Ethe generation itself is burdened with stereotypes: Baby boomers are said to believe everything they see on Facebook, millennials are accused of killing dozens of industries, from diamonds to department stores, and Gen Z has little interest in executive positions, according to a recent study. Presumably, those born roughly between 1996 and 2010 prefer to “quietly quit” and adopt a characteristic blank expression (dubbed the “Gen Z look”) rather than take up the mantle of the older generation.
However, as with all stereotypes, the reality is much more complex. Generation Z has led global movements, including Fridays for Future, demanding urgent action on climate change, and March for Our Lives, aimed at ending gun violence. This generation of digital natives is drawn to online activism initiatives such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter and is expected to become the most educated generation in history.
Christina Llewellyn, a professor at McMaster University's Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement, says Generation Z is often mischaracterized as lazy, entitled or rejecting leadership, when in fact they are trying to redefine what it means to be a leader.
“This particular generation is looking for leadership that is about change rather than about power and, in particular, about power over,” explains Llewellyn. She says that while this age group is incredibly diverse, “research is very clear on the fact that Gen Z rejects a more hierarchical, top-down model… They don't want to be in a position where they are trying to climb the ladder and gain status titles. They see it as outdated, exclusive and toxic in many ways.” Instead, Gen Z is looking for a more relational model, characterized by inclusive, collaborative, community-driven leadership models—and starting in September, they can find it at McMaster University.
McMaster recently opened the doors of the Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement, an innovative new program that recognizes the potential of Gen Z students as changemakers, leverages their unique skills and positions itself as a national leader in civic education and youth engagement.
Leadership 101
The Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement was founded in 2022 and welcomed its first cohort of students in September 2025. The College offers Canada's only combined Bachelor of Arts degree in Leadership and Civic Studies, with a second major in the Faculty of Humanities or the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Llewellyn says Wilson College is founded on the idea that leadership can be taught and, more importantly, acquired through practice and experience. Accordingly, courses utilize research-based approaches, interactive content, extracurricular activities and experiential learning initiatives, such as partnering with Elections Canada to host an event where students learned strategies to increase young voter engagement and turnout. The college also offers a residency program that brings leading practitioners and interdisciplinary scholars to campus and gives students access to making a real difference in the world. These opportunities connect theory and practice, helping students understand that leadership is something lived, not just something learned.
Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement: An Overview
Wilson College is located on the campus of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
The college was founded in 2022 and was made possible by a $50 million gift from Chancellor Emeritus Linton “Red” Wilson and the Wilson Foundation.
Students in the Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement complete the four-year program by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Leadership and Civic Studies, plus one minor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts or the Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster.
Wilson College's enrollment was limited to 50 students in its first year and will grow to 75 students per cohort. Small class sizes promote greater engagement and a sense of community among students.
Wilson College's mission is to inspire the next generation of leaders through experiential learning, community action, and interdisciplinary research.
During the four-year program, Wilson College students will earn a degree from a McMaster faculty of humanities or social sciences while developing the skills necessary to lead leadership, lead community initiatives, influence public policy, and drive social change. Students can also practice community building and civic engagement within the College itself due to its small size; In the first year of admission, the number of students was limited to only 50, and will later increase to 75 students per group.
One of the college's first students was 18-year-old Sekai Chikoji, a bright, enthusiastic young woman who was so captivated by the program that she turned down a prestigious scholarship to Queen's University to attend Wilson College instead. Chikoji says that while the decision was difficult, “every step confirmed that it was the right choice because of how great this program is and how aligned it is with my values.”
Chikoji Wilson College provided an opportunity to practice community building with students from different majors while developing the leadership skills she believes are essential to creating a better world. “To me, a lot of it is empowering others to lead and finding ways to expand leadership to people and communities that may not have access to becoming leaders,” she says. “I think that in an ever-changing, super-polarized, complex world, new forms of leadership and new leadership styles are going to be very important…As the world continues to change, so will leadership.”
Wilson College's upcoming projects include a podcast called Generations Ahead, which explores civic engagement outside of college classrooms. Chikoji believes that digital spaces such as podcasts are essential to bridging the digital divide and fostering community across generations. “Gen Z has much less trust in our social institutions, including universities,” she says, citing results from the Edelman Trust Barometer. “The more we can find mutual understanding and mutual trust, the more successfully we will bridge these gaps… Wilson College is preparing young leaders who can take advantage of what our generation truly cares about and create change from within that will create a better world.”
Empowering the Leaders of Tomorrow
Llewellyn teaches one of Wilson College's required introductory courses, Inquiry and Contemporary Issues. The course helps students develop critical thinking skills, including the ability to remain open-minded, engage in dialogue, see multiple points of view, present reasoned arguments, change their minds, and show empathy for the positions of others.
“All this [moves us] to problem solving that brings people together. That's the kind of leadership vision I think Wilson is trying to cultivate,” Llewellyn says. “We're trying to support Gen Z students who are already telling us that this is what leadership is all about.”
This may seem idealistic to some: teaching skills are designed for a world that does not yet exist. However, the actual desirability (and hireability) of these attributes is supported by hard data. In the Future of Jobs 2025 Report, the World Economic Forum asked employers what they considered the “essential skills” for their workforce. The top ten included analytical thinking, leadership and social influence, creative thinking, and empathy and active listening.
Llewellyn says that by focusing on developing core skills rather than career-specific knowledge, Wilson College can help students prepare their education for the future, and by allowing students to lead, we all benefit.
To learn more about the Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement, visit WilsonCollege.McMaster.ca
