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.