Northwest Catholic welcomed two US veterans for a special Veterans Day assembly on Mon., Nov. 12, 2012. Kenneth Boudreau, a member of the NWC School Board, and Gerard Mullane ’76 addressed the student body about their own experiences in the military and how that influenced their lives after their service ended. They also answered students’ questions about military life and met with some history classes.
Boudreau graduated from the University of Hartford and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marines. He served for four years, ending his service as a Captain. He went on to start his own staffing service in Connecticut, which he owned for 30 years. He called the Marines a transformative experience for life. “I learned a lot,” he said, “and it prepared me for leadership roles and skills for getting along with the challenges of life.”
Gerard Mullane ’76 graduated NWC and went straight to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a BS in 1980. He was on active duty from 1980-1987, serving at several bases around the country and overseas. He eventually became a Field Artillery Captain. After the military, he went on to earn an MBA from Dartmouth College in 1989 and has worked for Vanguard since then. He is currently Director of Large Market Retirement Plan Sales there.
Of his military service, Mullane said: "My leadership experiences, serving others as an army officer, reinforced the value of pursuing a mission that you are passionate about, in an environment that is consistent with your values. We all have a responsibility to give back, to leave the world a slightly better place and to live our lives in service of those less fortunate."
During the course of the day, students also signed large “thank you” cards to veterans. The cards were created by members of the Global Awareness Club and will be delivered to VA Hospitals in Rocky Hill and West Haven.
Since 1961, Northwest Catholic’s mission has been to educate the whole person: mind, body, spirit, and soul. Enrollment for the Class of ’17 is now under way, and prospective students are invited to take the entrance exam on Dec. 1, 2012. For more information, contact Maryann Lacouture (860-236-4221, x140 or mlacouture@nwcath.org).
