At Commencement Luncheon, Col. Beau Higgins ’85 Offers Seniors a Lesson on Leadership and Love

Beau Higgins has been an active alumnus from wherever he has been in the world. He probably has the attendance record for alumni chapter reunions, thanks to his various military assignments. He now resides in Tampa where he has quickly become involved in the Central Florida Alumni Chapter. Beau and his wife Liz have four children.
View the 2015 Commencement Luncheon Photo Gallery
At the 14th Annual Commencement Luncheon, 275 seniors were given a lesson about leadership and love.
That was the message from Beau Higgins of the Class of 1985. Higgins, who retired recently with the rank of Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps, was this year’s alumnus speaker.
The luncheon was held Friday, May 1 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with 230 alumni in attendance, many of whom were fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, and cousins of the almost newly-minted graduates.
Col. Higgins, who often was on the front lines as a commanding officer in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Bosnia, told his audience that the impact Jesuit High School had on him was instrumental in his career with the Marine Corps.
“You have all the tools in the toolbox to succeed,” he reminded the seniors. “From a pure ability, whether to write a brief or to ask questions why, the way the Jesuit education process teaches you, has set you up for success whether you know it or not. That’s the big takeaway I think you get from that Jesuit experience.”
Col. Higgins noted that he was the commanding officer of some 1,500 Marines ages 18-22 at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and many of them were “woefully unprepared” from an education standpoint, “things we take for granted” as alumni of Jesuit.
What he said he learned early in his career was that leadership and love go hand-in-hand. “To be a good leader you have to have both,” he said. “You have to have that ‘love fusion’ with your leadership to be successful.”
At the end of the day, he added, “As a leader, you have to be that man for others. You have to want to take care of that guy on your left and right. You want them to succeed.”
On the flip side, he said, there are bad leaders, “those screamers and yellers — it’s all about them and their agenda. They will work their people to the bone to make themselves look good. Those leaders typically fall away.”
Col. Higgins said as a leader, you cannot fake love. “I think you need to have that love and appreciation for it’s not about me. It’s about the greater good of the team and the way to get the best effort from your team is to take care of them. They know you have their back, they will charge a machine gun nest for you. And that’s about love, you can’t fake that.”
He encouraged seniors to keep adding tools to their toolboxes. “Leadership is an art,” he said, “something you need to practice, you have to want it, and seek it at all times. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Always wrap it around love and other people’s best interests.
Col. Higgins has experienced some notable assignments, including being part of the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. He was also a member of the Special Forces Unit in the rescue of Prisoner of War Jessica Lynch. His meritorious performance in numerous deployments and combat missions in the Middle East have earned him several commendations including the Bronze Star Medal with one gold star, the Combat Action Ribbon, and, notable to his former English teachers, the Marine Corps Award for Intelligence Writing. In 2002 he was chosen as the Marine Corps Intelligence Officer of the Year.
He holds a Masters in Business Administration from George Mason University and a Masters in Military Strategy from the Air War College. After 24 years of service in the Marine Corps, Col. Higgins retired last June with several of his classmates present at the Camp Lejeune ceremony.
Col. Higgins has been an active alumnus from wherever he has been in the world. He probably has the attendance record for alumni chapter reunions, thanks to his various military assignments. He now resides in Tampa where he has quickly become involved in the Central Florida Alumni Chapter. Beau and his wife Liz have four children.
Videos
Galleries
Commencement Luncheon, Class of 2015, May 1, 2015
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Senior class president Harrison Bond introduces this year's alumnus guest speaker, Col. Beau Higgins '85.
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Terry Fugetta '70; Dan Edmund '15 with his uncle Dan Bourgeois '51.
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Andrew Giorlando '12, Michael Genovese '15, Steven Giorlando '15, and Frank Giorlando '83.
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Senior Jack Burk with Stanton Murray '81
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Matthew Cassanova '15 with his grandfather Joe Cassanova '58 and father Steven Cassanova '84.
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John Burvant '80, Chuck Simon '87, Michael Simon '15, Gene Simon '80, Kelly Simon '55, and André Burvant '87. Michael's father is Gene and his grandfather is Kelly. John Burvant is Michael's uncle.
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Richard Pfister '52 (seated) with Tim Fitzpatrick '82 and grandson Jack Fitzpatrick '15.
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Jared Ohle '15 takes it all in.
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Thomas Brahney '90 with his stepson Zack Snow '15
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Chuck Cusimano II '71 with his five Blue Jay sons, from left: Chuck III '96, Gabe '06, Josh '04, Nathan '15, and Michael '13.
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Bob Talbot '55
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A pair of Jays from the Class of '84: Andy Galy and Pat Huete
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Billy Babin '74 with Christian Maher '15
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Col. Beau Higgins '85, who recently retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, addresses Blue Jays. The blue and white coat was custom made in Afghanistan, where he was deployed on several missions.
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Beau Higgins '85 was on the front lines as a commanding officer in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Bosnia. Notable assignments were being part of the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and being a member of the Special Forces Unit in the rescue of Prisoner of War Jessica Lynch. In 2012 he assumed command of Marine Headquarters at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
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Beau Higgins's meritorious performance in numerous deployments and combat missions in the Middle East have earned him several commendations, including the Bronze Star Medal with one gold star, the Combat Action Ribbon, and, notable to his former English teachers, the Marine Corps Award for Intelligence Writing. In 2002 he was chosen as the Marine Corps Intelligence Officer of the Year. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from George Mason University and a Masters in Military Strategy from the Air War College. After 24 years of service in the Marine Corps, Colonel Higgins retired last June with several of his classmates present at the Camp Lejeune ceremony.
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Beau Higgins has been an active alumnus from wherever he has been in the world. He probably has the attendance record for alumni chapter reunions, thanks to his various military assignments. He now resides in Tampa where he has quickly become involved in the Central Florida Alumni Chapter. Beau and his wife Liz have four children.
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Snapper Garrison '81, Stephen Brown '15, and Otto Candies IV '15 join in singing the Alma Mater at the end of the luncheon.
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Beau Higgins '85 with his brother Hudson Higgins '96 and Jesuit basketball coach Chris Jennings '78.
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Beau Higgins '85 with Bob Ebberman '63 and Jerry Plough '80
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Seven Blue Jays from the Class of '86, from left: Brad Murret, Ricky Gallagher, Tommy Moran, Steve Enright, Steve Perrien, Johnny Fitzpatrick, and Brian Grenrood.
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Beau Higgins '85 with a like-minded fashion icon, Courtlin Dede '15.
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Beau Higgins with a few of his friends from the Class of '85, from left: Gerald Duhon, Ricky Trahant, Eric Eckholdt, Bret Hanemann, Keith Landry, Walt Bond, Nick Lorusso, Shaun Talbot, Beau Higgins, Bobby Comeaux, Richie Kernion, Rocky Daigle, Glenn Gillen, Lee Prange, and Sherif Ebrahim.
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Jerry Plough '80 snaps a photo of Fr. McGinn '66, alumni director Mat Grau '68, and principal Peter Kernion '90.
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Benny Martinez '35 has attended the Commencement Luncheon for several years.
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Emerson Wenzel takes a seat in the Superdome until it's time to process into the luncheon.
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The Class of 2015 lines up outside the Bienville Room at the Superdome, moments away from making an entrance.
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The seniors enter using two doorways on opposite sides.
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The Fight Song plays over (and over, and over) as the seniors process into the Bienville Room,
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A line of seniors facing the stage...
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... The line of seniors seems to extend half a block.
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Chris Caldarera, Wyatt Comeaux, Dan Edmund, Scott Crabtree, and Trent Forshag
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Blue Jays wait patiently for the go-ahead to be seated.
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Snapper Garrison '81, president of of the Alumni Association, welcomes Blue Jays to the 14th Annual Commencement Luncheon and thanks the approximately 230 alumni for their presence in honoring the Class of 2015.
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This was the second year that the Commencement Luncheon was held in the Bienville Room at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
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As the eldest alumnus at this event, Benny Martinez of the Class of '35 is given a round of applause.
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The Class of 2015 features four sets of twins: Brett and Glenn Lorio, Brett and Sean Lozowski, Ben and Chris Ainsworth, and Ryan and Patrick Dickerson.
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Max Gruenig '06 and Wes Eustis '99
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Senior Nick Green with his grandfather Frank Dudenhefer '63 and one of his uncles, Chuck Dudenhefer '88.
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George Smith '15 with his grandfather Mike Read '61.
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D.J. Galiano '07 (center) is flanked by, from left, seniors Conner Hartupee, Bailey Graffagnini, Ethan Martinez, and Tim Tabthong.
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Kevin Heigle '69 and Michael Belanger '15.
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Three McMahon Generations: Patriarch Joe McMahon '60 (right) with three of his sons and two grandsons, from left: Joe McMahon '84 with his son Billy McMahon '15; Pat McMahon '91; Michael McMahon '15; and John McMahon '87.
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Dave Schof '56 with his grandson Jared Abrams '15.
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Three Hess Generations: Patriarch Bob Hess '62 (center) is flanked by sons Reed '86 (left) and Rob '85 (right) and their sons, Ethan (second from left) and Ben.
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Greg LaCour '88 with his son Patrick '15
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Three Martin Generations: Brody Martin '15 with his grandfather Ed Martin, Jr. '53, Eddie Martin III '78, Royce Martin '12, and David Martin '83.