1. Who are these guys (and gals)? The Millennials Come to Law School Anne Enquist Seattle University School of Law

2. Generational Theory “Society-wide peer group, born over a period roughly the length of passage from youth to adulthood (20-21 years) who collectively possess a common persona.” Caveat: What may be “true” for the group is not necessarily true for any individual in the group Gut-level value systems differ between generations People are products of their culture and the times

3. The Millennials Who are these guys (and gals)? Silent 1925-1942 Boom 1943-1960 X 1961-1981 Millennial 1982-2002 First wave millennials started college in 2000 Second wave millennials started college in 2004-2005 or after

4. The Millennials The U.S.’s first 100 million person generation More numerous, affluent, ethnically diverse o 1 in 5 has an immigrant parent o 1 in 10 has a non-citizen parent First generation raised to believe everyone should have high self-esteem o Highest self esteem o But o Most depressed “the most wanted generation in history”

5. The Millennials The millennial persona’s 7 distinguishing traits*: 1.Special 2.Sheltered 3.Confident 4.Team-oriented 5.Achieving 6.Pressured 7.Conventional * Neil Howe & William Strauss, Millennials Rising, © 2000.

6. What forces shaped the millennial generation? Parenting styles o Sense of entitlement High expectations Extended adolescence—adulthood begins at 30 Technology Think globally More “stuff”

7. What forces shaped the millennial generation? The world they grew up in o Columbine (teens) o Clinton-Lewinsky scandal (6 th graders) o Enron, Kosovo war, Oklahoma City bombing, Princess Diana’s death, OJ Simpson trial o Downsizing o Outsourcing Big dreams— “what are you passionate about?” o Celebrity, materialism, rock star culture

8. Defining “moments” of their generation* o September 11, 2001 Reality television Mobile phones and social networking Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois U. mass killings YouTube Recession of 2008 Wikipedia and mass collaboration Election of President Obama * Fred A. Bonner II, et al. Diverse Millennial Students in College, © 2011

9. Millennials and School High grade inflation despite lowering test scores o 70% of college freshman report they are “above average” or in “highest 10%” Cheating is commonplace o 2002 74% of high school and 80% of college students admitted cheating o 97% allowed someone to copy their work Teachers are facilitators o Think of adults more like friends than authority figures o Professor’s comments on their work is “just their opinion” Strong need for structure in learning environment

10. Millennials and Employment Expect to start on top or move up quickly Don’t take criticism well Big gap between expectations and reality

11. Do you know the millennials? 1. True or false? Millennials trust and feel close to their parents. TRUE

12. Do you know the millennials? 2. As a group, are the millennials more go-it-alone or team-oriented? More team-oriented

13. Do you know the millennials? 3. As a group, did the millennials grow up more “at risk” or more “safe and sheltered”? Safe and sheltered

14. Do you know the millennials? 4. As a group, are the millennials more comfortable or less comfortable with profanity than previous generations? More comfortable

15. Do you know the millennials? 5. As a group, do the millennials believe more strongly or less strongly than previous generations in personal responsibility and hard work? Less strongly

16. Do you know the millennials? 6. As a group, are the millennials more optimistic or more pessimistic? More optimistic

17. Do you know the millennials? 7.When it comes to dress and using first names or titles, are the millennials more formal or more informal? More informal

18. Do you know the millennials? 8. True or false? As a group, millennials are service-oriented and strong believers in social justice. True

19. Do you know the millennials? 9.True or false? Most millennials do not want a mentor and think having one is a waste of time. False

20. Do you know the millennials? 10. Who are these guys (and gals) we call the millennials? A.Young people determined to “make a difference” B.Young people who are taking out enormous student loans to come to law school C.Young people who are paying the law school’s bills, including our salaries D.All of the above

21. Who are these guys (and gals)? Who are these guys (and gals)? Our students!

22. Brief bibliography on millennials Fred A. Bonner II, et al. Diverse Millennial Students in College, © 2011. Neil Howe & William Strauss, Millennials Rising, © 2000. Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—and More Miserable Than Ever Before, © 2006. William Strauss & Neil Howe, The Fourth Turning, © 1997. Thom S. Rainer & Jess W. Rainer, The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation, © 2011.