Gain deeper insights into today's Millennial generation. William Strauss will explain the "good news revolution" in young adult behavior. He will describe the new trend toward optimism, teamwork, safety, long-term planning, a bubble-gum pop culture, and neo-traditionalism. The oldest Millennials are soundly on our college campus and they have now entered workplace careers. They're not at all like other generations, and this presentation will help you find out how to connect with them.

William Strauss is a leading authority on American generations-and a noted playwright, theater director, performer, consultant, and speaker.

Strauss has advised numerous public and private organizations about generational trends, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Hearst Magazines, Time Inc., Pepsi, Disney Imagineering, Procter & Gamble, the Ford Motor Company, national college and graduate school admissions organizations, and the U.S. armed forces.

Strauss has written ten books—eight about American history and society, and two about political humor—with three co-authors. He has coauthored several books on generations with Neil Howe, all best sellers widely used by businesses, colleges, government agencies, and political leaders of both parties. Their first book, Generations (Morrow, 1991), is a history of America told as a sequence of generational biographies. Among Strauss's other generations books, 13th Gen (Vintage, 1993), remains the top selling non-fiction book on Generation X. The Fourth Turning (Broadway, 1997) forecast a major mood change in America shortly after the new millennium-a change much like what actually happened, after September 11, 2001. The Fourth Turning has ranked among the top ten on the amazon.com list, and its web site has the Internet's longest-running discussion forum for any nonfiction book. The Strauss-Howe book Millennials Rising (Vintage, 2000) has been widely quoted in the media, for leading the argument that today's teens and kids are new, very post-Generation-X, and on the whole doing better than most adults think. The most recent Strauss-Howe book, released in February 2003, Millennials Go to College, advises deans, admissions officers, and faculties about how this new generation is changing campus life. Strauss and Howe have recently released their latest book, Millennials and the Pop Culture.

Strauss has combined a career as a writer/historian with a separate career in theater. He is co-founder and director of the Capitol Steps, a professional satirical troupe that has performed over 7,000 shows and released 24 albums (most recently, "Between Iraq and a Hard Place"). The Capitol Steps have presented three specials on public TV and nearly 50 for public radio. The troupe has completed four lengthy runs Off-Broadway, at the John Houseman and Douglas Fairbanks theaters, often with Strauss in the opening cast.  Strauss has written three musicals: Anasazi, a story wrapped around Hopi legends and prophecies; MaKiddo, a parody of The Mikado, about gifted teenagers at a high-stress high school; and Free-the-Music.com, a dance-and-romance musical about teens, music piracy, and media companies).

In the summer of 1999, Strauss co-founded the "Cappies," a high school critics and awards program. Cappies programs now exist or are getting organized in a dozen U.S. cities. Through the Cappies, high school students attend and review each others' plays and musicals. In just under four years, over 500 reviews have been published in The Washington Post, Cincinnati Enquirer, Dallas Morning News, Detroit Free Press, Kansas City Star, and other major newspapers. In each city, the year culminates in a Tonys-style Cappies Gala, in venues like Washington, D.C.'s 2400-seat Kennedy Center Concert Hall. During the summer, the top "Cappie" winning teens from across the U.S. are invited to join the cast of the Cappies National Theatre, which presents shows at the Kennedy Center's Theater Lab.

A native of San Francisco, Strauss is a graduate of Harvard College (1969), Harvard Law School (1973), and the Kennedy School of Government (1973).

We are excited about the opportunity of having William Strauss share with us what he has learned about the Millennial generation and their impact on our college campuses and the workplace. We hope that you will join us.