Highlands College Student and Faculty Publish Article on the Effect of Energy Drinks and Stress on Students

Highlands College student, Katrina Newlon, and faculty member, Dr. Elyse Lovell have had a peer reviewed journal article recently published in the Community College Journal of Research and Practice. The article is entitled: “Community College Student-Researcher’s Real Life Application: Stress, Energy Drinks, and Career Choices!”

The short version of the results of this research indicated that students who consumed energy drinks were experiencing significantly higher levels of stress when compared to those who did not consume energy drinks. The student and faculty authors make the recommendation to educators to make students aware that energy drink consumption has been shown to have a relationship with stress which may have a direct impact on students’ quality of life.

 “I am very proud of Katrina,” said Dr. Lovell. “We worked together, side-by-side on this research project and she did a great job. The academic literature is clear – undergraduate students who engage in research, creative or scholarly activities do better in school, stay in school longer and graduate at higher rates.”

Ms. Newlon is a student at Highlands College in the Associate of Science Program. While she has had to take this semester off to care for aging grandparents, she is looking forward to resuming her education and is excited about this publication achievement. Dr. Lovell is an Instructor at Highlands College in the Department of General Studies who helps numerous students with social science research projects.

“This is fantastic,” said Dr. John M. Garic, Dean of Highlands College. “Securing a peer-reviewed publication is an accomplishment for those of us who have a career in the academic world. But for a student to achieve that success is very rare. This is a great achievement for her – well done, Katrina.”

Ms. Newlon and Dr. Lovell’s journal article can be accessed online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/GIB2PcfZUNFYXQxjIcrc/full

For any further information about this issue or, please contact Dr. Elyse Lovell at 406-496-3687 or Dr. John M. Garic at 406-496-3714.