My daughter MacKenzie has been teaching me lessons since before she was born. When my pregnancy continued after a painful miscarriage, she taught me to believe in the impossible even in the face of agonizing loss. When she eventually walked with ease after surgery for a club foot before she was two months old, she taught me that imagining the worst often just wastes precious energy. When she thrived with a singing teacher who ensured she moved throughout her lessons, she taught me the magic of a kinesthetic learner. When she started playing sports, she taught me just how long I can yell at the top of my lungs for my kiddo. Every year, in each season, her lessons made me better—even when being better hurt.
A few years ago, during a trip to the mall, I learned another lesson: my fashion sense had aged. As we walked into the mall and I asked where she wanted to go, I did not even recognize the store names. When we went into the stores, nearly all my suggestions were met with a kind “maybe,” while she was drawn to baggy jeans, 90’s band t-shirts, and oversized sweaters. She gently told me that the skinny jeans I had finally incorporated into my wardrobe after years of resistance were no longer relevant. I tried to stay open. I asked questions. I watched what she gravitated toward so that I would be more attuned to her taste. On the way home, the song that played on repeat in my head was DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”
One of the reasons I was excited to come work at orsa credit union nearly four years ago was our commitment to the next generation, with over 50 student-run credit unions across the state of Michigan. We’ve been talking for years about the relevance challenge facing credit unions. The numbers make it clear that conversation must turn into action, and I saw that this credit union had the foundation to do just that.
This foundation matters because, according to Fiserv research, the average American is about 39 years old, while the average credit union member is 53—meaning our membership base is roughly 14 years older than the country as a whole. Only about 20% of Americans under 40 currently use a credit union. Our foundation of student-run credit unions is a meaningful start. It’s also not enough.
We are committed to evolving and enhancing our financial education curriculum. The best way to do that is to walk alongside students, co-create, and show up in spaces where they already spend time. Our research through Room (39)a and our partnership with Buildable led us to become the first financial institution on Roblox. Until this idea came to life, my favorite video game was Ms. Pac-Man. The levels are predictable. The pacing allows me to steadily build as each stage advances. My strategy of devouring the regular pellets before focusing on the “power pellets” and boosting my score by eating ghosts tends to yield better results.
That is the extent of my gaming expertise. Thus, on the day I came home and asked MacKenzie if she’d test our orsa credit union Roblox experience, I watched in bewilderment. She crashed a car into our branch. She leaped through the digital branch. She happily picked up trash at the branch and looked for other tasks to complete. Watching her, I felt zero desire to hop in and play the game. It made no sense to me.
And in that moment, my daughter taught me yet another lesson:
That’s exactly why our credit union should be doing this. I heard “Parents Just Don’t Understand” playing through my head again.
To stop playing that song on repeat, we must reverse the trends we face. Research from Sogolytics shows amongst Gen Z consumers, only about one in four claim a credit union as their primary financial institution. Usage of credit unions among Millennials has declined in recent years. At the same time, perception remains a barrier: while members report greater satisfaction with their credit unions, some non-members believe credit unions are less convenient to use digitally.
A presence in the digital world could support narrowing that perception gap. As Room (39)a research highlights, platforms like Roblox function as much more than games. For millions of young people, Roblox is what the mall once was for Gen X: a place to hang out and be with friends. With more than 150 million daily active users—many of them children and teens—it is one of the most important places where the next generation spends time.
For credit unions to thrive for the next 100 years, we must engage with the next generation in ways that meet young people where they are. Doing so will be uncomfortable.
While I’m very comfortable wearing my skinny jeans and playing Ms. Pac-Man, my very discomfort with Roblox actually brings me peace. The fact that the Roblox community confuses me is exactly what makes our presence there so important.
As orsa credit union engages on Roblox, we are building the intersection of digital engagement, a new account (MyBux), and a pathway to financial education. The game required us to pay as much attention to game design and gamer expectations as to our own financial literacy expertise. To build engagement, the game has to be fun. It must follow best practices in game design. This means that, unlike your “in real life” vault, our Roblox vault has a throne. It also means we won’t be teaching a traditional financial literacy class within the game. Presence on Roblox is an early step in helping younger members build confidence in credit unions as digitally native financial partners and a reliable source of joyful financial education.
Each stage of my daughter MacKenzie’s life has come with lessons. The lesson she taught me about not understanding the phrase “6/7” or the hand gestures that went with it was an incredibly powerful reminder that each generation builds community, connection, and coolness in different ways.
This week, as I asked her to take another spin around orsa credit union on Roblox and observed her response to peer-driven enhancements, I smiled. That’s what it looks like when listening becomes a superpower. Feedback isn’t always comfortable. Once we absorb it and apply what we’ve learned, we position ourselves meaningfully in the next generation’s spaces. This approach grows our relevance and helps ensure our future.
Now is the time for credit unions to act boldly—to engage the next generation where they are and to be the financial partners they deserve.
You will sometimes feel the “ick.” That’s a good sign.
Embrace the discomfort. Adapt. Secure your institution’s relevance for tomorrow. I’ll walk with you in the extra baggy jeans I’m trying, inspired by MacKenzie. And we can still sing the Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff together.
