Passion, work ethic and commitment paid off for the men and women recently commissioned into the Armed Forces at Troy University.

Those attributes, along with a strong sense of honor bred by her family roots, led recent TROY graduate Christalyn Springs through her college journey and, now, a career in the Air Force.

The Wetumpka native studied psychology and Spanish at TROY, where she worked hard to earn a position her mother had held before her as an Air Force veteran.

“It’s hard to find the right words for my feelings when I finally commissioned,” said Springs, who will move to Hurlburt Field, Florida, to start her career as a force support officer. “It was so rewarding to see all my hard work for the past four years had finally paid off. It was truly an honor to receive my first salute from my mother, who served 26 years in the Air Force herself.”

Commissioned at the Troy Campus Spring Commencement, Springs made the most of her time at TROY, serving as captain of the dance team and joining Alpha Kappa Alpha in addition to her work in Air Force ROTC.

She looks back on her time at TROY fondly, as much for the lessons she learned as the experiences she had.

“Troy University introduced me to an abundance of amazing people who have become family to me,” Springs said. “Before I came here, I was very shy and stayed to myself. However, through meeting so many people, I was able to break out of my shell a little bit and grow into the confident woman I am today. I’m so grateful to God, my family and my Cadre for helping me get to where I am, because I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Springs now looks ahead with the confidence that she is prepared for what’s to come.

“I can’t wait for my journey to begin in the world’s greatest Air Force,” she said. “One thing I will always remember is to be humble and to never forget where I came from. It’s an honor to wear the uniform and to be trusted with the huge responsibilities that will be bestowed upon me. I’m excited to travel and see the world. I’m also looking forward to giving back and having a career that truly makes a difference through a lifestyle of service to others.”