Dedicated tree honors Sederburg
This tree was planted in honor of Sederburg’s work in the Skilled2Succeed program. Shane Maryott/UVU Review
A celebration on Aug. 17 honored former president and current Utah Commissioner of Utah Higher Education, William Sederburg, for his extensive commitment to the Skilled2Succeed program that was launched in 2004.
Local influential community members and school administration came together to support Sederburg’s commitment to the program. Notable attendees included President Matthew Holland and Certiport CEO Ray Kelly.
Sederburg, along with Certiport located in American Fork, launched the Skilled2Succeed program in 2005 for individuals in the local community. It offers training in basic computer knowledge with the hope that better job opportunities will arise. For individuals to participate in the Skilled2Succeed program, Certiport offers scholarships to qualified individuals.
“We want to thank Commissioner Sederburg for all of his support with the Skilled2Succeed program, a program that is dedicated to providing less fortunate individuals with the digital skills needed to secure career and life opportunities,” Kelly said. “When public and private sectors of a community come together to discover solutions to real-world challenges, there is no limit to what they can achieve, individually and collectively.”
Sederburg and the first 12 graduates of Skilled2Succeed planted a tree to commemorate the beginning of the program, in a location west of the Browning Administration building. It is meant to represent the development of students and a commitment to help individuals in the community succeed.
“A job can disappear in the blink of an eye, but your skills remain with you,” said Michelle Scott, foundation chair for the ambassador committee and vice president of grants, e-training and corporate social responsibility at Certiport. “The economic challenges serve to deepen our resolve to create meaningful education to employment programs. Commissioner Sederburg taught us that true vision is the faith to believe before you can see or know how the end result turns out. He created a pathway for business, community and academic institutions to collaborate, build and grow together.”
Today, the Skilled2Succeed program continues to flourish with over 500 graduates.