Updated 4/4/12

The college students of the future, specifically Freshmen starting in the fall of 2020 through Seniors graduating in 2024, are currently in Elementary School and Middle School — specifically, grades 4-7.

And although it seems like a lifetime away, it (and they) will be here before we all know it.

When they arrive, I think we might be surprised by what we see…

Students with a greater sense of responsibility!?!

Students who stand far off from their self-entitled counterparts who currently fill our campuses!?!

Sure, these might be broad-sweeping projections and generalizations, but I think there might be a change transpiring in the DNA of these young, future college students…

And here’s why:

On March 6th of 2011 I happened to catch a 60 Minutes segment on children of the current depression.

While we’ve all been acutely aware of the hard-economic times our country (and much of the world) has been experiencing the past few years, I was surprised by this story.  It was unique in comparison to most stories on the economic depression in that it focused on the impact it’s been having on today’s youth.

Can you imagine, as a 8-12 year old, trying to make sense of:

Losing your home?

Or your parents losing their jobs?

Or not knowing whether you will be eating dinner tonight… or breakfast tomorrow?  And as a result, being thankful for school lunch and government-sponsored school lunch programs that you previously didn’t even know existed?

Can you imagine packing up as many of your belongings as you can fit into a small bag, and leaving the rest behind?

Or seeing your parents forced to decide whether or not to split your family up by gender in order to be accommodated by one  of the overwhelmed shelters?

Or, if your one of the “lucky ones,” getting to stay together as a family by moving into a low-budget hotel?

Where the bus picks you up… and all of the other kids see you.

And it takes you to school… where your peers may, or may not, have any way of understanding what you are going through.

Sadly, there are a growing number of families (and future college students) who are experiencing such losses, and present realities, as a result of the current depression.

And I find myself wondering… how will this form these kids… kids who have only ever known the safety and security of a nice home, in an affluent country, with everything in its rightful place?

I’ve got to believe that those youth most impacted by today’s recession have the potential to be some of our most different looking students in the future.

And here’s what I think they might look like:

• Students who have been taught some significant lessons about the privilege of provision — especially something like higher eduction — and that nothing should be considered a given.
• A student generation who is more willing to take on responsibility, and much less willing (or even able) to simply depend on others to take care of their needs.
• A student culture that has learned how to more fully depend on God — having witnessed first-hand how God can faithfully provided for them (and their family), in the midst of some of the most uncertain of times.

In the end I guess only time will tell how, exactly, God will use the present pain and suffering of so many to bring forth change, growth and formation…

But I count myself as one of the hopeful ones, believing that the future student will be one who has found God and learned much from the challenges of their youth.

What do you think?

Take a moment to share your thoughts in the comment section below!