About this episode

This episode discusses the state of student well-being for Gen Z and Gen Alpha with expert Beth McCuskey, focusing on mental health, resilience, and the impact of technology.

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Beth McCuskey, Purdue’s vice provost for student life. Beth is a national thought leader on student mental health and has worked in higher education for over 30 years. She co-authored the upcoming book titled “The Oxford Handbook of Well-Being in Higher Education,” which explores why wellness is critical in higher education. During her time at Purdue, she’s prioritized advocating for Boilermakers’ well-being journeys with key university investment and participation from faculty and staff. In this episode, you will: Learn more about the state of well-being for younger generations and why it’s important to meet students where they are to help them flourish inside and outside of the classroom. Discover how adults — like parents, coaches and mentors — can normalize failure and nurture well-being for Gen Z and Gen Alpha students and why that can help build vital life skills, like resilience, and prepare students to be successful in college. Hear more about how well-being and mental health have evolved from millennials to Gen Z to Gen Alpha and how technology, like smartphones and now AI, is playing a vital role in shaping student…

People in this episode

Guest: Beth McCuskey

Topics covered

• student well-being
• Gen Z
• Gen Alpha
• mental health
• higher education
• resilience
• technology

Keywords

• student well-being
• mental health
• Gen Z
• Gen Alpha
• resilience
• higher education
• technology
• learning loss
• Steps to Leaps
• Purdue Student Life

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Purdue University, Forbes

Books & works: The Oxford Handbook of Well-Being in Higher Education

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