March Quatrefoil Event Features General Mattis

The most recent Quatrefoil engagement brought together students for an evening discussion with General James Mattis. The session included 27 students and the conversation quickly developed into an engaging exchange of ideas centered on leadership, professional development, and the realities of modern conflict.

Continued support through the Marine Corps University Foundation helps strengthen opportunities available to students at Marine Corps University. Through the Foundation’s sponsorship, programs like the Quatrefoil engagements continue to enhance the academic and professional experiences offered to officers attending Expeditionary Warfare School.

General Mattis chose to open the evening by inviting questions directly from the students rather than beginning with prepared remarks. The approach immediately created a dynamic and thoughtful discussion. Questions ranged across leadership, operational challenges, and the evolving character of warfare. Throughout the exchange, several themes consistently surfaced in his responses: officers must know their craft, study relentlessly before deployment, maintain strong relationships with allies and partners, and lead the Marines and sailors entrusted to them with complete commitment.

The evening concluded with closing remarks that returned to the broader challenges facing today’s force: a rapidly changing character of war and an increasingly complex operational environment. Success, he noted, will continue to depend on leaders who remain intellectually curious, committed to learning, and fully dedicated to the Marines and sailors under their charge.

For more information about General Mattis, read his biography here.