The Class of 2024
With the Class of 2024 graduating from University, here’s a list of major world events that took place as they grew up.
Understanding the ‘context’ in which Gen Z was born and raised can help us better understand, empathise with, engage and support graduating students, as they prepare to enter the workforce.
Major Events*:
2001-2002
• Internet already widely used
• 9/11 Attacks (2001): Major impact on global security and politics.
• Wikipedia Launched (2001)
• First iPod Released (2001)
2003 (Age 1)
• Human Genome Project Completed (2003)
• The start of the Second Gulf War (2003)
2004 (Age 2)
• Facebook Launched (2004)
• Tsunami in the Indian Ocean (2004): Massive humanitarian crisis.
2005 (Age 3)
• YouTube Founded (2005)
• Hurricane Katrina (2005)
• Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in Canada (2005)
2006 (Age 4)
• Twitter Launched (2006)
• Pluto Reclassified as a Dwarf Planet (2006)
2007 (Age 5)
• iPhone Released (2007): The advent of the smartphone era.
• Global Financial Crisis Beginnings (2007-2008)
2008 (Age 6)
• Barack Obama Elected President (2008): First African-American president of the USA
• Global Financial Crisis: Major economic downturn.
• Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologizes for Residential Schools (2008)
2009 (Age 7)
• H1N1 Influenza Pandemic (2009)
• Bitcoin Created (2009)
2010 (Age 8)
• Instagram Launched (2010)
• Arab Spring Begins (2010-2011): Series of anti-government protests across the Middle East and North Africa.
• Vancouver Winter Olympics (2010)
2011 (Age 9)
• Osama bin Laden Killed (2011)
• Fukushima Nuclear Disaster (2011)
• Syria Civil War Begins (2011)
2012 (Age 10)
• Higgs Boson Particle Discovered (2012)
• Curiosity Rover Lands on Mars (2012)
• Sandy Hook School Shooting (2012)
2013 (Age 11)
• Edward Snowden NSA Leaks (2013)
• Black Lives Matter Movement Begins (2013)
• Lac-Mégantic Rail Disaster (2013)
2014 (Age 12)
• Rise of ISIS (2014)
• Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (2014)
• MH370 Disappearance (2014)
2015 (Age 13)
• Paris Climate Agreement (2015)
• Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in the US (2015)
• Election of Justin Trudeau (2015)
2016 (Age 14)
• Brexit Vote (2016)
• Donald Trump Elected President (2016)
• Pokemon Go Craze (2016)
• Fort McMurray Wildfire in Alberta (2016)
2017 (Age 15)
• #MeToo Movement (2017)
• Total Solar Eclipse Visible Across the US (2017)
• Canada 150 Celebrations (2017)
2018 (Age 16)
• March for Our Lives (2018): Advocacy against gun violence.
• Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Bleaching (2018)
2019 (Age 17)
• Climate Strikes by Greta Thunberg (2019)
• Notre Dame Cathedral Fire (2019)
2020 (Age 18)
• COVID-19 Pandemic (2020): Lockdowns, remote learning, no graduation ceremonies.
• Black Lives Matter Protests (2020): Following the death of George Floyd.
• US Election and Capitol Riot (2020)
2021 (Age 19)
• COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout (2021)
• Global Supply Chain Disruptions (2021)
• US Withdrawal from Afghanistan (2021)
• Discovery of Unmarked Graves at Residential Schools (2021)
2022 (Age 20)
• Russia Invades Ukraine (2022): Global instability and economic impacts.
• Inflation Rises Globally (2022)
• James Webb Space Telescope Launched (2021, operational 2022)
2023 (Age 21)
• Economic Inflation and Recession Fears (2023)
• Artificial Intelligence Advancements (2023): Widespread adoption and ethical debates.
2024 (Age 22)
• Graduating from University (2024)
• Ongoing Climate Change Challenges
• Global Political Polarization: Continued debates and conflicts.
*NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list - it simply offers a few examples of events that may have shaped the life experiences of the Class of 2024