Marissa Gardner 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.

Marissa Gardner '18 of Columbia presented a poster titled "Does Creative Expression as a Coping Strategy Reduce Stress." Gardner majors in Social Work.

"Our research focused on the creative coping methods of college students under stress, and the effectiveness of these skills," said Gardner. "We surveyed more than 100 Eastern students during the spring 2017 semester using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale to measure levels of stress versus chosen coping methods. We were able to show that coping skills by creative means (i.e. music, art, writing) are slightly more effective in reducing stress-induced anxiety."

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.

"The CREATE conference gave me confidence in my findings and allowed me to inform the student body of ways to reduce stress-induced anxiety," added Gardner. "With social work being my career path, I am consistently working towards the well-being of any population."

"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."