Verity Institute

Amber Burgin

Liberal Arts

A few weeks ago I finally received my professional teaching certificate. Verity was part of that long process. Without the credentials that God provided through Verity, the state would not have granted me my teaching license. Credentials are not everything (far from it), but sometimes they are needful.

My future plans are to leave the world of public school teaching, where I’ve been the last two years, and spend some time reveling in the study of God’s Word at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Sara Dzimianski

Animal Science

I am currently a student at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia working on my Masters of Science in Clinical Counseling Psychology. Through this program I will gain the skills and credentials necessary to become a licensed counselor. The field of psychology is rather different from that of animal science (my undergrad major), but the two are not incompatible, particularly for those interested in utilizing animal facilitated therapy.

In the animal field I am employed as a registered veterinary technician and enjoy raising and showing my herd of registered Saanen dairy goats.

Kirsten Glasgow

Communications

I am currently living at home while working for a property management and investment company. When I returned home from school, I wanted to be in a position where I could use the skills I had learned and minister to others. As I began praying and seeking the LORD, He fulfilled my needs. I was contacted by a family friend who needed a person that had a communication degree whom he could trust. I was amazed that not only had the LORD given me the chance to learn certain skills, but He had also provided the opportunity for me to use them. I have been working at this company, applying the things I have learned at Verity. I have even had several opportunities to witness to others at the office.

Jeremy Nuñez

Communications

Since Verity, God has been trying to teach me a lot of things, similarly to while at Verity. I am so grateful that He never stops guiding His children. I have since joined the United States Air Force and am serving as a reservist here in Michigan. I work for a fantastic Christian State Representative who is very supportive of the military and is a dynamic legislator. It is an interesting line of work that allows one to help people, better the statutory makeup of the district and state and gives opportunity to present the truth of the gospel when fitting. Since Verity I have traveled to Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, South Africa, etc. with various teams doing evangelistic children's camps, working in orphanages, encouraging other missionaries, and even a little preaching. And who could forget Mexico with Verity in April 2003? I have very much enjoyed the goals, the value, and the relationships that Verity and IBLP embrace and have made possible. I pray that God would continue to broaden the horizons and make successful the students and staff of Verity as they continue to seek Him first.

Ben Rawson

Business Administration and English

College degrees can be obtained a myriad of ways: a traditional college, a community college, long distance education, etc. What is it about Verity that made it the choice for me? The Christian atmosphere and the speed in gaining the degree. You can get at least a semblance of the Christian atmosphere at many colleges around the nation, you can also find the intense degree programs that Verity offers through other colleges, but nowhere - other than Verity - can you find those two so intricately combined.

Completion of my degree at Verity found me immediately thrown back into the business world. Nine days after graduation I started as Assistant Manager responsible for all inventory, purchasing, and shipping at Rawson Inc., Builders Supply for locations both in Las Cruces, NM and El Paso, TX. With a significant inventory and approximately 80 employees, simply copying my predecessor wouldn't work. The training I received at Verity has been invaluable in enabling me to perform this job. Three things in particular were especially important. 1) The book training allowed me to see improvements that could be made to bring us into the 21st century. Changes such as computer-scheduled production and bar coding are anticipated to improve our efficiency tremendously. 2) The interaction with instructors and other focused business majors has reminded me that everything can be improved; the only question is where. This resistance to stagnation is imperative, because change is a must if we plan on succeeding in the business world today. 3) Perhaps the most important lesson I learned at Verity is how different types of people respond to certain situations; some people respond poorly to stress, others strive on it. Some people prefer to receive rewards in monetary fashion, others through a word in front of people they respect, and still others just want you to notice. Learning about these differences has helped me incredibly in managing employees, which, unlike what I learned in school, is the most difficult aspect of my job. All in all, I could not do as good of a job today if it wasn't for the time I spent in Verity. If I had the opportunity to go back, I would certainly do it again, because along with the academic lessons I learned, I also made life-long friends. Thank you, Verity!

James Risner

Communications

I am a student at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY, pursuing a Master's of Divinity in Applied Apologetics. My current plans are to attend school and work in a local church, graduating in May, 2006. Verity played a crucial part in developing me into a person that could succeed at this level of study. At Verity I learned valuable test-taking skills, grew closer to the Lord through trying times, and experienced character-building situations that developed me in ways I've never been developed before. God used Verity as a great tool in my life!