Verity Institute

James Bonjour

Business Administration

“I am currently working for my dad’s painting company. I’m also working along with my sisters to build up Joyful Kids Ministries. We serve at churches, camps, and conferences to teach fun-filled programs that help kids grow in their faith.

Without having gone through Verity first, I don’t think I would have taken on my own business. College in two years seemed like an overwhelming task—just like starting a business/ministry—but it is achievable, one step at a time with the Lord’s help!”

For more info about the Bonjours’ ministry, check out www.joyfulkids.org.

Nolan Brook

Business Administration

Nolan graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Following graduation, he worked as a front end sales representative for a Florida roofing contractor. He has recently returned from Uganda, Africa, where he spent six months participating in an international mission work.

Luke Bushatz

Social Sciences and History

“I graduated from Verity in 2004 with a degree in History. God used my experiences at Verity to help mold me into the person I am today.

“Without the personal and spiritual discipline that I cultivated at Verity, I would not have been able to accomplish many of the things that the Lord has allowed me since I left school.

“I am currently a lieutenant in the United States Army, and am preparing to deploy to Iraq. My time at Verity has proved invaluable in my current role as a platoon leader. Everyday I am faced with multiple leadership problems which require wisdom and discernment. Verity truly helped prepare me for this role.”

Ben and Debra Eby

Business Administration and Communications

“Verity provided a unique training ground for me in the world of finance. With the experienced gained while at Verity, I was able to procure a one-year contract in Tulsa, Oklahoma with a large structural steel company as a financial consultant. Now I work as a Regional Controller for Central Park Lodges handling accounting logistics for 8 long-term care facilities. I work at their financial headquarters in Cambridge, Ontario. My wife, Debra (Canterbury), uses her communications degree, earned through Verity, to work from home as a college counselor for a distance learning service based out of Texas.

“Entering our future makes us grateful for the past experiences God led us through. We’re grateful for the spiritual and academic education that the Lord forged in our lives through Verity. We also deeply appreciate the friendships we built during our years at Verity, friendships that continue deepening and challenging us today.”

Jonathan and Rachel Eddy

Business Administration and English

“Currently my wife Rachel (Winsted) and I are residing in Merida, Mexico. We are here with my job as a purchasing agent for Beacon Fisheries Inc., a seafood importing company based in Florida. Each day here is spent with intense language studies and various work projects. We are actively involved in Shalom, our local church which is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Mexico. Our friends here have been a big encouragement to us over the past few months. In fact we have met many people here who have been very kind to us, and we hope to maintain contact with them over the years. We are looking forward to return to Jacksonville, FL in early December, 2006. It will be nice to be back closer to our families and friends.

To any of my long lost friends out there, please drop me a line at jeddy2121@hotmail.com. Also, we’ve got a website (that we hope to update soon...) www.jonathanandrachel.us and you can also find pictures from our May 13th wedding. God’s blessings to all of you out there who are reading this, and to the Shoemakers and all of the staff at Verity! Keep up the good work. (Philippians 1:6)

Galen Houser

Business Administration

Galen Houser graduated with the first class of Verity students in 2003. Through diligent study and dedication to the course at hand, Galen finished his Bachelor of Science in Business in just 9 months being one of the first to complete Verity using the Fast-Track program. After completing his academic studies, Galen continued serving the Verity program for one year by acting as the Office Manager and Business Department Head. While serving under the direction and leadership of Woody Shoemaker at Verity, Galen solidified five areas of conviction into his life calling.

Currently, as Galen works as Business Administration General Manager for Pat the Plumber, he is able to pursue his life calling of working in business to make money and serving as a steward of that money by: 1) providing for his family; 2) supporting his local church, the pastor, and widows both financially and through volunteering with programs like AWANA; 3) being personally active in the community by practicing pure and undefiled religion (James 1:27); 4) donating to national and international ministries and missions including IBLP, Dr. Guthrie’s ministry, and former ATI students who currently are serving overseas; and 5) funding a political agenda for truth in America.

Galen is thankful for all of the many blessings that God has graciously provided for him. His ministry mindset allows Galen to see his employment as a means to the end of his ministry to the local church and community.

Derek LoVerde

Business Administration

Derek chose to study Business at Verity so he could obtain and accredited degree quickly, cost effectively, and in a God honoring way and environment. Since graduating in 2004, Derek has worked as a Project Manager for Sprint, PCS and is now the current Director of Sales and Marketing for “To Your Success,” a Georgia customer satisfaction business.

In January 2006, he married Michelle Childers, also a Verity graduate. Derek describes Verity as, “Fast, Fun, and Furious—a place that pushes you academically, emotionally, and spiritually.”

Joe Martin

English

After a visiting China with an IBLP team in 2002, Joe Martin realized that he would need an accredited degree to fulfill his God-given life dream of ministering in China. In 2004, Joe graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and immediately took off for China that Fall to teach English in a high school. This coming year, he plans to move to Shanghai to work while he is enrolled in a university language program to learn to understand, speak, and read Chinese.

Daniel Morgan

Business Administration

Daniel completed his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration while working on full time staff at the Riverfront Character Inn. He chose Verity because of “its low cost, elimination of wasted time, and because of its fit with my lifestyle and values.” Since graduation, Dan has worked as an Operations Manager for a real estate investment firm in Tennessee. He’s able to use much of the practical experience he learned while on staff with the Institute since he is now working as the firm’s book-keeper and office manager.

Elizabeth Napoli

English

Elizabeth was drawn to Verity because she wanted to go to a place that would encourage her in the ways of God; where she could get her degree quickly; and where she could develop positive, lasting Christian friendships. Obtaining a degree to open doors for mission opportunities, Elizabeth is now using her English degree as a gatepass to teach English in China.

Elizabeth expresses, “Upon starting my second year of teaching in China, I felt a strong calling to assist those who also had a heart for China. This desire has lead me to establish, Go China (to open in the summer of 2007), a concentrated summer Chinese language learning and service program. It was founded in order to provide an open door for groups to come to China to study the language and share hope with its people as they stay with host families in a typical (modern) Chinese city. The structure of the summer program is designed so that students can learn, study, share and have specific time in which individual groups can have ‘growth’ meetings. Students will discover a renewed vision for their future and Creator as they are taken out of their comfort zones and into a place of learning and service.”

In order to receive information on this or connect Elizabeth with churches/ministries who are looking for ways to serve internationally, e-mail go_china_now@hotmail.com.

Eddie Thompson

Social Sciences and History

First intrigued with the idea of getting a degree in a non-traditional fashion (in less than two years), Eddie Thompson came to Verity in 2003 to pursue a History/Social Sciences degree. “I like Verity because it allows people to do ministry in the early adult years,” Eddie enthusiastically comments. Since August 2004, Eddie has been teaching in English in China, which was only possible as a result of his accredited degree. When Eddie returns to the states in July of 2005, he plans to work as an aide to a state representative. He hopes to “change the world” with his involvement in politics in the future.

Rebekah Rowe

Humanities

After teaching English in Russia with ATI and studying to become a sign language interpreter, Rebekah used her language credits to complete her Humanities degree in a short time while working on Verity staff. In order to keep her National Interpreting Certification, Rebekah plans to continue free lance interpreting and hopes to explore new avenues for deaf ministry.

Erica White

Business Administration

Erica completed Verity in less than 7 months on the Fast-Track program and received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Though her goal when she came to Verity was to finish and then leave as soon as possible, she felt the Lord directing her to stay an additional year to serve. Currently she is the Program Advisor for Communications. “I love this place! The leadership here does a great job maintaining a relationship oriented approach—not a rules oriented approach. We still have rules, but the atmosphere is not oppressive. Since I came in as an older student, I was able to gain work experience before school and then pay for college without going into debt.” Erica plans to return home this year to be with her family and to explore how God would have her use the business experience she gained at Verity to bring glory to Him.

Dakota Witt

Computer Information Systems

Dakota graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems. Since that time, Dakota has used the skills that he gained while at Verity at Hallmark Cards. Currently he is working as a Software and Hardware Configuration Technician. The knowledge that he gained while studying at Verity has been vital to his job and his accredited Bachelor’s degree will allow him to advance within the Hallmark Company. In the future, Dakota would like to start his own business where he can optimize the training that he received while serving as staff for Verity.

While working for Verity, Dakota learned to effectively work with many different individuals, which has been vital at his current job. Dakota appreciated the Christian environment of Verity and learned to stand on his own as a servant of Christ. He says that this quality is an imperative one to have before working in the secular business world. The most important lesson that Dakota learned was “that you have to rely on God in every situation to get you through each day.”