Nicholls will host a public Veterans Day ceremony honoring Nicholls veterans in the quadrangle today at noon. Courtney Cassard, director of Enrollment Services, said that the surrounding community is encouraged to attend.
“The event has grown over the last five years,” Cassard said. “It’s always been an important day to remember the sacrifices of not only the veterans but their families too.”
The ceremony will include the National Anthem performed by members of Phi Mu Alpha, the Pledge of Allegiance led by students from the Generations Teaching Generations Program and a performance from the MAX Charter School.
The Thibodaux High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps will present and retire the colors.
Cassard said that this year, the Veterans Day committee is trying to get more student veterans involved.
“Students will be doing the benediction and invocation, as well as opening and closing the program,” Cassard said.
Lt. Gilberto Burbante, government senior from Morgan City and president of the Veterans Club at Nicholls, will give the opening remarks followed by a welcome from University president Stephen Hulbert. The invocation will be delivered by Emeris Kraemer, history sophomore and U.S. Army veteran.
“I feel that veterans are pretty much the backbone of our society,” Burbante said.
“It’s not only honoring the ones before them, but there will be an opportunity within the program for all veterans to stand up and say their name and what branch they served with,” Cassard said.
Burbante served in active duty as a Marine for four years and was deployed to Iraq three times. Afterwards, he joined the Army and became a lieutenant officer.
Darren Autin, general business senior from Lockport, was also deployed to Iraq three times as part of a machine gun team. During his time as a marine, he also served as a radio operator and military police officer.
“It makes me feel good to know that Nicholls honors veterans,” Autin said. “It shows that the students and administration care.”
Burbante said that there are many veterans on campus, including students, faculty and staff. There are currently 134 known veterans enrolled at Nicholls and 23 known offspring of deceased or disabled veterans, according to the Nicholls Web site. Nicholls was also named a Military Friendly School for 2011 by G.I. Jobs magazine, an honor shared with only 15 percent of colleges, universities, and trade schools nationwide.
“There are more veterans at Nicholls than people realize,” Burbante said. “They sit next to you in class and you might not even know it because they’re humble guys who don’t brag about what they’ve done because it’s just something they like doing.”
Veterans who attend are invited to lunch, sponsored by Sodexo and the Nicholls Foundation, in the Vernon F. Galliano cafeteria after the ceremony.
After the ceremony, attendees are also invited to visit the first floor of Ellender Memorial Library to view the display Neil Guilbeau, assistant archivist, constructed featuring veterans’ photos, uniforms, gear and other memorabilia from World War I to present-day.
