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What is Parzival Academy, and is it right for me?

Parzival is the main character in Wolfram Von Eschenbach’s poem Parzival. The story takes the Soul on a journey toward adulthood, complete with adventure, glories, failures and reparation in the quest for the Holy Grail.  Parzival Academy is all about supporting young adults to move into the world in such a way that allows them to find their own true Inner Grail, and learn how to share it with the world. Storytelling is a powerful and sorely lacking method of teaching in today’s world, and we enjoy sharing this story with the students as part of our teachings.

No.  Our process is about helping you to discover yourself and what makes your heart sing, just as much as it’s about guiding you to develop a socio-entrepreneurial spirit with that wisdom so you can create a career or business that supports and fulfills you.

We’ll be exploring your strengths, talents, personality, experiences, etc. to help you find something that you feel aligned in doing.

Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty to work with, even if you have to wrestle for a bit to align with your true path.  The socio-entrepreneurial spirit is about experimentation and resilience. You’ve got this!

You might consider exploring and comparing the options. We have.

When we considered the cost of college education, the limitations of moving straight into a job without additional training and experience, and the lack of educational programs geared toward helping young adults become the best of themselves AND bring that to shine in the world, we realized there are very few if any other programs like Parzival Academy.

Parzival is here to shift the paradigm around education and opportunities for future generations. We’re educating and advocating for the idea that our world needs more young people to bring their gifts and shift the paradigm. 

A paradigm shift is not going to happen by continuing the old models of education that tend to generate “good workers” as opposed to visionary creators with confidence in their unique gifts.

We take full responsibility for ensuring that we offer you valuable skills that bring out your best, and allow you to create a fulfilling, sustainable life for yourself.

You must take responsibility for implementing the work, engaging with the program, and stepping out of your comfort zone.

We’re here to support you, and we want to see you have a strong path toward an authentic career or business for yourself. We’re not about a “quick fix” or a “magic pill” that’s going to promise you easy income or clarity in a short time. 

Parzival is about creating sustainable, tested, authentic practices that work over the long run to build a life and career that supports you. Everyone will have their own unique experience of how long that takes based on their prior work, their talents, the field they choose to go into, etc. 

We know that if you’re willing to come with the courage, curiosity and commitment needed to follow your calling, and the willingness to collaborate and communicate your needs, we’ll be there supporting and encouraging you every step of the way.

Absolutely!  You might already have a degree or other training beyond high school, and find yourself longing to effectively apply it via your own business or with greater confidence. Parzival Academy is a great way to do that.

If you’re currently enrolled in an intensive college program, you’ll have to determine how much time you have available to make the Parzival education most beneficial for you. Will you have the time to attend the weekly sessions? Will you be able to meet with your mentor(s) weekly and implement the projects? 

These are things to consider as you determine the right timing to participate in the Parzival Academy. Feel free to contact us with your questions as to whether it seems right for your situation.

That depends on how you define the “college experience.”  

If you’re looking for an experience of discovery, experimentation, collaboration, creativity, development, implementation, and growth, you’ll get a great experience with Parzival.

If you’re looking for more opportunities to socialize, study, or join in activities, you’ll be encouraged to create those yourself. You might consider getting a friend to enroll too, and share some in-person connection while cultivating new skills.

The socio-entrepreneurial spirit is about creating opportunities for yourself, as well as responding to opportunities to share your gifts. Initiating your own extra-curricular activities in creative ways that add to your educational experience is another great way to build your skills. 

We’re so glad that you’re asking! We love it when families work together to take on these big decisions and activities.  We’ve created a page just for the parents to help, and we’re happy to talk to you to answer any questions you may have.  Just schedule a time to talk, and we’ll connect! 

Tell me about the learning experience with Parzival.

Parzival Academy’s home office is in Boulder, CO.

The beauty of our program is that we offer a combination of in-person and online learning for participants on the journey.

We begin with an in-person orientation week in September in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Our main program is offered online via zoom meetings. We offer every students personalized mentoring each week, and hold group gatherings, teaching sessions, co-working sessions and Q&A sessions online.  There is also an online forum for discussion and conversations at any time. 

After the online learning, we meet again in Colorado for our graduation week. 

Students will fly in and out of the Denver airport and get transit to/from the orientation and graduation weeks.  

The benefit of a hybrid program like Parzival Academy is that participants can live, work, study or travel anywhere they wish while participating in the program, and still also enjoying a couple of weeks of live and in-person time with their peers.

You’ll be linking to our Google Calendar to be sure all of your sessions and appointments are on your calendar. 

We’ll begin with an orientation week in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.  You’ll fly into Denver and catch a shuttle to the location of the week’s events.

The online component of the program includes weekly group teachings, and Q&A Sessions, semi-weekly individual mentoring sessions, and guest presenters.

There is a learning area to which you’ll be given a login account. The learning area holds recordings of all the learning sessions, downloadable assignments and resources, as well as pre-recorded learning videos. We focus on project and interactively based learning throughout the curriculum.

You’ll also have a private community forum where your peers and mentors can interact with you. You’ll be able to ask questions, share celebrations and successes, and be witnessed in your challenges The forum will be an active, engaging space to share and generate lasting friendships and support. 

You’ll be asked to do regular self assessments, allowing you to more actively see your blind spots and areas for improvement, as well as the areas you have ease and flow. We help you celebrate what’s working, and transform what’s not working into learning and development that supports you to grow.

The final graduation week will also be in the Colorado mountains, accessible via the Denver airport. 

Parzival Academy’s education is a unique blend of socio-entrepreneurial, personal and community skill building.

In the realm of socio-entrepreneurialism, you’ll be learning practical and technical skills that help you to develop leadership skills, innovative thinking, self-awareness, and effective ways to stay connected to your community.

You’ll learn authentic net-caring skills that help you become connected to those you can best serve, and build relationships with those you can collaborate with. 

We focus on giving you the important foundational skills to step into the world with confidence, aligned with your talents and passions. Parzival Academy does not bring you to an established business during the program, or provide any guaranteed job placement afterward. These are considerations we’re exploring for advanced training for those who may want it after the initial program. We focus instead on bringing forth the best, most prepared and wise human beings possible to meet a world growing more challenging by the minute. 

The world needs compassionate, soulful leaders. Here are just a few of the important leadership skills you’ll learn with Parzival:

  • Communication – Language is generative, so creating a successful business means we must know how to clearly communicate, both in what we say and how we listen.
  • Failing Forward – Leaders know the value of making mistakes and building flexibility and resilience to adapt and learn from them.
  • Creativity – Parzival students are immersed in creative opportunities throughout the program, bringing forth their talents and applying them to building a fulfilling and effective life.
  • Responsibility – You’ll learn the value of taking ownership of your actions, being transparent with yourself and others, and setting a tone that helps others believe in you.
  • Commitment – Perseverance, devotion, passion, prioritization, and follow through are qualities you’ll explore as part of establishing strong commitment in your work.
  • Inner Wisdom – Great leaders have deep connection with their inner wisdom, having learned from their experiences, and knowing how to trust themselves.
  • Trustworthiness – You’ll learn the key elements of cultivating trust in yourself and from others.

In the realm of personal skills, you’ll get to know yourself really well. You’ll learn to deal constructively with feelings and emotions, something that is too often overlooked and yet so important as we navigate the emotional ups and downs that can come with running a business and navigating life. We offer many tools for managing time effectively and staying joyfully productive, avoiding procrastination, and staying focused. You’ll also learn how to plan and balance your life and work in realistic, healthy ways that nourish you rather than generate burnout or overwhelm.

As for community skills, you’ll be interacting with your peers, learning to encourage and support one another. You’ll learn to provide gentle feedback that benefits others, and receive feedback openly.  With the help of your mentor, you’ll receive guidance on dealing with differences and conflicts you have with others, in or out of the Parzival program.  We want you to feel confident and compassionate in relating with others, while staying true to who you are.

There are a number of things that make the journey with Parzival Academy unique to other gap year and continuing education programs. The Parzival program:

  • Stays with you as a source of inspiration and grounding through all of life
  • Supports meeting life’s inevitable thresholds that test, challenge and expand us
  • Cultivates resilience, compassion, and courage to move through eye of needle
  • Is far beyond a high school graduate gap year, being a program that can integrate for any stage of young adulthood from ages 18-28
  • Offers personalized 1:1 mentorship and coaching for every student
  • Cultivates the socio-entrepreneurial spirit to serve all aspects of life and vocation
  • Provides a community that serves both the individual and the group

What makes Parzival Academy special is our unique blend of socio-entrepreneurial skills, and personal self-building skills

You’ll get personalized attention to cultivate these skills in a safe space that generates a sense of trust and support. We believe that education is about more than learning cognitive skills and putting them to use. We care about educating the whole person, supporting students to feel confident in who they are and how they show up in the world. 

Most online training programs are self-study based, and few include a live component. Not only does Parzival have live group trainings on a weekly basis, but we also offer personal 1 to 1 mentoring for every student

There’s no doubt education is moving more and more to online platforms, but we don’t believe it needs to be impersonal or lacking in depth. 

We are initiated by our relationships. In today’s fast paced world, there are few cultural rights-of-passage celebrated anymore. We’re asked to pay attention to our relationships and what they show us. In doing so, we learn more about ourselves and grow as a person.

Few people pay adequate attention to relationships. Parzival Academy encourages you to connect with intention to your mentors, instructors and others students. In this connection, you’ll learn so much more about yourself.  We encourage you to ask questions, make mistakes, and trust that in vulnerability there is strength. 

Your mentor will be there as a guide not only for the practical side of education, but also as a guide to support you with whatever challenges you’re facing in your life.  Your mentor will have resources to refer you to additional support if you need it, and offer you a safe space to learn and grow. 

Students are encouraged to support one another with inclusivity, honesty, and compassion. You’ll be building amazing relationships in Parzival that will last a lifetime if you’re willing to open yourself to them.

Absolutely!

Parzival’s founders are passionate about community building, and they’ve built communities out of which the best of friends have been made. Many friends have chosen to visit each other in other countries and states, and not only cultivate their online relationship, but also connect in person. 

You’ll be connecting with other students in discussion pods, study-buddy connections, small group activities, and authentic relating games. You’ll also connect with friends in our online group forum, sharing questions, encouragement, and your skills. 

The many opportunities to interact with your peers and mentors will cultivate special, lasting friendships. 

Definitely.

You’ll be expected to commit to the trainings and projects, but all meetings are recorded and can be reviewed outside of the live delivery times. So, if you have a job that conflicts with the lessons, you can still get the information. 

However, we do expect you to attend as much as possible and arrange your work schedule accordingly. We believe that the quality of your learning is contingent upon your active participation and engagement in the group.

One thing you will need to do is meet with your mentor weekly to ensure you’re getting your needs met and staying on track with the learning and development. You’ll also need to plan your time wisely for completing projects and staying on track, but Parzival helps you with that!

Having a job while participating in the Parzival program is a great way to gain experience, relate with others, and pay for the program. In fact, just 15 hours per week at $15 per hour will more than pay for the program in one year. Of course you can choose to have a job with more hours if you need as well. We’ve made the program accessible for students, whether they can pay up front with support from family, or have to earn income to pay for it themselves. 

We estimate an average of 15 hours weekly to attend the live trainings, mentoring sessions, and Q&A sessions, as well as tend to the assignments and projects we ask you to take up each week.

The required hours can change week to week, requiring a bit more or less depending on the assignments, your prior experience, and/or how quickly you’re able to implement. 

Parzival Academy is not focused on establishing a business during the program (though that’s certainly possible and we can mentor you if that’s something you’re already doing), getting formal academic education, or specific career skills training. 

Parzival’s program brings all the things so many young adults say they “didn’t get” or “wish they got” in high school or even college. We focus on preparing young adults for life in ways that align with who they uniquely are, and complement whatever other training, jobs, businesses or experiences they choose to step into. 

How do I enroll in the Parzival Academy?

To participate in Parzival Academy, we ask that you have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. 

Beyond that, we ask that you come with a courageous spirit and curiosity. We want you to bring your creativity and inspiration. 

You’ll be discovering your passions, and stepping into the person you are here to be. Parzival Academy is a place of inclusivity, encouragement, compassion and care. We bring generosity and openness to all that we do. 

If you are truly committed to learning, growing and opening to new possibilities, you will fit in at Parzival.

A high school diploma is not an absolute requirement. You can also have a GED equivalent.

If neither of these are possible for you, and you’re sincerely interested building a business while learning more about yourself, contact us and we’ll discuss what’s possible for you. 

 

You can.

We will make every effort to schedule mentoring sessions that work for you each week at a reasonable time.

You may find that some live sessions will be less accessible to you, but you can easily listen to recordings of those and stay up to speed with the program.

 

 

You’ll want to be sure you have a good internet connection with a video camera for group calls. This is a must. We encourage you to create a Google account if you don’t already have one. 

We’ll be offering orientation information as we get closer to the program starting, which will have additional preparatory details.

What will I be able to do upon completing Parzival Academy?

 

Graduation eligibility will be determine based on:

  • Attendance at live group discussions
  • Attendance at mentorship sessions
  • Participation in the group forum
  • Assessments
  • Projects/Work Completed
A certificate of completion will be issued and offered based on a certain level of credits earned for participation in the eligibility requirements above. 

 

The the types of careers or businesses you might be able to step into after graduating from Parzival Academy are only limited by your imagination and your drive to learn and explore.

Our goal is to give you practical tools and skills that make you a valuable asset to any work you choose to apply yourself to and to those you choose to serve.

Parzival students are trained on how to tap into their unique gifts and strengths, and align with their unique values as they move into the world with confidence. Additionally, students learn to cultivate a strong sense of self and the capacity for healthy, fulfilling relationships.

When you feel on purpose and able to be effective, you bring joy and fulfillment to your life and to others. And, you make a difference in the world with your wisdom and influence. With your creativity, unique gifts and focused commitment, the possibilities are endless!

Cultivating the socio-entrepreneurial spirit isn’t about auditioning for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. This isn’t about external validation, or what the world thinks of you.

Parzival Academy is about learning how to create the authentic life you want to live on your own terms. This is about right livelihood and inner fulfillment. And if perhaps you become rich and famous along the way, you will have done that in alignment with Parzival’s values of authenticity and wisdom. It’ll simply be a gift that allows you to share even more significantly your gifts with the world.

We value a sustainable, sincere, authentic approach to life and vocation that results in a sense of true joy and fulfillment in whatever way that is true for you.

The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.
W.H. Murray
The Scottish Himalayan Expedition

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