Hello. Generation Z is here, right now, on our campus. Gen Z will also be represented in our incoming classes for at least another 10 years, or until someone coins the next term for the next generation. Here’s a look at what Gen Z has grown up with.

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The Gen Z timezone begins around 1994. Yahoo, Mindspring and The Netscape were the new online services and browsers of choice. The digital camera and Sony Playstation were launched. And, at that time, 1 in 3 US households have home computer.

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Jumping forward 10 years, Gmail becomes available, though only by invitation Vonage offers an alternative for voice over the internet, and Firefox browser is launched. The iPod w/color and photo was the newest offering from Apple And “Blog” was pronounced the most looked up word by Merriam-Webster

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And now, wearable technology is the trend for 2014. Including Google Glass, smart watches, health devices like Fitbit There’s even a contact lens with a glucose sensor built-in. And 3-D printing is all the rage. We used to say there’s an app for that, now we can say there’s a printer for that.

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Generation Z may look a lot like Generation Y, but they are different. They prefer more integrated and visual communications. This generation has also lived through 9/11 and the recent economical depression, which impacts their outlook on personal, technical and job security

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In the US, this is the last generation to have a white majority. The students we see on our campus are also the most technologically sophisticated, though there remains some concern about the true “tech savviness” of this generation, especially regarding research.

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While the “right here, right now” expectation of information, learning and services started with Generation Y, Generation Z has taken that to a new level. Our challenge in higher education is to manage those expectations while leveraging new technologies in a way that works for Generation Z.

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Generation Z assumes

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A common concern from earlier generations, especially Baby Boomers, is that enhanced technology comes with a price. We know that there is a positive relationship between student engagement and retention, so a drop in engagement rates is something to pay attention to.

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However, we may need to adjust our definitions engagement, and of community. As noted here, “community” is not bound as much by geography as in the past.

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You can’t discuss Generation Z without discussing social media. Several recent studies show that the use of social media can enhance engagement activities, which we know are important to student succes.

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I am amazed by this first item --- students who used Twitter were more likely to persist. If you are interested in this topic, check out many other articles and studies by Rey Junco at Purdue University.

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Contrary to popular belief, Facebook is still popular with Generation Z. The change we are seeing is that Gen Z is diversifying their social media channels. The use of Facebook remains steady, while usage of Twitter and Instagram is growing rapidly.

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Privacy is important to Generation Z. This photo comes from a student fromt the tail end of Generation Y, and was not at all protected. I managed to friend more than half of the 100 students in a Scholars Seminar prior to a presentation on social media.

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Privacy does vary by platform. And lots of energy is devoted to managing their reputation For example, 59% of teens have deleted/edited something posted in the past. 45% have removed their name from tagged photos.

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Generation Z tends to be public about their lives in general, but less so about their contact information. “Blog” was the “Word of the Year” in 2004 by Merriam-Webster. In 2013, “Selfie” was named the “Word of the Year” by Oxford Dictionaries.

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One strategy for bridging the generation gap is through mentorships. As noted here, older employees – including faculty and staff here at NC State -- can benefit from the connectivity, flexibility and creativity unique to Generation Z.

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The Division of Academic & Student Affairs developed a mentorship strategy to enhance student success. But the benefit can run in both directions, with those serving as mentors deriving the benefit from their connection to those students from Generation Z.

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Sanford’s theory of challenge and support is typically applied to college students. But those of us from Generation Y, or X, or even Boomers, can benefit from the right balance of challenge and support. This can be particularly true when it comes to technology.

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Faculty and staff are presented with external challenges, and hopefully some support, when it comes to technology. We can provide our own internal challenge and support by working on our individual Tech IQ. You get extra credit if you look up “graphene” after this session.

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