Nicholls Annual Veterans Day Ceremony Guest Speaker 2023 Commandant of the Marine Corps Trophy Awardee

THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University and Nicholls State Veterans Services invites you to salute and honor veterans on Friday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. during its public Veterans Day ceremony in the Quad. This year’s guest speaker is Sgt. Mitch Gautreaux, 2023 Commandant of the Marine Corps Trophy Awardee.

“This ceremony is important because it highlights the camaraderie that veterans have with each other. You can see some of them in the crowd during the program and see how proud they are to see other veterans surrounding them. Opening it to the community solidifies that camaraderie,” said Gilberto Burbante, coordinator of Veterans Services at Nicholls.

Thibodaux JROTC will present the colors and Nicholls mass communication major and daughter of Sgt. Charles Dalgo, Carlie Dalgo, will sing the national anthem. Bayou Community Academy students will provide patriotic musical entertainment for the veterans.

United States Marine Corps Sgt. Mitch Gautreaux is a 25-year-old sophomore at Nicholls State University, pursuing a degree in business administration. After graduating high school in 2016, Sgt. Gautreaux joined the United States Marine Corps as an Intelligence Analyst and served with the Heavy Marine Helicopter Squadron 465 in San Diego, California, conducting assault support operations. He then moved to Okinawa, Japan, with the 3rd Intelligence Battalion. He returned to Houma, Louisiana, in the summer of 2021 to start his degree at Nicholls State University and intends to use it to rejoin the Marine Corps as an officer and pilot.

Sgt. Gautreaux joined the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class over a year ago, and during the summer of 2023, he attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. During his time at Quantico, Sgt. Gautreaux exceeded every standard the course offered both physically and mentally. His efforts during his training surpassed those of his peers. For those reasons, the United States Marine Corps awarded him the 2023 Commandant of the Marine Corps Trophy. The Commandant’s Trophy was established to recognize superior academic performance, physical ability and exceptional leadership skills.

Nicholls State University is committed to providing outstanding services to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces both while on active duty and after separation. Members of the military and veterans enhance the campus community and provide a wealth of insight both inside the classroom and through interaction with fellow students. Nicholls has earned the “Governor’s Military and Veteran Friendly Campus” designation and has consistently been named a “Military Friendly School” by G.I. Jobs magazine. For more information about Nicholls Veteran Services, contact gilberto.burbante@nicholls.edu at 985-448-4208 or visit https://www.nicholls.edu/veterans/.