First Katie Wainwright Endowed Scholarship awarded
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
by: Tonya Lowentritt
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| Liah Johnson | Katie Wainwright |
KATIE WAINWRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED - Southeastern Louisiana University creative writing student Liah Johnson of Hammond has been awarded the first Katie Wainwright Endowed Scholarship. Wainwright’s family and friends established the scholarship to honor her memory and to encourage future students to pursue creative writing.
HAMMOND – The first Katie Wainwright Endowed Scholarship was recently awarded
to Southeastern Louisiana University creative writing student Liah Johnson of Hammond.
A junior, Johnson said she comes from a large family of educators that always
encouraged her to pursue her passions.
“I believe that part of my life’s purpose involves inspiring and healing people
through the arts, specifically writing. Reading and writing transformed my life as
a child and continue to do so. My desire is to create the kinds of stories that will
do the same thing for others,” she said. “Receiving the Katie Wainwright scholarship
has helped me continue my higher education journey at Southeastern. Not only have
I learned more about my craft, but about the world and myself. I have met wonderful
people—faculty and classmates alike. It has been an invaluable experience that I will
cherish for the rest of my life.”
The scholarship was created after Wainwright’s death in 2016. She was a 1976
graduate of Southeastern with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a multiple-published
fiction author.
Wainwright’s family and friends launched the scholarship to honor her memory
and to encourage future students to pursue creative writing. Her sons David and William
ensured the scholarship was fully endowed, enabling it to be awarded as soon as possible.
For more information, or to contribute to the Katie Wainwright Scholarship, contact
Southeastern’s University Advancement at 985-549-2239.
