How Firm a Foundation

We all have a foundation. It dictates our actions and emotions and is the essence of who we are. Our personal foundations will carry us through life’s challenges. However, there may be times when we notice something is missing. We catch a glimpse of the future, evaluate how our foundation is now, and see there is room for improvement.

Cumorah Academy’s mission is to strengthen the good in our students and expand other traits. Our program is designed to enhance their abilities and apply what they have learned on campus. With all that in mind, who better to teach these skills than Patrick Sedivy himself?

Patrick Sedivy is a successful businessman and the founder of Cumorah Academy, along with his wife, Allyse. They laid the foundation for what Cumorah Academy stands for. Spring semester students had the opportunity to be taught by Patrick in the very first week.

“Givers and Takers”

Patrick taught about the concept of Givers and Takers. What does this mean? A Giver is someone willing to support and serve others, someone who shares their talents and lightens others’ burdens. In other words, a Giver is someone you want to have close to you.

On the other hand, a Taker follows the opposite path of the Giver. We can spot a Taker in all environments we have been in. Usually, they are driven by greed, arrogance, power, and pride. Interestingly, this is the semester’s first class for one reason: to inspire students to become Givers throughout their lives.

At the same time, they are to rethink their actions throughout the semester and decide for themselves to become a Giver. Indeed, Patrick likes this quote by Marlo Thomas: “There are two types of people in the world: Givers and Takers. Takers may eat better, but Givers sleep better.” We want our students to sleep better – now and forever.

Life Vision – A Personal Compass

At Cumorah Academy, Patrick Sedivy is an international man. Born and raised in Canada, and he served a religious mission in the Czech Republic. Interestingly, he graduated in Civil Engineering from Brigham Young University (BYU). “I’ve never done a day of Civil Engineering in my life,” jokes Patrick.

During his time on campus, he interacted with students and asked them about their perspectives on themselves and the future. Patrick also taught students about Life Vision, an important concept for all students. It is the blueprint for their lives. In the Life Vision assignment, students are to envision their future selves and set goals. What kind of careers do they want to pursue? Do they want to start a family? Deep questions like these will serve as the starting point for the Life Vision as they write them down and stick faithfully to them.

About this important concept, Patrick says: “God reveals a step at a time. I believe if people are trying to follow the Lord, then He will lead them along. Their vision will modify or change. But it is much better to go at it with a vision and with the Lord than not because then people tend to just stagnate.”

“My Job is to Give them the Foundation”

He is always impressed by the capacity of young adults to impress him as semesters come and go. During a Business class, Patrick asked the students to introduce themselves and share why they wanted to start a business. A handful of students said: “Well, I want to impact the world. I can do that through having a business, hiring people, and giving people jobs.” Surprised by these types of declarations, Patrick said:

“This is amazing! This IS the generation that will have an impact on the world.” These types of experiences happen all the time and each semester. Students from different countries, stories, and motivations come to Cumorah Academy looking for a chance to redeem themselves.

They have dreams but are unsure of how to put them into action. Some have limited beliefs that stop them every time they try something new. Others may lack networking or a mentor to guide them throughout the process. These and much more happen to our students. At Cumorah Academy, they will find what they’re missing to attain their dreams.

“I feel like my job is simply to give them a foundation on the values they need to do that,” says Patrick. A quote from Russell M. Nelson about young adults resonates in his mind: “You have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have a greater impact on the world than any previous generation.”

Cumorah Academy is laying the foundation for future generations to rise, shine, and lead fearlessly. Truly, they have the capacity to be the best generation and have a greater impact on the world than any previous generation.

Watch Patrick explaining the values of Cumorah Academy in the clip below:

Written by Fernando L. Ferreira Jr.

Photos by Camila Caraveo

Supervision by Kamila Uberto Fullmer

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