Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty and staff struggled to engage Gen Z students and help them to create a robust sense of connection to campus. Gen Z students do not want to replicate the financial challenges faced by millennials—they are more concerned with making their college experiences practical and purposeful. Today, with the expansion of microcredentialing and certificate programs, Gen Z students are less convinced of the value of a college degree than prior generations. Additionally, the last two years have led to a greater feeling of isolation, as well as a drop in enrollment and retention rates across the continent. As schools consider how to plan programs and operations, it is important to consider questions like:

• How are their wants and needs different from previous generations?
• What do Gen Z students want from their college experience?
• How can higher-ed faculty and staff create experiences in and out of the classroom that are valuable to Gen Z students and foster a sense of connection to their institutions?

We invite you to join us for a free webcast to discuss these and other related questions. Through a facilitated dialogue with Vickie Cook, Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment & Online, Professional, and Engaged Learning at University of Illinois, Springfield, you will gain valuable ideas and reflect on how best to engage Gen Z students. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions, hear from your peers in the field, and share your successes in working with Gen Z students.