Our Students
We want you to get to know our students a little better because, well, we think they’re pretty great. Take a few moments to read through these candid interviews we conducted with them to learn how they came to the TKG Institute, what they’re learning, and what their plans are going forward.
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Amber Mullen
Status: Senior, Walsh University
Year of Graduation: May, 2009
Major: Marketing
When did you become affiliated with the TKG Institute? April 2008
How did you become aware of the TKG Institute? Members of TKG spoke to my PR class at Walsh
Briefly describe your work/education background: Graduated from Canton Central Catholic HS in 2005. Senior at Walsh U.
Briefly describe your interest in the web development industry: Web development is the future of marketing and I want be a part of it!
What are some things that many people DO know about you? I love reading and playing with my little sister Sophie.
What are some things that many people DO NOT know about you? I love ranch dressing. I traveled to Greece a few years ago.
What do you like about the industry and the company? TKG is so laid back, and everyone is very friendly. This industry is growing and changing everyday, and I like innovation and improvement!
How do you see your current participation in the institute affecting your future? I am going to gain plenty of experience in marketing/advertising. Also I will greatly increase my knowledge of the internet and websites!
Do you solemnly swear that the above information is accurate to the best of your ability? YES!
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Adam “Verhaney” Verheyen
Status: Student at the University of Akron
Year of Graduation: When they kick me out….seriously though, Summer 2008.
Major: Associates in Web Development
When did you become affiliated with the TKG Institute? When Stacy contacted me begging me to work for them. 
How did you become aware of the TKG Institute? Through Stacy.
Briefly describe your work/education background: While I was earning my degree, I was honing my “skills” as Lead Web Developer at Outpost Interactive for nine months until coming to TKG to develop the “master skills”.
Briefly describe your interest in the web development industry: I have always enjoyed computers and the process of how sites were made. Now I can get a real chance to learn, the right way, how to build a web site.
What are some things that many people DO know about you?
1. I am a Cleveland Browns FANatic.
2. I enjoy playing and writing music on guitar.
3. I am a total goofball who just loves to have fun.
4. I can solve a Rubik’s Cube in under two minutes.
What are some things that many people DO NOT know about you?
1. I am a closet neat-freak even though my room is a mess.
2. My favorite food is Chinese Orange Chicken.
3. My neighbor once made me wear a wedding dress when I was five years old.
4. My left lung collapsed when I took my first breath out of the womb.
What do you like about the industry and the company? The creative process it takes to build and maintain a website is so simplistic yet so beautifully crafted.
How do you see your current participation in the institute affecting your future? If my future involves TKG than I would hope they teach me all I need to know to be a successful employee here *wink wink*
Do you solemnly swear that the above information is accurate to the best of your ability? What if I don’t? Is the TKG-PD going to come looking for me and throw me in the loony-bin? Oh wait, I already work there.
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Greg Rhodes
School: Lake High School
Year of Graduation: 2009
When did you become affiliated with the TKG Institute? July 2008
How did you become aware of the TKG Institute? Interactive Media teacher told me about classes the same night they were starting.
Briefly describe your work/education background: Basics of html and web design, worked with Dreamweaver for a while before starting.
Briefly describe your interest in the web development industry: Getting into the graphic design part of web design
What are some things that many people DO know about you? Funny, really out-going
What are some things that many people DO NOT know about you? I’m in the Lake Marching Band and play trumpet, and love to golf for fun.
What do you like about the industry and the company? Really great office, helpful and friendly staff, and it’s nice to have a foosball break once in a while
How do you see your current participation in the institute affecting your future? This is the field I want to get into and major in when I go to college, and I plan to learn as much as I can from first-hand experience
Do you solemnly swear that the above information is accurate to the best of your ability? Yes, I swear…
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Benjamin Jay Young
School: Canton South High School
Year of Graduation: 2009
Major: Computer Science and Engineering
When did you become affiliated with the TKG Institute? I sent my resume in the middle of October in 2007.
How did you become aware of the TKG Institute? Mr. Gotshall, my Information Systems professor, was looking for any job opportunity for me as part of my second in the Information Technology (IT) Academy. He ran across the TKG institute on the website and told me about it. I was interested and talked with Stacy about it and sent in my resume.
Briefly describe your work/education background: I’m a senior at Canton South High School. I’m currently enrolled into a College Technical Preparation program, called the IT Academy. Even though the upcoming year will be my first year, I will have accumulated around 20 college credit hours from high school. I currently hold an IC3 certification and I’m working for my A+ Certification. I plan to go to Stark State for an associate’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering Technology, and I haven’t decided where I want to go for my B.S.
Briefly describe your interest in the web development industry: I’ve been programming since the year I got my first computer in 2003 and a year before I joined I started learning website application development. Most computer programmers will agree that web based applications will be the future (i.e. Facebook, Myspace, Gmail), so it’s certainly something I was interested on learning. On my spare time I even tend to write a few web applications of my own.
What are some things that many people DO know about you? I couldn’t live without spell check. I’m the captain of our tennis team at school. I love learning on my own in computer science, physics, calculus and natural mathematical structure. I snowboard as much as I can in the winter. I also spend a lot of spare time on my own programming projects.
What are some things that many people DO NOT know about you? I have a birth mark on the back of my neck that rarely appears and forms an ‘F’. I have a hidden desire of capitally taking over the world. I tend to play a lot of pranks. A lot of my jokes have a second funny hidden meaning that only a few people ever figure out.
What do you like about the industry and the company? It’s very comfortable and laid back. Everyone is friendly as can be. I get to play table soccer if I have spare time. I loved to be challenged with a programming task. Best of all, I get a chair with wheels that I can spin around.
How do you see your current participation in the institute affecting your future? Experience is a huge factor when someone looks at an application. It also shows me how the work environment is and to let me experience it, to let me know if I like it or not before spending thousands on college.
Do you solemnly swear that the above information is accurate to the best of your ability? Yep.