Jared Kranc
  • History
  • Class of 2019
  • Colchester, CT

Jared Kranc Presents at 2017 CREATE Conference

2017 May 2

The Third Annual CREATE Conference at Eastern Connecticut State University took place on April 21. CREATE stands for "Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern," and is the University's premier conference showcasing student research and creative activity.

Jared Kranc '18 of Colchester presented an oral presentation titled "The Cocoa Chronicles: Nestle Edition." Kranc majors in History and Economics.

"My project describes the problems of child labor and forced labor in West Africa," said Kranc. "In 2001, Nestle signed the Harkin-Engel Protocol, which agreed to end West Africa's worst forms of child labor by July 1, 2005. However, the company did not comply and has been in and out of legal trouble for over a decade. The company has faced other controversies over the years including a baby formula boycott and issues with bottled water operations in California and Oregon."

The one-day conference featured more than 300 Eastern undergraduates who presented talks, professional posters, live music, dance performances, art and photography exhibits, documentary films and panel discussions.

"This was my first opportunity to present research as an undergraduate student so it was an opportunity to improve my public speaking skills. CREATE gave me a platform to discuss a controversial set of issues in order to promote awareness about Nestle's sourcing practices and potentially make a difference in this world," said Kranc.

"CREATE is a reaffirmation of Eastern's commitment to undergraduate research as Connecticut's only public liberal arts university," said Niti Pandey, business administration professor and conference co-chair. Reflecting on this year's record number of participants, she added, "There is a wonderful variety of presentations and performances for people to see. CREATE 2017 showcases the hard work and talent of our students and demonstrates the dedication of their faculty mentors. We look forward to an excellent event!"

From art to zoology, Shakespeare to social media, tax law to terrorism, Eastern students of all majors explore important concepts and produce exemplary research and creative work; the culmination of their work for the 2016-17 academic year was on display at CREATE.

Patricia Szczys, biology professor and conference co-chair, added: "CREATE is a superb learning experience for all who participate and a true celebration of our student's achievements."