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Barnds, W. Kent

Intersections 
Volume 2020 Number 51 Article 46 
2020 
Gen Z is Made for Lutheran Higher Education 
W. Kent Barnds 
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Barnds, W. Kent (2020) "Gen Z is Made for Lutheran Higher Education," Intersections: Vol. 2020 : No. 51 , 
Article 46. 
Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/intersections/vol2020/iss51/46 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for 
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35
I remember thinking to myself “we were made for this 
generation” the moment I saw the PowerPoint slide 
shared by the Education Advisory Board (EAB) high-
lighting Generation Z’s Defining Traits (see next page). 
These traits—socially responsible, purpose-driven,  
cost-conscious, culturally open, and tech-expectant—
seemed to fit perfectly with the mission of Lutheran 
higher education today and gave me great hope about the 
promise of Lutheran higher education in the years ahead. 
 But perhaps it is more accurate to say Gen Z is made 
for Lutheran education?
Beyond Messaging Mission
A review of the mission statements of the 27 NECU insti-
tutions reveals phrases and terms such as: thoughtful 
stewards, responsible citizens, rewarding lives of leader-
ship and service, character and leadership development, 
purposeful people, acting in pursuit of human dignity and 
social justice, seeking truth, inspiring service, spiritual 
growth and service, lives of personal and professional 
fulfillment, socially responsible citizenship, the devel-
opment of the whole person, the dignity of all people, 
personal faith, responsible leadership for service in the 
world, embracing diversity, discerning our callings, ethical 
and civil values, the Lutheran tradition, reflective practice, 
spirited expression, and 
compassion and integrity.
Many of the terms and 
phrases used by Lutheran 
colleges to describe their 
various missions characterize 
what Jason Mahn, professor 
of religion and director of 
the Presidential Center for 
Faith and Learning here at 
Augustana College, describes as “the roots and shoots” 
—both the deeply Lutheran foundation and the inclusive, 
creative educational priorities that grow from them. 
While these foundations and priorities are needed to 
serve this new generation, messaging about mission 
won’t be sufficient in bringing Gen Z to Lutheran colleges 
in the first place. 
W. Kent Barnds is Executive Vice President for External Relations at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. He is a graduate 
of the oldest college associated with the ELCA; his mother graduated from both Luther Junior College and Augustana College 
and his sister graduated from Midland Lutheran College, now Midland University. Gen Z the third generation he’s recruited to 
private higher education.
W. KENT BARNDS
Gen Z is Made for Lutheran  
Higher Education 
“Lutheran colleges and universities need to 
maximize the alignment of values between 
Generation Z and our Lutheran approach to 
higher education.”
36     Intersections | Spring 2020
Lutheran colleges and universities need to dive deep 
into what we are learning about Generation Z, recognize 
how they are different from the previous generation of 
Millennials, and make the necessary changes to maximize 
the alignment of values between Gen Z and our Lutheran 
approach to higher education. We also need to develop 
language for our institutional values that Gen Z students 
will recognize as their own.
Who is Gen Z?
It is generally accepted that the members of Generation 
Z were born between 1996 and 2010. They have also been 
referred to as digital natives, the Net Generation, and the 
iGeneration. They are the most racially diverse genera-
tion in history and will comprise nearly one-third of the 
population of the United States this year. Generation Z has 
been shaped significantly by the Great Recession. Their 
approach to life is more conservative and practical in 
some ways, having witnessed their Generation X parents’ 
disappointments with jobs or finances. 
Sharon Florentine cites Jason Nazar, founder and CEO 
of Comparably, who describes Gen Z as “the most confident, 
socially aware, and entrepreneurial generation of our 
time.” In Generation Z Goes to College, Corey Seemiller 
finds that “Generation Z students are motivated by not 
wanting to let others down, advocating for something they 
believe in, making a difference for someone else, having 
the opportunity for advancement, and earning credit 
toward something” (15). As for their learning style, they 
“want to be interactive and hands-on; they are curious 
and love challenges; and, they want to succeed (win) using 
strategies, practice and do-overs” (Roseberry-McGibbin).
The bottom line is that Gen Z is different, which 
presents challenges and opportunities for Lutheran 
colleges and universities.
When it comes to religious affiliation and interests, 
Gen Z is a diverse and complex generation. By some 
reports, Gen Z appears to be more involved and inter-
ested in organized religion. Seemiller notes that 41 
percent of Gen Z report attending a weekly religious 
service and 76 percent identify as religious (44). After  
a decade or more of downplaying participation in  
religion and building programming around the “nones,” 
Lutheran higher education may be able to readjust to 
for Gen Z. What a tremendous opportunity for Lutheran 
colleges and universities across the country—but only  
if this is accurate. 
Others, in fact, estimate that one third of those in  
Gen Z have no religion or are “nones.” This is nearly the 
same proportion as Millennials—compared with 23 percent, 
17 percent, and 11 percent among, respectively, Generation 
X, Baby Boomers, and the Silent Generation, according to 
Pew Research (Lipka). What is more, members of Gen Z are 
Generation Z’s Defining Traits
 Socially Responsible 26% 
 Purpose-Driven 67% 
 Cost-Conscious 60% 
 Culturally Open 72% 
 Tech-Expectant 62% 
Of 16- to 19-year-olds volunteer 
on a regular basis
Of Gen Z want their careers to have 
a positive impact on the world
Say their number one concern is to  
avoid drowning in college debt
Of Gen Z believe racial equality to be  
the most important issue today
Of Gen Z will not use apps or  
websites that are difficult to navigate
© 2019 by Education Advisory Board (EAB). Used with permission.
37
more likely than previous generations to identify as atheist 
or agnostic, and a majority see church attendance as unim-
portant, according to the Barna Group, a firm providing data 
to Christian organizations. 
With competing findings, Lutheran colleges will need 
to continue on a path of emphasizing spiritual growth and 
interfaith dialog, while positioning resources for what may 
be a resurgence in traditional religious observance. 
 
Alignments of Aims and Ambitions
Generation Z and Lutheran institutions are a perfect 
match not because of who we are (Lutheran colleges and 
universities), and they are (Gen Z), but because of what 
we, and they, strive to accomplish. The match is more 
about ambitions than identity. This is not to diminish the 
importance of identity, but where we align more elegantly 
is related to our collective ambitions as colleges and how 
Gen Z hopes to impact the world.
The collective endeavor of Lutheran colleges and 
universities to “educate for vocation” may be too jargony and 
vague for Gen Z and their parents, given their very practical 
approach to the world. At the same time, how Lutheran 
institutions educate for vocation has all the essential ingre-
dients to attract this new generation of students in a way 
that other sectors do not. 
First of all, our institutions’ commitment to social 
justice aligns well with Gen Z’s interest in social respon-
sibility. This generation may be more interested in social 
change and expects action over task forces, think tanks, 
and ideas (think Greta Tunberg). Lutheran higher educa-
tion’s historic emphasis on social justice in service to one’s 
neighbor provides an attractive platform to fulfill the new 
generation’s ambitions for change. 
But Gen Z expects more than proclamations; they 
want visible signs of progress and will look for evidence 
that the college is doing what it promises. Seemiler, as 
cited by Eliana Loveland, describes this as a “thoughtful 
worldview” and suggests Gen Z wants to “engage in 
service that has a tangible and lasting impact on system-
atic and structural problems.” 
Second, Lutheran higher education’s historic commit-
ment to vocation relates directly to the defining quality of 
a purpose-driven approach to the world. There is a practi-
cality that Gen Z will bring to our campus. Students will be 
more curious about how a reading, task, or activity relates 
to what they view as their purpose. They will not have a lot of 
patience for something that requires making meaning from 
abstraction. This will challenge some of us to step back and 
rethink how to articulate the purpose behind assignments 
and activities. While this may be challenging for some, it 
presents an opportunity for Lutheran colleges and univer-
sities to make connections between general education and 
the major, and between career exploration and post-grad-
uation planning. This generation may force us to make 
permeable those silos that have historically existed between 
the curricular and co-curricular, and between content and 
skill development. Gen Z might just be the catalyst we need 
to put it all together. 
 Third, our institutions’ leadership and ambitions in 
the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion, through deep 
commitments to interfaith dialog, internationalization, 
and ensuring access to higher education for those histor-
ically left out, will resonate with this generation. Gen Z is 
culturally open. They are committed to diversity, equity, 
and inclusion. They can have no patience for structural 
racism and barriers. Gen Z will want visible proof of a 
commitment to diversity and equity. Plans, aspirations, and 
platitudes won’t be enough. They will demand that privilege 
“Lutheran higher education’s historic emphasis 
on social justice in service to one’s neighbor 
provides an attractive platform to fulfill the  
new generation’s ambitions for change.”
“Generation Z and Lutheran institutions are 
a perfect match not because of who we are 
(Lutheran colleges and universities), and they 
are (Gen Z), but because of what we, and they, 
strive to accomplish.”
Of 16- to 19-year-olds volunteer 
on a regular basis
Of Gen Z want their careers to have 
a positive impact on the world
Say their number one concern is to  
avoid drowning in college debt
Of Gen Z believe racial equality to be  
the most important issue today
Of Gen Z will not use apps or  
websites that are difficult to navigate
38     Intersections | Spring 2020
is addressed head-on and will make it uncomfortable for  
a campus that doesn’t take and sustain concrete action. 
Finally, Lutheran colleges and universities represent a 
tremendous value that, if stewarded and communicated 
effectively, can connect with Gen Z’s cost-conscious 
approach to the world. While there is a wide range of 
prices and net-prices for the diverse network of Lutheran 
colleges and universities, there is an admirable record 
among NECU institutions in providing access to students 
from all socio-economic backgrounds. In fact, ELCA 
colleges and universities on average enroll a slightly 
higher percentage (32.5 percent) of Pell-eligible students 
than are enrolled nationwide (31 percent). Finlandia 
University, Augsburg University, Thiel College, and 
Lenoir-Rhyne University have new student enrollments 
of Pell-eligible students that exceed 50 percent, demon-
strating an incredible commitment to access. Beyond the 
commitment to access, Lutheran institutions invest heavily 
in scholarship and financial aid, offsetting high published 
tuition and fees. As Jim Paterson observes, Gen Z students 
will “want to know that their specific choice will pay off, 
having witnessed a steady stream of very public discussion 
in the last decade about the high cost of college, student 
debt, and under- or unemployment.” 
But where the real value lies is in whole-person 
education, small classes, diverse majors, outstanding 
study-away options, competitive athletics, collaborative 
research opportunities, and a transformative education. 
Embracing and Serving Gen Z
Corey Seemiller and Megan Grace, in their book Generation 
Z Goes to College, have identified several characteristics 
related to colleges that will require some changes on  
most campuses. Drawing from their work and others  
cited below, I want to make some concrete suggestions  
for Lutheran colleges and universities:
Skills, skills, skills
Generation Z may replace the dreaded question, “will 
this be on the exam?” with, “is this something that my 
future employer is looking for and will value?” Schwinger 
and Ladwig cite a survey in which 89 percent of Gen Z 
respondents would rather spend their free time devoted to 
doing something productive and creative rather than just 
“hanging out” (47). Gen Z values skill-development above 
all and actively seeks ways to develop and apply practical 
skills that align with the pursuit of their goals. Successful 
colleges will do a more effective job of identifying which 
skills each course and experience develops.
Customize the college experience 
Gen Z has been customizing and curating their online and 
buying experience to make it more personal and they will 
expect the same from their college experience. Gen Z will 
expect much greater choice in curating their college expe-
rience. They will want more flexibility in general education 
and major requirements and will want to make connec-
tions that they see, rather than those identified by others. 
They will be less interested in following the exact pathway 
developed for them and will want to chart their own way. 
Seventy-two percent say they “want a more customized 
college experience in which colleges allow students to 
design their own course of study or major” (Loveland). And 
they have the confidence to do it on their own! Customized 
major and minors and lots of flexibility in the general 
education program will be expected.
Replace “vocation” with “purpose”
Students who are part of Gen Z expect to live and act with 
purpose and Lutheran colleges and universities have an 
opportunity to co-opt the term to connect with them more 
effectively. We have infrastructure, through our historic 
emphasis on vocation and education-for-vocation, to 
serve students especially well in this area. But, the term 
“vocation” may not be straightforward for this generation 
of students. While this might be a tough sell on campus, 
“purpose” has equity with this generation of students, and 
that is important. 
Emphasize equity always and everywhere
Gen Z expects equity. They are not as inclined to buy into 
the old narrative of equal opportunity. They see inequities. 
They’ve been educated about privilege. They know that 
there are “haves” and “have-nots.” They are not interested 
in whatever narrative explains systems of inequity. They 
don’t want a lecture. They want equity for all. 
39
Give them credit for what they do
I recall reading that Gen Z is less likely to be motivated to 
participate by a gift card and would prefer college credit 
or something that can go on their resume. Credit matters 
to this group and fits in with their focus on purpose and 
practicality. Gen Z is unlikely to jump at a new experience 
unless there is some kind of credit attached that has a very 
practical application. Important experiences, like advising 
appointments, lectures, cultural events, and participation 
in clubs and activities may need to have accompanying 
credit to capture the attention of Gen Z. 
Embrace their parents as co-pilots
Gen Z’s Gen X parents will be good co-pilots. They tend to 
be a tad more practical and will expect more from their 
children and perhaps less from the college. But, they will 
have more questions about value and promise fulfillment. 
They have high expectations of their student and of the 
college, but are also flexible and understanding of limits. 
Thinking of them as co-pilots for the journey rather than 
helicopter parents is a good start. 
Illustrate value and strengthen value proposition
Because of the cost-consciousness of Gen Z, colleges  
and universities will need to do a much better job of illus-
trating the value of the experience offered. New efforts to 
be transparent about how resources are used, exercising 
restraint in increasing costs, and keeping student debt 
levels low will be more important than ever before.
Relate learning to the real work from day one
A career and career preparation are very important to 
Gen Z. They understand and appreciate that college is 
important preparation for a career, but they are also very 
practical. They will expect to know how a game theory 
activity, theoretical discussion, poem, or play relates to 
their career pathway. Gen Z will push us to connect what 
we do in the classroom, the residence hall, and throughout 
campus to their future career ambitions. 
Be entrepreneurial and lead by example
Nearly half of Gen Z expects to be their own boss and many 
have already engaged in organizing an online fundraiser 
or launched their own business. They will look to colleges 
to teach them how to go it alone. They will want to see 
practical examples on campus and will seek classroom 
and co-curricular experiences that prepare them to 
become entrepreneurs, when the time comes. 
 
Conclusion
Generation Z may be the next greatest generation in 
strengthening the missions of Lutheran colleges and univer-
sities. Working together, we might deepen our shared impact 
on the world. They are made for us. By strategically and 
consistently refining and living out our missions in appro-
priate ways, we can also make ourselves anew for them.
Works Cited
College Board. “Pell Grants: Recipients, Maximum Pell and 
Average Pell.” Accessed 1 March 2020, https://research.
collegeboard.org/trends/student-aid/figures-tables/
pell-grants-recipients-maximum-pell-and-average-pell
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System). 
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed 1 March 
2020, https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
Lipka, Michael. “Millennials Increasingly are 
Driving Growth of ‘Nones,’” May 12, 2015. Pew 
Research Center. Accessed 1 March 2020, https://
www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/12/
millennials-increasingly-are-driving-growth-of-nones/
Loveland, Elaina. “Instant Generation.” Journal of College 
Admissions, Winter 2017. Accessed 1 March 2020, https://
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1142068.pdf
Paterson, Jim. “Gen Z has Grown Up and They’re Different.” 
Journal of College Admissions, Summer 2019.
Roseberry-McKibbin, Celeste. “Generation Z Rising.” The 
ASHA Leader, December 1, 2017. Accessed 1 March 2020, 
https://leader.pubs.asha.org/doi/full/10.1044/leader.
AE.22122017.36
Schwieger, Dana and Ladwig, Christine. “Reaching and 
Retaining the Next Generation: Adapting to the Expectation 
of Gen Z in the Classroom.” Information Systems Education 
Journal 16.3 (June 2018): 45-54. Accessed 1 March 2020, 
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1179303.pdf
Seemiller, Corey, and Meghan Grace. Generation Z Goes to 
College. Jossey-Bass, 2017. 


English

Gen Z is Made for Lutheran Higher Education

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Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois,

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Who Took The Money? A Fraud Teaching Case

Wikén, Erik

Swedish American Genealogist 
Volume 10 Number 3 Article 4 
9-1-2020 
Benjamin Snell and His Gold Medal 
Erik Wikén 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag 
 Part of the Genealogy Commons, and the Scandinavian Studies Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Wikén, Erik (2020) "Benjamin Snell and His Gold Medal," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 10 : No. 3 , 
Article 4. 
Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol10/iss3/4 
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Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized 
editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@augustana.edu. 
Benjamin Snell and 
His Gold Medal 
Erik Wiken* 
An answer to the question posed in the March issue of SAG concerning 
Benjamin Snell (that was his name, not Sue!) and his gold medal consists of a short 
description of a catastrophe which in 1846 struck the Royal Swedish Navy, when 
the Carlscrona, a corvette, in the evening of 30 July was struck by a hurricane in the 
Florida Straits and immediately went to the bottom. 1 
The corvette began its journey in Karlskrona 9 Aug. I 845, being under the 
command of Erik Gustaf af Klint and a crew of 131 men. After a brief stop in 
Tangier, the journey continued to South America, where stops were made in 
Montevideo, Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Argentina and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On 2 
March 1846 the vessel arrived in Gusta via, the port of call in the Caribbean island 
of St. Barthelemy, then under Swedish hegemony. Here the corvette remained a 
month. The vessel then departed for Havana, Cuba, via St. Croix in the then 
Danish West Indies and arrived in the Cuban port 24 March. The corvette set sail 
from Havana in the morning of 30 April. Toward evening the skies in the northwest 
began to darken, and while the sails were being taken in, the ship was struck by "the 
most terrible squall of hurricane proportions, so that the vessel with an even and 
unbelievable speed, lasting not more than three or four seconds capsized with the 
tackle submerged in the water. Here she lay for one minute, perhaps two, when the 
stern of the ship sank, followed immediately by the fore part of the vessel." A sloop 
was launched in which finally 17 persons were able to scramble on board-all 
others perished. Not until the morning of 3 May were the 17 shipwrecked mariners 
saved by the American bark Swan under the command of Captain Benjamin Snell. 
The bark was owned by Thomas A. Morgan of Philadelphia and was en route to its 
home port from New Orleans. On 11 May the shipwrecked sailors were able to go 
ashore, now under the command of the Carlscrona's second-in-command, Lieut. 
Commander Fredrik August Tersmeden. The Swedish-Norwegian consul in 
Philadelphia helped the survivors to proceed to New York, where they via a 
Swedish merchant ship returned to Sweden. 
•or. Erik Wiken of Uppsala, Sweden, is a frequent contributor to the journal. 
146 
.  
Benjamin Snell and His Gold Medal 
The gold medal fl/is quorum, which the Swedish King Oscar I bestowed on 
Captain Snell, was presented to him I March 1847 by the Swedish-Norwegian 
minister in Washington. Snell's letter of appreciation dated 8 March 1847 has been 
preserved. 2 
At the end of 1847 an American brig, Sun was shipwrecked off the coast of 
Karlskrona. The brig was under the command of Petre Laroche and when it was 
learned that he had been first mate aboard the bark Swan, when it the year before 
had rescued the survivors from Carlscrona, the Naval Officers' Society of 
Karlskrona arranged a banquet for Laroche 16 Feb. 1848. The officers had 
collected a sum money for which they had purchased a pocket chronometer in gold 
which was presented to the captain with the inscription "In Memory of 3 May 
1846." Lieut. Commander Tersmeden, who had not been able to attend the event, 
presented Laroche with a sterling silver salver, with a drawing of the corvette 
engraved on the box containing the gift. 
1The tragedy is fully covered in O.R. Sylvan, Korvetten Car/scronas sis/a resa (Stockholm 1945). 
Tfhe Archives of the Swedish Legation in Washington for 1847 in the Royal Archives (Riksarkive1), Stockholm. 
3Najaden (Karlskrona), 17 Feb. 1848. The brig Sun was sold 22 Feb. 1848 at auction in Karlskrona. - Car/skrona 
Weckoblad, 23 Feb. 1848. 
An Artist's Perception of the Swedish Corvette Carlscrona Battling a Hurricane. 
147 


Benjamin Snell and His Gold Medal

April 22, 2020

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Given to Eleanor after Anna’s death. Made by Aunt Stina, April 25, 1965. From MSS P:329 Anna Persson Cave family papers.https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonexhibits_sewing/1025/thumbnail.jp

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