Saluting Graduates: Leaving a Legacy of Leadership
Driven by a passion for marine biology and maritime leadership, graduating senior Colton Burtch leaves a transformative legacy at Texas A&M-Galveston.
As a Maroon Delegate, Commanding Officer of the Alpha One Cadet Company, and Lead Deck Cadet during the 2026 Summer Sea Term, Colton Burtch needs little introduction. Burtch came to Texas A&M University at Galveston with the dream of being as involved as possible. His passion, leadership, and presence enabled him to spark positive change on campus, leaving a legacy for those who will come after he walks across the commencement stage on August 7.
Hailing from a small high school in New Braunfels, Texas, Burtch found himself drawn to marine biology from a young age. Ever since scuba diving as a child, he knew that he wanted to study marine life once he got to college.
“I also did Sea Camp and had a really fun experience throughout the summer doing that,” said Burtch. “That experience kind of pulled me into marine biology too.”
Although he toured a few other colleges, Burtch found the pull of the seaside campus too strong to ignore. For him, being so close to the environment that he wanted to study was just one factor among a laundry list of reasons to attend.
“I just loved the idea of being an Aggie and everything that that meant on top of going to a great school,” recalled Burtch. “So, I chose to go to A&M for marine biology.”
Coming from a smaller high school, Burtch knew that he wanted his college experience to be different. He wanted to be as involved on campus as possible. Burtch got an early start on that by attending the 2022 Aggieland Saturday by the Sea — where he learned about getting his license option through the Texas A&M Maritime Academy while still pursuing his Marine Biology degree.
With the wholehearted support of his family, Burtch pursued that option soon after coming to campus in 2023. He hit the ground running as a freshman in the Maritime Academy, learning and interacting with others as much as he could.
“I learned freshman year I couldn’t be involved in the corps in any leadership capacity yet. So, I did everything else,” said Burtch. “I did a lot of student activities. That’s when I started up with CAMMs and started getting that rolling into a bigger, brighter direction.”
The Council of American Master Mariners (CAMM) is a national organization that promotes nautical education and training through exchanging maritime experience between professionals. During his freshman year, Burtch played a vital role in reviving the CAMM Texas A&M Maritime Academy Cadet Chapter, eventually becoming president of the organization and fundraising for impactful educational trips for club members.
As soon as he was eligible for leadership after his first year, Burtch interviewed for Senior Chief of Alpha One. He had already been practicing for the interviews well in advance, and it paid dividends. Being so involved throughout his first year was both a boost to his leadership application and a learning experience that prepared him for the roles he would soon take — from Senior Chief all the way up to Commanding Officer (CO) of Alpha One and Maroon Delegate.
“When the time came to apply for CO, I took full advantage of it and I was ready to go,” recalled Burtch. “I got into that position through lots of hard work, being so involved, and being that person that people see all the time, I think.”
Burtch’s solid track record of leadership led to him being the Lead Deck Cadet during the 2026 Summer Sea Term. While serving in that capacity, he thought of an unprecedented way to let his fellow marine biology classmates get experience doing research in the field.
“What we did this past summer is we worked with Dr. Kaiser, and we were able to take water samples,” explained Burtch. “We were able to take samples in most of the ports we went to for water quality. And then we were also pumping and taking samples for microplastics.”
This initiative was inspired by Burtch’s own experience during his freshman Summer Sea Term, where he felt like there was room to integrate more direct marine biology work, even during a maritime transportation-focused summer.
“I feel like our marine biology program is amazing, our transportation program is phenomenal, and we have a major that combines both of them,” Burtch said. “In the summer, it’d be perfect to just bring it all on Sea Term and really start doing a lot more research.”
In his time at Texas A&M University, Burtch made unforgettable memories with people across campus. “I could have never achieved any of my leadership positions if it wasn’t for the support and encouragement of my friends and family,” said Burtch. “I believe that the environment in Galveston truly allows for any student to succeed through the close community here, especially in the Corps of Cadets, where you and your buddies grow and work together.”
After stepping up to be a leader for his fellow students, Burtch has some advice for those who will follow: “You’re paying a good bit to be in college, so don’t do the bare minimum,” said Burtch. “I feel like there’s no reason you should go to college and not be involved. I think you’re missing out on a really big opportunity to make yourself a better person.”
After graduating in August with his Third Mate Unlimited Tonnage license, Colton Burtch is excited to sail for a few years before possibly shifting into marine biology or conservation research. If one thing is clear from his time on campus, his passion, leadership, and presence will undoubtedly stand as a force for good wherever his career takes him.
