2026: Fall Issue
A Heart of Service
First Lady Misty Wainwright brings a lifelong passion for service, healthcare, and community mentorship to her role at Southeastern.
By: Brock Sanders
Service lives at the heart of Southeastern. From professors helping students finalize their thesis papers to Hammond residents donating to the food pantry, the Lion community doesn’t stop at the borders of campus.
Rooted in Hammond’s spirit of generosity, Southeastern’s culture has inspired generations of Lion leaders and alumni to give back and support those in need. First Lady Misty Wainwright has taken this culture in stride, integrating it into her daily routine and becoming part of the Lion community not only through President William S. Wainwright, but also through her own impact on campus.
“The students definitely inspire me,” Misty Wainwright said. “I think they inspire all of us.”
Before moving to Hammond, Misty Wainwright, a licensed therapist, owned a private practice in Covington that specialized in pregnancy and postpartum mental health. Understanding that there was a need within her community, her work focuses on supporting women experiencing postpartum depression, infant loss, birth trauma, infertility and other pregnancy-related challenges.
Misty Wainwright began seeing patients while completing her program at Northwestern State University. Determined to expand on her expertise, she sought training opportunities across the country. From New York to California, she traveled to learn from leading specialists and bring those skills back to the communities that needed them most.
“To have a specialized unit that is only dedicated to women who are pregnant or who have newly delivered, and they have their own care team and their own safe space was tremendous,” she said when visiting facilities and teams across the country.
She is also a founding member of the Postpartum Support International Louisiana Chapter, an organization dedicated to promoting awareness, support and treatment to recent mothers across the globe.
This deep commitment to leadership dates back to her college days as the Student Government Association President at Northwestern. It was there that she first met Dr. William S. Wainwright, then a graduate student in a shared class.
After the class ended, the two crossed paths when, as she recalls, “phones weren’t as accessible as they are now.” Unable to get an email address or contact her, Dr. Wainwright, who had recently moved to Natchitoches, Louisiana, asked a friend for advice on how to reach the mystery woman he had met in class.
“That’s our [SGA] President; everybody knows her,” a mutual friend of the Wainwrights said when asked about a girl Dr. Wainwright had met in class.
In 2026, the two celebrated 27 years of marriage. Today, the Wainwright family has spent the past three years sharing its passion for Southeastern.
“Who you choose as a partner in life is probably the biggest decision you’re ever going to make,” Misty Wainwright said. “If you have someone who is your biggest confidant, your greatest cheerleader, the person who motivates you, it can really take that trajectory to different levels. I’ve been lucky on that part.”
When Dr. Wainwright became president in 2023, Misty Wainwright stepped into a role that had been vacant for nearly two decades, becoming Southeastern’s first lady. From her first days on campus, she began shaping the position in ways that reflected her commitment to service.
“It’s an advantage for me because I get to create what that role looks like,” Misty Wainwright said.
One of her earliest priorities was supporting the Lion Up Food Pantry, which serves students facing food insecurity. Her efforts have helped expand resources and increase awareness of a challenge affecting college campuses nationwide.
“Most college students, as I was, as my husband was, are very much on a budget,” Misty Wainwright said. “The food pantry is vital for many of our students.”
She became actively involved in strengthening the program, which had previously been managed through an off-campus organization. Working alongside local food pantries and community partners, she helped revitalize and restock the pantry to better meet students’ needs.
“Food insecurity is an issue that universities across the nation are trying to tackle, and we are doing our part to meet those needs for our students,” Misty Wainwright said.
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Through her work with the food pantry, her advocacy for students and her service to the community, Misty Wainwright was recently named an Annie Award nominee by the Tangipahoa Chamber. The award honors the legacy of Southeastern administrator Anne Ferguson and recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the region.
“Being relatively new to this community, I’m very humbled to be recognized,” Misty Wainwright said. “If you look at all the past Annie Award recipients, these have been some amazing women who have gone on to make amazing contributions in this area.”
“Go out, and do good.”
Misty Wainwright’s service to students encompasses more than professional connections and extends into the classroom. As a guest lecturer for senior nursing students, she shares her professional journey and passion for maternal mental health. The First Lady speaks to students before and after their obstetrics (OB) rotations, giving future nurses an inside look at what it is to be a professional in the field and a voice for the women in the community.
“They are going to be the eyes and ears for those women in the communities that have just had their babies or are pregnant, and they are going to know what they’re looking at,” Misty Wainwright said.
Through these conversations, she encourages future healthcare professionals to recognize their vital role in supporting women during vulnerable moments. She reminds the students that it is their own hard work driving this change, making specialized care units and dedicated teams a reality, an impact that is absolutely vital for the strength of the community.
She urges students to “go out and do good,” reminding them that, in some communities, they “may be the only medical professional that this woman is seeing.”
Her involvement on campus extends well beyond the classroom. Whether helping students navigate campus resources, connecting them with professionals in their chosen fields, or simply being available to listen, Misty Wainwright embraces her role and cherishes the ability to meet students at every level on campus.
“I have the flexibility to be able to do a lot of different things as an ambassador of sorts for the university,” she said.
Misty Wainwright takes particular pride in helping students build professional connections. Drawing on relationships developed throughout her career, she often connects students with mentors and industry professionals who can help launch their careers.
“Small connections, I call [them] moments in time, can be life-changing,” Misty Wainwright said.
When she has a spare moment, Misty Wainwright can often be found in Pottle Hall listening to music students rehearse, another way she stays connected to campus life and the students who inspire her.
Since stepping into her role, she has introduced several new traditions to campus, most notably the First Lady Tree Lighting Ceremony each December and hosting a special tea honoring the reigning Miss Southeastern and an influential figure.
“We ask a lot of our Miss Southeastern. She is representing the university at a lot of events,” Misty Wainwright said. “Since I have been here, we have been represented so beautifully by Miss Southeastern, who carries herself professionally with grace and dignity.”
Misty Wainwright chose to begin this new tradition during Southeastern’s Centennial Year not only to celebrate Miss Southeastern for her representation of the university, but also to usher in a new wave of traditions for the next 100 years. Memorable milestones filled Misty Wainwright’s schedule during this historic chapter for Southeastern. Although the First Lady Tree Lighting was her favorite, she said the look on the football team’s faces as they entered Friendship Circle during the Homecoming game parade was everything.
“Those are the moments that just made the centennial year so special,” Misty Wainwright said.
Southeastern’s history is filled with distinguished alumni, faculty, staff and community leaders who have dedicated themselves to serving others. Among them is a First Lady who has become a resource for students, an advocate for the Hammond community and a champion for the Lion Family.
Each day, Misty Wainwright approaches her role with a simple question:
“I get up every morning and say, ‘Where can I be of the most service?’”
