Misty Wainwright is the First Lady of Southeastern — the first to hold the role in 15 years — and is making strides through her initiatives, helping students across campus.
Wainwright has a history of helping people. Before becoming the First Lady, she worked as a therapist. She started a practice to help all women, specializing in pregnant mothers and supporting them through the postpartum period.
Upon her arrival on campus in 2023, she molded the First Lady’s responsibilities from the ground up and focused those responsibilities on what she is passionate about. Wainwright said she admires individuals who bravely confront challenging situations and ask, “If not me, then who?”
She began looking for places where she was needed and could volunteer. With the help of Dr. Eric Summers and her own efforts, the Roomie’s Pride Food Pantry is now open four days a week and available to students, staff and faculty without any questions asked. It stocks a range of shelf-stable items, but thanks to local donors, it now also offers fresh produce.
Wainwright also helped establish lactation stations on campus for women to be able to have some privacy and partnered with the Junior League of Greater New Orleans to provide women’s hygiene products to students free of charge.
She stays engaged with the students, listening to the sounds of Pottle Hall or watching the theatre department rehearse.
“[Students] are on the cusp of launching their careers, so it’s exciting energy to be around. We train students who go out throughout the world globally, not just the Gulf South, and make real lasting impacts,” Wainwright said.
She frequents the TEC, where she watches education students write lesson plans and learn to become teachers. When she visits Science and Technology, she said she is astounded by the “mind-blowing research” our undergraduates are conducting.
Wainwright said she appreciates all departments but is biased towards our counseling and nursing programs because of her professional background. She even gives guest talks to the university’s senior nursing students.
“I do one day of lecture and try to train them as best that I can so that they can be the eyes and ears when they go out in their jobs and their communities to be able to do proper screenings and be able to help,” Wainwright said.
Pondering a book she would recommend students read, Wainwright recommended Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
“It’s an oldie but goodie,” she concluded.
