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If students can identify what brings them happiness and makes their lives feel meaningful, higher ed professionals can work backward to identify what path might bring them purpose in their careers.
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From the widespread decline in youth mental health to the influx of young employees shifting workplace culture, Gen Z seems to be the topic on everyone’s tongue.
Articles about the younger generation’s lack of faith in higher education institutions are hard to ignore. Young people are forgoing traditional career paths and dropping out of school for a plethora of reasons: Financial stress, uncertainty about the value of a college degree and an unstable job market are some of the most common.
And as they search for jobs, the members of Gen Z have certain demands for their employers, such as mental health support, job flexibility and good pay. Purpose-driven work, however, has become one of the most popular job search factors for recent college graduates.
In conjunction with both a lack of faith in higher education and a mental health crisis, Gen Z’s search for purpose presents an opportunity for colleges and universities to rethink how they prepare students for the workforce. It is up to professionals at these institutions to teach students how to find meaning and value in their work and in their lives. Following are three strategic actions to take.
- Teach students to take control of the “suffering dial.”
“Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.” This old Buddhist saying suggests that, while difficult life events are bound to happen to us all at some point, it is ultimately up to us how we deal with them. College students need to learn that stress will always happen: a tough boss, difficult colleagues, a heavy workload. It’s inevitable as they enter the workforce. But how much they suffer is up to them: how much value to put in their boss or colleagues’ opinions, finding the purpose in their work.
By teaching students that they are in control of their “suffering dial,” colleges can better prepare them to enter the workforce. It is easy to feel helpless in the face of adversity, but we often forget that we have more control over our emotions than we think. Presenting students with this alternate way of thinking will help them look at their lives and careers from a different perspective and understand how and where they can find value and meaning.
- Incorporate mental health support in all aspects of college life, not as a supplement.
It has been well documented that we are in the midst of what many are calling a mental health crisis. An increasing number of students are choosing to drop out of college due to emotional stress and mental health concerns, including an alarming rise in PTSD diagnoses among college students.
Many universities have attempted to address the problem by pointing to existing mental health safeguards, such as on-campus counselors and digital resources, but many of these “solutions” have proven to be ineffective.
It is imperative that universities do more to address mental health challenges now.
This year, Blackburn College joined forces with 12 other liberal arts colleges through the Endeavor Foundation to create programming and initiatives that incorporate mental health support throughout the entire college experience. Some of the initiatives focus on class curricula, incorporating into everyday lessons things like building resilience, dealing with stress and finding value in work.
More on the Endeavor Foundation Initiative
The Endeavor Foundation has provided $3 million to 12 liberal arts colleges to develop and implement pilot projects. Successful completion of phase one will enable access to an additional $5.225 million over the next three years.
“We were drawn to participate in this collaborative due to our interest in student mental health and well-being, and the creativity that comes with mutually inspired content creation focused on the needs of our students,” says Tim Morenz of Blackburn College, which is participating in the mental health curriculum and purposeful life and work theme areas. “Endeavor capacity-building funds have been used to renovate our counseling center, purchase a new learning management system aimed toward student success and provide training for personnel to help train faculty and staff to better meet student needs.”
For each theme, a team from participating colleges has developed and then presented goals and content to Endeavor institution presidents, including plans for ongoing assessment, expanded service components, additions to experiential learning and curricular enhancements.
Others are focused on place-based and experiential learning to help students tackle the feelings of isolation that can often come with being in a new place and cultivate a greater sense of belonging in their community.
- Shift the focus to a purposeful life and purposeful work will follow.
Students entering college are often tasked with knowing what job they want to secure out of college. They’re taught to shape their college experience around this decision—the classes they take, the extracurriculars they become involved in and even the company they keep.
But what if, instead of encouraging students to pick a career right out of high school, we encourage them to identify what they truly value in life? If they can identify what brings them happiness and makes their lives feel meaningful, we can work backward to identify what path might bring them purpose in their careers.
Purpose in life and work can look different for everyone. Some people see the purpose in their work as simply the financial support they need to live a meaningful life. Others might see their life as meaningful because their work aligns closely with their values.
Working through this with students before they invest time and energy into a specific career path can help them feel more driven, confident and aligned with their studies.
