First, she is technically referencing Gen Z, but I don't think that really matters.

The Millennials are one of the most confident generations we have seen. I am not any more or less afraid of offending their senses than I was when I became an assistant prof in 98. I say what I need to say as a professor. I have always challenged my students and I always will, Gen whatever. Compared to past generations, though, if I cower, this group will walk all over me. They have higher expectations and expect to be treated with respect. Works for me-- assuming you deserve my respect. That goes both ways. That seems to be what gets lost in a lot of these conversations. In the good old days, you told students what they should do and they did it or they paid the consequences. Well, we have to be more accountable now. We have to know what we are asking and why. Good!

What I really love about this gen is that they, for the most part, have become adults in a #badword# economy, yet it is their creativity that has helped redevelop crappy areas, have helped everyone to be more environmentally conscious, have brought us some exceptional art, made skateboards cool again, and for the love of God, helped bring the craft beer culture to the mainstream. That alone makes me love them. I really love their entreprenerial spirit. It came out of necessity, but that's how it goes. Sometimes a crap economy sort of brings back an equilibrium of sorts. Whereas the focus was only on money and "me", we know have a bunch of young adults who see the needs of the larger society. That's pretty darn awesome to me.