For Michael Evans, Lone Star College-North Harris is not just an office, it is home. Years of dedication have come and gone, and Evans is retiring, leaving a career defined by determination, mentorship and roots that stretch deep into the community that raised him.

Evans, who lived only a few miles from campus, graduated from Aldine High School in 1978. His family's connection to the college is even older: His mother was among local officials who circulated petitions that assisted in getting placed on the ballot the creation of North Harris Community College. "This place has always been part of my story," Evans said. But his own scholarly path through the higher education system wasn't smooth sailing. He recalls being in over his head on the way college life demands. "I struggled, but I never gave up," he said. "The clay has to be kneaded before it's molded." That persistence led him to the University of Texas at Austin for his bachelor's degree and then to Lamar University for his master's.

Evans began as a middle school math teacher before entering college through Lone Star College's Best Start program. He refers to the initiative designed to help first-year students set goals, plan and stay engaged as transformational. "I wished I had this program when I was beginning college. No one should have to go through what I went through," he said.

During his tenure at LSC-North Harris, Evans served as a coordinator, instructor and, most currently, Advisor II. While he has received an accolade for countless contributions, what is brightest to him is the people. "The best thing I am most proud of are the wonderful people I have worked with," he said. "I will miss them all."

He leaves with lessons that continue to guide his view: that everyone has a story, that listening matters, and that empathy gets results. "Most of the time we have trouble expressing our needs," Evans said. "That's why it's so important that we remain a good listener and ask questions to clarify." Evans' coworkers may not know all about his life, but what he would want them to keep is simple: how much they were appreciated. "I really doubt they know how much I love them and will miss them," he said.

From filled parking lots in the 1980s to more new buildings and programs, Evans has seen the college transform dramatically in 45 years. Through it all, his dedication to students never did diminish. As he enters retirement, Evans leaves behind a community characterized by his perseverance, kindness and belief in the potential of education. His legacy, which was conceived in North Harris and left in thousands of students' lives, will become part of the college tradition.