Dr. Mike Wigginton, Jr. was born in New Orleans, LA. He joined the United States Air Force in 1968 where he served as a Security Police Military Dog Handler for four years. While he was enlisted in the USAF, he served two tours of duty in Southeast Asia at Phang Rang AFB and Camn Rahn Bay AFB in the Republic of South Vietnam. Following his honorable discharge from military service, he joined the New Orleans Police Department where he served as a patrol officer in the uptown area of the city. Following the NOPD strike, Dr. Wigginton joined the Louisiana State Police (LSP) where he served in patrol, narcotics and the criminal intelligence divisions. After serving for five years with the LSP, he joined the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Special Agent assigned to the Miami Field Division. While assigned to the Miami field office, he conducted numerous international drug smuggling investigations. After serving for five years with the DEA, Dr. Wigginton transferred to the U.S. Customs Service Office of Investigations and was assigned to the Office of the Special Agent in Charge, New Orleans.
While working in New Orleans, he was assigned to Air and Marine Smuggling Unit, Office of Internal Affairs, Special Operations Unit, Exodus Investigations Unit and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. He retired from the U.S. Customs Service in January 2004. Upon retiring from government service, he earned his Ph.D. in Administration of Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi. Upon receiving his doctorate, he taught at SLU and Southeastern Louisiana University as an adjunct professor. In 2006 he was hired as an Assistant Professor at SLU, Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology. In 2008 he was hired as an Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi, Department of Legal Studies where he also serves as the Graduate Coordinator and the Executive Cohort Program Coordinator. The Department of Legal Studies is fortunate to have the experience Mike brings to the classroom.