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Who are they and what do they want?
About Marquette's Office of International Education
The annual pilgrimage. Close to 1,800 new freshmen have joined more than 9,500 other students for the 2007-08 academic year at Marquette to begin or resume their college education. To learn a profession. To be enlightened. To grow.
aking generalizations about these
students is difficult, but identifying
common qualities can also be
helpful.
Many characteristics of the so-called Millennial Generation have been well-documented and discussed, including at Marquette — that they’re arriving with more mental health needs and are technologically savvy, serviceoriented and influenced by “helicopter parents.”
“The fall 2007 freshmen lived in a digital technology world from birth and are digital natives,” says Dr. Peggy Bloom, vice provost for undergraduate programs and teaching.
“There is no change in students’ enthusiasm for learning, just preferred modes of learning have changed. Digital natives have learned how to learn with the use of multi-media.”
“Another piece is their entrepreneurial spirit,” says Dr. Mark McCarthy, assistant vice president/dean of student development.
“They want to start something, put their name on it and get credit for it.” This desire to create is evident in the explosive growth in student organizations at Marquette. If a group of students has an interest that isn’t reflected by a current organization, they create a new one. After holding steady for many years, the number of student organizations increased from 151 in 2001-02 to nearly 250 now. Plus, the groups are addressing a greater breadth of political and social activity.
“The interests and experiences of the students are more diverse than ever before,” says McCarthy. “Students seek out activities based on common interests, attitudes and beliefs, and we’re seeing a polarization of viewpoints regarding their politics as well as their religious beliefs.
More students seem to be coming to campus with preconceived viewpoints on many issues. Others are searching for a sense of spirituality as a way to make meaning of their lives, asking ‘What is the greater value or purpose for my college experience?’”
The importance of finding meaning in their lives is also reflected in the growing number of students who participate in service projects.
“Service reflects values,” says Dr. Stephanie Quade, senior associate dean of student development.
“Many students come here because of the service-oriented nature of the campus. A lot of students participate in service, but some only
to an extent.”
For a growing percentage of students, just participating isn’t enough — they want to tackle the greater societal issues.
“They want to go deeper and learn about the problems behind the issue,” says McCarthy. “It isn’t enough for them to feel, ‘Isn’t it great that I can work in a soup kitchen?’ but instead they ponder the deeper issue of ‘Why do we have soup kitchens?’”
“They start to recognize that life is more complex than they believed when they started college,” says Quade. Another significant influence on students’ university experiences is whether or not their parents went to college, a factor Marquette began tracking with the 2006-07 freshman class. When approximately a quarter of the incoming freshmen are first-generation college students, a significant portion of the student body can’t benefit from their parents’ firsthand experience.
“If they can’t rely on their parents for that perspective, they look elsewhere, often to their peers and the Internet,” says Quade. “Even before they get here they’re drawing their impression of the institution and college life in general from things the university has no control over.”
Whether students are first-generation or not, though, they are increasingly being prepped for college throughout their lives.
“These students have been ‘tracked’ by their parents to do all the right things to get into the best preschool, high school, and now college,” says Bloom. “So once here they and their parents focus on what is essential to get the best career offers. The current answer seems to be internships and international experience.”
Once the students arrive on campus, faculty and staff can encourage students to internships and international experiences, and to be selective in involvement outside of classes.
Faculty and staff can also direct students to the many resources on campus that help them make the most of their university experience — such as academic advisers, the Counseling Center, Residence Life, Student Development, Student Health Service and University Ministry.
“A really important role staff and faculty have at Marquette,” says McCarthy, “is letting students know they matter, that they’re interested in students’ lives. They actually open their doors to students.”
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