CM
Christopher Morris
  • History
  • Class of 2022
  • Waterford, CT

Eastern Student Christopher Morris of Waterford Holds Panel Discussion at CREATE Conference

2016 May 4

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.

Christopher Morris '17 of Waterford, who majors in History and English, presented research in a panel discussion. Morris's panel, conducted alongside three classmates, was titled "Divergent Narration: Subverting The Power Dynamics Of The Fix-It Shop."

"Inherent in persisting writing center narratives are power dynamics which privilege the ideologies of faculty and, by extension, tutors," said the students in a joint statement. "Such dynamics encourage students to reproduce what they believe their teachers want to see. We engaged the audience in an interactive demonstration of how to break from the tutoring practices inherent in these narratives; it is the tutor's job, provided the student's reasoning is sound, to encourage only further exploration of the student's divergent thought."

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.