whether through planting pollinator gardens, removing invasive species, or helping restore local ecosystems, he encourages students to connect classroom lessons with real-world action. His commitment to sustainability extends beyond teaching, as he weaves an environmental thread into every part of his work from research on forests and streams to community-based restoration efforts.
Sena advises several student organizations that reflect his passion for sustainability and community, including Sustainability Future Leaders, the Hiking Club, and the Squirrel Watching Club. He speaks highly of the students involved, noting their creativity, dedication, and heart for service.
Sustainability Future Leaders began with Honors College students who wanted to make a difference, and their projects continue to blend environmental action with compassion, like transforming plastic grocery bags into sleeping mats for people experiencing homelessness. According to Sena, this kind of work “captures the heart of sustainability,” connecting care for the planet with care for others.
He also appreciates how the Hiking Club and Squirrel Watching Club give students a reason to get outside and notice the world around them. The Hiking Club explores beautiful natural spaces across Kentucky; something Sena believes helps students build a deeper relationship with nature. The Squirrel Watching Club, meanwhile, brings joy through simple observation.
“It is incredible,” Sena said. “It is just a group of students who meet once a week to walk around campus and look for squirrels. It is fantastic.”
When asked about the biggest challenges facing sustainability on campus, Sena points to convenience.
“I honestly think convenience is maybe one of the biggest hurdles to a more sustainable campus,” he said. “We place a really high value on convenience in America, and we sacrifice a lot of goodness for the sake of it. We just do not want to inconvenience ourselves, but making sustainable choices often requires slowing down and being intentional.”
For Sena, sustainability is about awareness, about noticing the world around us, and choosing to care for it. From his own childhood afternoons spent exploring the woods to now advising student organizations like the Hiking Club and Sustainability Future Leaders, that awareness continues to guide everything he does.
At the University of Kentucky, his influence reaches far beyond the classroom. Through his teaching, research, and mentorship, Sena encourages students to think critically about their choices and to find purpose in protecting their campus environment. His work reminds students that sustainability begins right here at UK, with every small action that helps create a more mindful and responsible community.
