Today’s Shidler Students: Different Experiences, Difficult Choices, Distinct Expectations
When Were You Born?
The Pew Research Center sets these boundaries for America’s 20th century generations and provides these characterizations:
Greatest Generation: Born before 1928, they endured the Great Depression and World War II.
Silent Generation: Born 1928-1945, they are called “silent” because of their conformity and lack of activism.
Baby Boom: Born 1946-1964, they have been a generation of social change centered first on the Vietnam War.
Generation X: Born 1965-1980, they grew up in a period of shifting societal values and are noted for their skepticism.
Millennials: Born 1981-1996, also known as Generation Y, they are the first generation to grow up in the new millennium.
Generation Z: Born after 1996, they have grown up in a post-9/11 world that endured the worst economic crash since the Great Depression and experienced the rise of digital technology, ubiquitous phones and social media.
No. 1 in the Workforce
Millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. labor force, according to the Pew Research Center.
- Millennials: 56 million working or looking for work
- Generation Xers: 53 million
• Baby Boomers: 41 million
