Few students carry the depth of experience Evan Anderson brings. A father, army veteran and full-time professional, Anderson is also a full-time student, and in May he will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with a minor in conflict resolution.
Originally from Tacoma, Washington, Anderson spent part of his 14 years in the U.S. Army as a combat medic. In intense environments, he single-handedly managed the operations of a 380-person organization, including the oversight of all medical procedures and evacuations across seven countries.
Examining human behavior, managing conflict and learning how to communicate effectively in high-stakes environments mattered most in special operations.
“My last work in the military was in special operations and focused on human behavior — why people do the things they do and how we can understand that. A lot of what I did was focused on how leaders communicate and how societies communicate with one another,” he said.
This foundation would lead to a major in communication studies, where he earns top grades amidst a busy schedule.
“Communication aligned with everything I was interested in. It aligned with careers both past and present and laid a good foundation for what I hoped to go into, which is sales leadership or starting my own business,” he said. “Communication is the foundation for everything.”
Anderson has been stationed in Iraq, Kuwait and other countries. His highest honor took over a year to accomplish. He was distinguished as an Honor Graduate of the Psychological Operations Qualification Course, a language school that teaches psychological operations, regional studies and foreign policy.
Part of what made him successful in his military career was his thorough understanding of psychology, Anderson said. In special operations, he worked closely with leaders and communities around the world to understand how people think and how societies communicate. Communication was at the heart of everything.
Anderson now lives in Columbia, South Carolina. He works in export sales for an international distributor where communication studies ties into everything he’s learned about leadership, culture and negotiation.
Anderson said his motivation for pursuing higher education stems from his wife, a fellow Army Special Operations veteran, whom he met while stationed at Fort Bragg.
When they left the military, his wife went back to school for a master’s degree on top of her career and raising two children. She told her husband, in Anderson’s words, if she was doing this, he was doing it, too. Anderson recalled, “She encouraged me. She inspired me to pursue it and chase after it.”
Anderson said taking classes through The University of Alabama Online is perfect for his busy schedule.
I don’t have to make the news or have a movie made about me to be a legend. Just getting to wear the Script A and call it mine is enough.
“Time is nobody’s friend when you’re dealing with a full-time course load and a full-time job,” he said. “It comes back to my wife. She’s in grad school now. At the end of the day…I can sacrifice some Netflix time to get this done.”
Anderson said the professors are accommodating and the asynchronous course design works perfectly for those with full-time jobs.
As he approaches graduation, Anderson reflects on what leaving a legacy means.
“I want my legacy to be that I did it and you can too. There are so many people in classes that inspire me who have way busier lives than me,” he said. “They are at kids’ baseball tournaments with a laptop doing finals. I want my legacy to be a part of that. It’s never too late to start. It’s never too late for you to finish.”
UA is the school Where Legends Are Made. Undoubtedly a legend himself, Anderson humbly said every student can be one, too.
“I don’t have to make the news or have a movie made about me to be a legend,” he said. “Just getting to wear the Script A and call it mine is enough.”
When he’s not working or studying, Anderson proudly reps the Crimson Tide in Gamecock country.
At other universities, he sees students, alumni and fans wearing logos casually. However, with UA, he has seen how “Roll Tide” connects people from around the world.
“I was in the airport in a shirt with the Script A… and saw a lady in a sparkly Alabama shirt who yelled ‘Roll Tide!’ That kind of connection, even though I’m not on campus, is really special to me,” he said.
He said he learned this lesson in the army:
“I was taught from early in the military that everywhere you go there are people who hang from things and those who hold things up,” said Anderson. “At [other universities], they hang from it. At Alabama, we don’t hang from things, we hold them up. It is a part of us. It made us who we are. It made us better.”