AH
Amanda Hartman
  • Social Work
  • Class of 2017
  • Oakdale, CT

Eastern Student Amanda Hartman of Oakdale Presents Research Poster at CREATE Conference

2016 May 3

More than 250 talented students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented research and creative work at the university's second annual CREATE conference this past April. CREATE stands for Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern, and is the university's premier, academic year-end showcase. At the culminating event, students of all majors presented professional posters, live music, dance performances, artwork, photography, documentaries and panel discussions.

Amanda Hartman '16 of Oakdale, who majors in Social Work, presented a research poster at the event. Hartman's research, conducted alongside three other classmates, was titled "Social Support and Self Esteem Among College Students."

"Despite some extensive research on social support and self?esteem, little is known about the various types of social support for college students and how they correlate with levels of self?esteem," said the students in a joint statement. "This study aims to address the gaps in existing literature and discover how having and utilizing social support networks (such as family, peers, and campus resources) for emotional and academic assistance influences an individual's self?esteem. This research study utilized a survey questionnaire distributed on campus to college aged students in a liberal art college in the northeast region of the country. The survey includes questions revolving around family, peer, and campus support, and utilizes the Rosenberg Self?Esteem scale to measure the student's self?esteem."

Remarking on the variety of presentations, Professor Dickson Cunningham, conference co-chair, said, "CREATE encapsulates the essence of the liberal arts in one afternoon. It is an intellectual smorgasbord."

Speaking to the value of CREATE, Eastern President Elsa Nunez said, "It takes a very strong and dedicated student to produce this quality of work, and it's important for other students to see this output." Praising the faculty, she added, "It takes a committed and skillful mentor to guide students to the work that is on display. Mentorship is such an integral part of undergraduate research."

During the one-day conference, the Student Center crawled with artistic and scholarly activity. Students in professional attire addressed their peers, faculty and family. In the cafe, ensembles performed; in the theatre, student-produced documentaries were shown; in the Betty R. Tipton Room, aisles of posters depicting scientific research were displayed; across the hall, a gallery-worth of paintings lined the walls; and on the ground floor, panel discussions and oral presentations about the humanities took place.

In celebration of students' exemplary research, experiential learning and creative activity, CREATE serves to reinforce high-impact practices such as mentored research; increases the number of students presenting their work in a professional forum; raises public awareness of Eastern's liberal arts mission and student accomplishments; and contributes to the intellectual richness of the campus community.