Growing up in the inner city of Pittsburgh, Marylin Lisowski never saw a tree until high school.

Lisowski, professor of science and environmental sciences, who described her first tree as “love at first sight,” was recently named Illinois Environmental Educator of the year.

Though she had an initial fear of nature, Lisowski came to realize that “there are beautiful things in the world.”

With her passion for beautiful things, Lisowski choose to help others learn about the environment as well as about themselves.

“What I think is great about her is her passion about the environment and teaching,” said Paul Switzer, associate professor in biological sciences.

Lisowski began her teaching career as a science teacher in the inner city. During that time, she taught about the environment in the classroom as well as in the form of camping trips.

Early in her career, Lisowski used nature as a self-learning technique with juvenile delinquents in the form of camping trips.

“I used it as a character builder,” Lisowski said. “I’ve seen so many students whose lives have changed because they connected with nature.”

Her love for nature and desire to teach people about it led to Lisowski’s journey of spreading around the environmental message to others. Her efforts in delivering the environmental education message to the public throughout the state is just one of the reasons why she was chosen as environmental educator of the year.

Lisowski was selected over many professors and scientists that were nominated in the state.

The message she has been sharing is that everyone has a critical role of taking care of the environment, and it is important to know, be active and share it with others.

If everyone were to tell someone about nature, it would multiply and the message will get across, Lisowski said. We live on a beautiful planet and we all should take part in building it up and making it better.

To spread these messages, Lisowski has designed and implemented programs for teachers. As well, Lisowski has set up reports about forests and wetlands that she has given to state biologists and are visible online.

“We all benefit by her activities at Eastern and state wide,” Switzer said.

At Eastern, Lisowski recently started a study abroad program in which she travels with a group of students to primitive environments. Just last year, she took 33 people to Andros Island in the Caribbean.

“The Eastern students learned so much about the environment [there],” Lisowski said. “[Habitants of Andros] still are able to live in harmony with the environment.”

Study abroad programs are not the only ways Lisowski has helped out Eastern. She has also started many grant programs.

Some of the grant programs that Lisowski is involved with are the Illinois School’s Flora and Faun online project, Project TEAMS and Science/Mathematics Technology Applications and Research.

“She has given a great name to Eastern nation wide,” Switzer said. “Eastern is really lucky to have her.”

Lisowski has even helped Switzer personally set up his own program for students. The program is designed to be a hands on activity for students. It involves trapping butterflies, and some teachers in the biology program were trained to use the traps.

“She coordinated the effort,” Switzer said. “She [helped] by being really enthusiastic and encouraging.”