Older Gen Zers are heading to college and, soon, to work. This highly connected, driven and pragmatic cohort craves a sense of community, but on its own terms. How can universities and brands help them find a sense of human connection through the digital tools they’re so at home with?
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- Generation
Dr. Corey Seemiller is a professor in the Department of Leadership Studies in Education and Organizations at Wright State University. She is the author of The Student Leadership Competencies Guidebook, a prominent resource for developing youth and college student leadership programmes. Dr. Seemiller is also the co-author of several articles as well as four books on Gen Z, including Generation Z: A Century in the Making, Generation Z Goes to College, Generation Z Leads, and Generation Z Learns. She also co-authored the 'Gen Z Voices on Voting' research report and the 'Campus of Tomorrow' report. Dr. Seemiller recently led the Global Gen Z Study, where she worked with 91 research collaborators from around the globe to better understand Gen Z in a post-COVID world. Participants from 81 countries took part in the study, and the research will be published in Gen Z Around the World with Emerald Publishing. Her fifth study looks at generational trends in the workplace, and the findings will be featured in Generations in the World of Work, which will be published with SAGE Publishing. Dr. Seemiller’s work has been featured on NPR and in The New York Times, Time, Newsweek, and several other news publications and academic journals. She has also been interviewed for podcasts as well as TV and radio shows worldwide, and has engaged in market research consulting for Fortune 10, 50, and 500 companies. Her highly popular TED Talk on Gen Z at TEDxDayton showcased how Gen Z is making a difference in the world, and has been watched by more than a quarter million viewers.
Dr. Marco Gillies is the academic director of distance learning at Goldsmiths. His role involves developing and supporting new initiatives in online and distance learning. This includes short courses in a MOOC format, working with partners such as Coursera and FutureLearn, and developing full online degrees. This work is in close collaboration with the University of London International Academy.
Meaghan Beatley is a journalist based in Barcelona. She has written for The Guardian, Vice, The New Statesman and National Geographic, among others.
