Home Care In Grambling, LA

Grambling State University mourns the passing and honors the extraordinary life of Dr. Mildred B. Gauthier Gallot, a trailblazing educator, historian, author, entrepreneur, and civic leader whose influence on the University and the broader community will endure for generations.

Born in Washington, Louisiana, in 1937, Dr. Gallot exemplified a lifelong commitment to learning, service, and leadership. She earned degrees from Grambling College, Louisiana Tech University, and Louisiana State University, culminating in the Doctor of Education degree—an academic journey that reflected her belief in education as both a calling and a responsibility.

Dr. Gallot devoted her professional life to Grambling State University, serving with distinction as a professor, Head of the Department of History and Geography, and Coordinator of the Master of Arts in Teaching Social Sciences. A Fulbright-Hayes Scholar, she was a passionate advocate for African American history, spearheading Black History Month programming and advancing Afro-American Studies at Grambling State and beyond.

Her scholarship is most enduringly captured in A History of Grambling State University. More than a book, it is the story of a people’s pursuit of a better life—revealed through the eyes of a visionary woman who believed that an untold dream is no dream at all.

Beyond the academy, Dr. Gallot was a respected civic leader, serving on numerous educational and community boards, including the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, the Louisiana Historical Records Advisory Commission, and the League of Women Voters. A life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she was deeply committed to mentorship and the development of future leaders. She also demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit, establishing multiple businesses in Grambling that contributed meaningfully to local economic development and community vitality.

President Martin Lemelle, Jr., D.B.A., shared the following reflection:

“Dr. Mildred B. Gauthier Gallot was a guardian of Grambling State’s story and a steward of its soul. She understood that history is not only about where we have been, but about who we dare to become. Through her scholarship, leadership, and unwavering love for this University, she ensured that Grambling’s legacy would be told with truth, pride, and purpose. We are better because she served, and we are obligated to carry forward the work she so faithfully advanced.”

Her legacy lives on through the countless students and leaders she shaped, and through her family’s continued service to higher education, including her son, Dr. Richard J. Gallot, Jr., tenth president of Grambling State University and current president of the University of Louisiana System, and her granddaughter, Avia Knighten, Lecturer in Mass Communication at Grambling State University.

Remembering Dr. Gallot in Her Own Words In 2021, Grambling State University recorded a special video conversation with Dr. Gallot reflecting on her life, scholarship, and deep love for Grambling. The University invites the community to honor her legacy by hearing directly from her.

Watch the conversation here or by clicking on the video below.

Grambling State University extends its deepest condolences to the Gallot family and all who were touched by Dr. Gallot’s remarkable life. We honor her memory by continuing to teach, lead, and build with the same courage, clarity, and conviction that defined her legacy.

Grambling, La. – Grambling State University awarded Attorney Elizabeth Guillory Pierre the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during its Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremony, celebrating a life defined by service, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity across North Louisiana.

A native of Palmetto, Louisiana, Attorney Pierre grew up anchored by the values instilled by her parents, Jack and Lelia Guillory Curette—principles that shaped a path rooted in purpose and possibility. After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, she earned her Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center in 1994, guided by a conviction that the law could be a force for community advancement.

Her early legal experience as an associate in Baton Rouge and later as a judicial clerk for the 4th Judicial District Court formed the foundation of a career that would span private practice, economic development, and higher education governance. After moving to Monroe in 1997, she joined Pierre & Pierre, LLC, before stepping into a pivotal regional role administering federal tax incentive programs with the Ouachita Economic Development Corporation.

That assignment grew into more than two decades of leadership as Senior Vice President of Research and Legal Affairs for the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, where she shaped strategies benefiting fourteen parishes and championed sustainable economic growth with consistency, clarity, and vision.

In 2017, Attorney Pierre was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, the governing body for nine institutions including Grambling State. Her tenure—including her service as Chairman from 2023–2024—was marked by thoughtful stewardship, equitable policy-making, and a sustained commitment to student success across the system. Reappointed in 2023, she continues to lend her expertise to the Academic and Student Affairs Committee and other key initiatives.

Grambling State President Martin Lemelle, Jr. noted that honoring Attorney Pierre was both timely and deeply deserved, recognizing her as a champion for higher education and a steadfast advocate for Grambling State.

“Her service to the University of Louisiana System, her advocacy for students and institutions, and her commitment to expanding opportunity across North Louisiana reflect the values we champion at Grambling State,” said Lemelle. “Our graduates witnessed an example of integrity, purpose, and impact—someone who has used her platform to elevate others and to shape a more equitable future. Her presence enriched this commencement, and her legacy will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders who pass through our doors.”

Outside of her professional impact, Attorney Pierre is known for the values that shape her daily life—faith, family, and service. She and her husband, Attorney J. Rodney Pierre, are the proud parents of three adult children and grandparents to three adored grandchildren. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and finds joy in golfing, audiobooks, and crafting.