According to Howe and Strauss,  Generational boundaries have social and historical significance  The generational “boundaries” reflect each generation’s shared “age location in history”  The members of a generation draw a “collective persona and set of shared beliefs”.

 GI Generation (1901 – 24)  Silent Generation (1925 – 42)  Boomers (1943 – 60)  Gen X (1961 – 81)  Millennials (1981 – 200?)  Homeland (200? - ????)

“There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations, much is given. Of other generations, much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.” -Franklin Roosevelt, 1936

 Students born between app –  Entered our campuses in Fall of 2000  Lowest child-to-parent ration in US history  “Quality Education” a political issue  Often compared to GI Generation  Growing up during the decline in the following:  -poverty rates, divorce rates, abortion rates, and homicide rates against children

 Columbine and other school violence  The 2000 Presidential election  9/11  Massive natural disasters such as Ivan, Katrina, and the Indonesian Tsunami  War (1 st and 2 nd Gulf war, Afghanistan)

 Special  Sheltered  Confident  Team-Oriented  Conventional  Pressured  Achieving

 The are the original “Baby on Board” babies  Older generations have made them feel vital to the nation  Very important to their parents’ sense of purpose

 80’s child-abuse frenzy, kids safety rules and devices, post-Columbine lockdown  Worried parents became avid consumers  They are the focus of the most sweeping youth safety movement in America

 High levels of trust and optimism  They equate good news for themselves with good news for their country  Focus on finding “balance” in life  Want to “make a contribution to society” vs. “having lots of money”

 From Barney to soccer to school uniforms  Classroom emphasis on group learning  Educators harnessing peer pressure to enforce rules – student juries, peer grading  Developing strong team instincts  Tight peer bonds

 Pushed to study hard and avoid personal risks  Urged to take advantage of opportunities adults offer them  “Trophy Kid” pressure (My kid is an honor student at…)  Leads to many of the emotional issues students are facing  Most medicated generation

Millennials can be characterized by the 4 P’s:  Pressured  Parents  Praised  Planned

 Cheating – they can’t define it. More group work and collaborations, team study, take-home essays and open- ended problem solving tend to blur lines  Special challenge in educating them will be to instill a clear understanding of where originality and plagiarism begin and end.  How do we meet their technological needs/expectations?

 “Zero tolerance for delays”—Instant Messaging; on-line consumerism  “Consumer” and “creator” roles are blurring – think of file sharing, digital music, etc.  “Computers aren’t technology” – they are the minimum expected  “Reality is no longer real” – online personas, etc.

What implications are there for the ever- increasing parental involvement?

 Millennials born roughly between 1982 – 1990 likely have Boomer parents

Understanding the mindset…  Boomer parents enlist the “team” (doctors, attorneys, psychiatrists, etc.) to aid in resolving disputes/concerns  Boomer parents generally perceive education as worth the time and money  Boomers possess a powerful urge to “participate” in their children’s educational experiences

 Millennials born after 1990 likely have Gen-Xer parents

Understanding the mindset…  Products of the “latch key” era  Mistrust of “institutions”  Focused on the “bottom line”  Very entrepreneurial  Higher Education was major financial burden for most  Self-taught – think “Idiots guide to…” or “…for Dummies”

 Will apply the Fed Ex test to most situations – “cheerful, fast and efficient” – products, information and services provided real time, on-line, 24/7  Will take quick, decisive action  Will assume that anything immeasurable is untrustworthy  Will want proof that money spent is a good investment

 The “co-purchase” will be directive by the parents – called “executive co- purchase”  Will demand consequences  Will expect schools to be run like marketplace businesses  Will be “menu driven” – think ordering a Dell computer

We will be serving Millennials and their Gen- Xer parents through the late 20teens  What changes have you noticed already?  How will we need to adapt to the student’s and parent’s needs?  What specific areas will need to become a focus for serving them?  What “best practices” have you used that have been successful?

 Millennials Go to College, 2 nd Edition (Howe & Strauss, 2007)  Boomers, Gen-Xers & Millennials – Understanding the New Students (D. Oblinger, 2003)  Working with the New Millennial Student (Leavitt, Snyder & Whipple – 2005)  A Glimpse Into the Attitudes & Beliefs of the Millennial Generation (Sandfort & Haworth, Journal of College & Character, 2007)