GENERATION Z5 Insights & Their Impact on Higher Education Housing

By Mark Flood, Wendi Lisso, John O’Brien and Patrick Walsh

A new kind of resident has arrived at your residence halls. Get ready, for the days of the millennial occupation have come to end and Gen Z is taking over. In addition to bringing their devices to campus, they will also arrive with a new set of expectations on how they want to live, learn and experience college.

While generalizing an entire generation has its challenges, we look to identify trends based on technology changes within a time frame. And when it comes to Generation Z, aka the “iGeneration,” they are proving to be one of those most unique generations to date. They’re the most advanced, digitally capable students that know no other way than being online.

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WHO IS GEN Z ANYWAY?

Generation Z typically includes those born after 1996. They are primarily the children of Generation X parents. This young group has grown up with smart phones in their pockets, earning the nickname “screenagers.” They are accustomed to an environment that is more connected and sophisticated than their predecessors. As they transition to college life, they carry with them a completely different set of values than the millennials that precede them. They are extremely independent, tenacious, realistic, practical, and are always in a hurry to get to what is next.

Technology has done more than shape their social life, it has defined their entire life and worldviews. Gen Z differentiates itself from millennials by being part of technology rather than being influenced by technology. Recruiting and retaining these students on campuses with aging infrastructure, and limited connectivity, will be challenging if we don’t take the time to truly understand what makes them tick. We must take a proactive approach to offering them an environment and experiences that will ensure their success on campus.

All departments on-campus (especially housing) are struggling to meet the needs of this unique demographic. In this white paper, we will discuss five key traits of Generation Z, their global impact as well as their impact on higher education institutions and what you—the housing officer—can do to better engage this group.

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01DIGITAL NATIVES & MOBILE FIRST

More than any other generation, Generation Z grew up in a digital world where social media, smartphones, and technology are considered common-place. These tech-savvy students’ relationship with technology is shaping trends on college campuses, in everything from recruitment and academics to dining and housing. In a recent Quality of Life Assessment conducted by Sodexo, a whopping 89% of students rate “availability of technology” as a top contributor to quality of life on campus. Technology is second nature to these students, and they expect to be able to utilize it to its fullest potential as part of campus life.

In fact, each have on average five devices (versus three for millennials). While this may seem like a shocking statistic, it’s not that crazy. Generation Z has always had an internet connection and were children when wireless connectivity became pervasive.

This highly connected generation can feel depressed or anxious when they do not have seamless connectivity, affecting their productivity and well-being, reports an article in CMO.com. Now, more than ever, it’s so important to have a strong Wi-Fi foundation that is scalable and able to meet the needs of Gen Z. And who knows, the next generation after Z (tentatively called “Generation Alpha”) could be using 10+ devices.

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02SOCIAL MEDIA GURUS

Generation Z has never known a world without social media. The oldest Gen Z’er would have been 8 years old when Facebook entered their lives. Corporations are spending billions of ad dollars trying to engage this highly influential group. A recent Retail Dive article shared that 80% of Gen Z purchases are influenced by social media.

However, Gen Z tends to be more aware of the importance of protecting their privacy and data than millennials. For Gen Z, this concern has changed its behavior: members favor Snapchat in part because of the strict control over who can see their posts. More than half of Gen Z’ers use Snapchat at least 11 times a day, according to a recent study. Although Gen Z may be on Facebook, they consider it mom and dad’s platform.

For housing officers, having access to real time data and social media trends can help engage students in a meaningful way. And using Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is a great way to alert students to events and other pertinent notifications; it’s also a way to highlight campus life to prospective students.

A recent Retail Dive article shared that 80% of Gen Zpurchases are influenced by

social media.

Gen Z tends to be more aware of the importance of protecting

their privacy and data than millennials.

More than halfof Gen Z’ers use Snapchat at

least 11 times a day, according to a recent study.

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03DIVERSITY & EQUALITY-DRIVEN

They are a culturally diverse and intelligent group, as illustrated by the 400 percent increase in multiracial marriages since 1985 and 50 percent increase in multiracial youth population since 2000, according to the 2010 US Census Report. By 2020, Generation Z will represent 80 percent of the college student population. This also reflects their personal beliefs of complete inclusion among races and equality for all.

Despite multiple efforts, many higher education institutions are struggling to meet their diversity goals. Because of this, many institutions are employing CDOs (Chief Diversity Officers) to tackle recruitment and to increase under-represented groups at the institution. Also, many strategic plans highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion.

This much-quoted passage, attributed to William M. Chase from a publication titled “The Language of Action,” has expressed the meaning of diversity most aptly:

For leaders within higher education, it’s important to note that these new students expect campus policies to be equitable and will push for programs that promote accessible and affordable education and for housing that does so too.

Diversity ... is not casual liberal tolerance of anything not yourself. It is not polite accommodation. Instead, diversity is, in action, the sometimes-painful awareness that other people, other races, other voices, other habits of mind have as much integrity of being, as much claim on the world as you do. ... And I urge you, amid all the differences present to the eye and mind, to reach out to create the bond that ... will protect us all. We are all meant to be here together.

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04VIDEO RULES EVERYTHING AROUND THEM

No matter how you define it, Generation Z can’t live without YouTube.

Gen Z’ers are shifting away from text-based online content, in favor of streaming content – especially video. Ninety-five percent of Gen Z use YouTube and 50 percent say they can’t live without it. This trend is only expected to increase as Generation Z’s average attention span is eight seconds. Gone are the days of sitting at your breakfast table reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee (well, the cup of coffee might not go anywhere).

So, use the channels Gen Z uses. For today’s housing officer, it means that one of the best ways to reach out to this group is by using video. For example, consider a YouTube channel that features tours and contests of residence halls that “showcase who you are.” Or your housing department could give a few students the opportunity to serve as brand ambassadors by way of creating personalized student residents’ vlogs. And let’s face it, as more students begin to learn online, schools won’t need to build as many massive lecture halls, and we’ll see an increase in time spent in residential rooms.

And quickly coming down the pipe for video is Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality—both of which will change the face of video again. Check our CTO Perspective I to understand fun ways to use VR and AR.

of Gen Z use YouTube and 50 percent say they

can’t live without it.

95%

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05ENTREPRENEURIAL MIND-SET

Gen Z is also notable for its entrepreneurial spirit. Why is this?

Gen Z was forever shaped by the 2008 recession. Many saw parents and loved ones laid off from jobs and struggle with making ends meet. Thus, Gen Z is not only consistently more frugal than millennials, but they also want to chart their own course and control their own destiny. Thirty years ago, entrepreneurs could only rely on their connections and cold-calling to get their business going. Now, there are millions of free articles and resources available to budding entrepreneurs to move their business to the next level.

With 42 percent of Gen Z’ers expecting to run their own businesses someday, it’s a challenging time for higher education institutions. It’s important they incorporate more entrepreneurship classes and resources, so students don’t skip college and become their own CEOs.

Some of the most successful companies in the world were started in a college dorm including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Dell. Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and technology must go beyond just institution-level and extend to residence life.

of Gen Z’ers expecting to run their own

businesses someday

42%

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WHAT GEN Z WANTS

As they prepare to enter college life, Gen Z brings with them a plethora of expectations. And so, housing officers must prioritize their investments and initiatives accordingly to meet student expectations that are important to driving success—and not focus on frivolous investments to meet short term needs.

Top priority? Fast and pervasive Wi-Fi! In a generation that only knows a world of Netflix as well as on-demand music and movies, the only relevant time frame is now. Do not make them wait for a response for their needs to be met. Their impatience can lead to bad reviews and bad word-of-mouth. And, since they are all interconnected, peer-to-peer information carries an exceptional amount of reliability to them. Wi-Fi should not be limited to just common areas. For students who are always on the go, it is important to provide the ability to connect at a moment’s notice.

Reliability is also important. Gen Z will not hesitate to make judgments about the quality of Wi-Fi that you provide and share their disdain via many social media outlets.

Gen Z also wants to lead the change in how learning takes place. They’re a driving force for new learning tools, teaching styles, and unlimited access to resources. They want a blended learning experience—combining online and offline—which provides personalized learning and makes it possible to learn remotely or in immersive environments. Residence halls will become more central to the institution’s goals. Living-Learning Communities will proliferate, and the technology within them will become mission critical. Students will not only stream Netflix, but will also rely on the internet to stream class lectures, interact with peers on projects, and educate themselves outside the traditional classroom.

So, get ready…Gen Z has arrived at your residence halls. Sure, they are a new breed of residents that want and need special attention. However, they are already the most financially successful group in history. They just need you to provide a great product and service, and you will earn their trust and money. Apogee is proud to help you succeed with Gen Z as well as the last wave of millennials residing on campus.

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As higher education’s largest provider of managed technology services, Apogee helps colleges and universities transition to and excel in today’s digital era. Its comprehensive Managed Campus Suite includes network services that connect the campus to enhance learning outcomes, video that transforms the way students learn, and new digital engagement technologies that captivate students and drive meaningful engagement. Partnering with Apogee enables

schools to derive greater return on their IT investments and increases student satisfaction while achieving budget stability and predictability.

ABOUT APOGEE

apogee.us

Wendi LissoRegional Vice President, West

Pat WalshRegional Vice President, Central

John O’BrienRegional Vice President, South

Mark FloodRegional Vice President, North

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