Army veteran Evans Springfield is just one month away from walking across the stage to earn his third degree from Columbia Southern University. This time, he is receiving his master’s degree in human resources. He has also earned an associate and a BSBA, both of which were completed within one year.
Before making the initial leap to enroll, Evans was stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas. He is a third-generation Army recruit, following in his grandfather and father’s footsteps.
“I was at a point in my life where I needed some structure and discipline, trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to do,” he said. “The U.S. Army for me was just another opportunity to try and find my purpose.”
Evans is also the first son in his family to finish a four-year degree. However, going back to school did not come without challenges.
“It was an adjustment getting back to school,” he said. “I think at that time, I was probably out of school maybe shy of 11 years, so just getting back adjusted and understanding time management—if you haven’t really read anything since you got out of school, it can be a little bit of a culture shock.”
Going the Extra Mile
With dedication and hard work, Evans managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA for the fall semester, but it took an extra effort to achieve a perfect GPA from an initial rocky start.
“I didn’t necessarily do my best,” he said. “I want to say that I got a D in a class, so that kind of took me out of the running to be an honor student, but I didn’t let that be the end of my story.”
“I know that as I progressed in my career, education is the key ingredient, and so I just licked my bruises and just took a class at a time—that way, I could get back into school and maintain a full schedule.”
He promised himself that he would maintain the highest grade possible in his master’s program, proving that putting in the extra effort pays off.
Embracing a Leadership Role
Evans is currently the HR director for Benevolent Hearts Home Care in Texas, where he handles all aspects of human resources from recruitment, employee relations, corrective actions, benefits and more. Juggling a busy career and schoolwork can be a formidable task, but Evans found ways to stay on track and focus on his studies.
“To be honest, I live my life off of a planner, so I have to plan everything from my day at work even to the time that I have for schooling,” he said. “Every day I will allow myself at least three hours just to kind of catch up on reading or do an assignment because you still have to have a work-life balance. Time management and finding the happy middle is imperative.”
Benevolent Hearts Home Care is an organization with roughly 150 employees, which has helped Evans establish a stable career with opportunities for advancement.
“It’s given me the groundwork to move in my career,” he said. “I know eventually my ultimate goal is to be like a vice president of HR operations, but this opportunity is definitely giving me the experience and framework.”
Going through the master’s degree program in human resources has already proven beneficial with his current role.
“When it comes to legal issues or how we handle certain performance tactics, I’m able to safeguard and provide an educated solution towards problems that might come up during our day to day.”
Discovering His Passion
Evans describes himself as a people person, and joining the Army was where he discovered that a role in human resources would pair nicely with his bright and lively nature.
“I went into the service as a cook, but I actually went into the admin side, and that was pretty much keeping up with our personnel, making sure all the units were fed and just keeping up with menus and schedules, so the administrative side has always been in me,” he said.
He attended a workforce seminar once he finished his term in the Army, and HR was the career idea that stuck.
“It’s my personality,” he said. “I’m an extrovert, so I like being the bright light in the room and doing ice breakers and just making people feel comfortable and helping them in any form that I can, so it definitely comes naturally.”
Leading by Example
Evans attended commencement in October 2024 and is still riding the wave of excitement and accomplishment. He also knows that he is a role model for his younger siblings, nieces and nephews, especially given that he is the first son in his family to earn college degrees.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it sometimes, just knowing I’m the first, but I see my impact,” he said. “…they see how hard I work, and I know that I’m being watched, so I make sure that I’m laying that foundation.”
As for achieving higher education later in life, Evans feels it’s important to understand your reason for enrolling before making the decision to start.
“What do you want to go to school for and how does it affect you and how will it help you?” he said. “Those are kind of some things to ponder on instead of just going to school just to go. I think education is very imperative and monumental to anyone that takes the opportunity seriously and understands why they want to go.”
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
