Laura Lott Valenti, management and marketing instructor, won the title of Mrs. Louisiana United States and competed with other married women from throughout the nation for the title of Mrs. United States 2011.

Valenti won a preliminary competition, in order to compete in the Mrs. Louisiana competition on May 15. She won the title and continued on to the Mrs. United States pageant on Aug. 3 and 4, at the Las Vegas Hilton.

 “I practiced pretty much every day for at least one component,” Valenti said. “When you go to nationals, they won’t say Laura Lott Valenti. They say ‘Louisiana’, so I wanted to present myself and the state in the best way possible.”

Mrs. United States participants competed in personal interview, evening gown and swimsuit competitions. The annual pageant was created to recognize the intellect, success, strength, beauty and resilience of married women throughout the United States.

“I’m very new to pageantry,” Valenti said. “I’ve only been competing for about a year.”

She explained that each competition required a certain amount of preparation.

“The common denominator is that you prepare for everything mentally and emotionally, but there are also certain things that require more work,” Valenti said. “Interview and onstage question are my favorite, but the swimsuit competition takes a little bit more time and dedication.”

She explained that she was dressed and ready for competition every time she stepped out of her hotel room.

“I’m normally not a very competitive person, but I did get a little competitive at nationals,” Valenti said. “I really wanted to be perceived as the professional yet classy young lady.”

Valenti volunteers and uses her Mrs. Louisiana title to raise awareness for several organizations, including the United Way for Greater New Orleans, Louisiana Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Heifer International and Kiva. She also co-founded a women’s networking group, WIN NOLA, and serves as an advocate for breast cancer and cervical cancer awareness.

“You get to make the title what you want, and I want this to be something that married women strive for,” Valenti said. “I want women to know that you can tie in family, career, and doing something for yourself, while also giving back.”

Valenti, married to Richard Valenti Jr., graduated from the University of New Orleans, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in business administration.

 “I didn’t go to school to be a marketing instructor,” Valenti said. “Life took me on that path.”

At Nicholls, Valenti teaches classes on marketing principles, services marketing and advertising. She also serves as the alumni advisor for students with Walt Disney internships.

 “My platform is personal selling through education,” Valenti said.

Valenti is also working on a book which she said will combine personal experience with textbook quality and self-help tips, to teach people technique to sell themselves.

“I hope to grow with the university and stay here until I retire,” Valenti said. “I love what I do.”