Georgia Native Races North
Nicki Hendrix, the new major gifts officer in the College of the Liberal Arts, is used to finishing ahead of the competition. The Georgia native holds the 2006 Athens (Georgia) Area Humane Society Soapbox Derby title, which she won while riding a converted kayak. Now, she’s applying those same winning ways to her job in development at Penn State. “I’m thrilled to be here,” Nicki says. “In my new position, I hope to increase the engagement of Liberal Arts alumni and expand giving to the college.”
Nicki started on October 19, 2009, having brought a wealth of diverse talents and experiences with her to Penn State. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in history and has worked in the advertising, marketing, public relations, and sales fields. Most recently, she held the title of assistant director for corporate and foundation relations at her alma mater, where she also previously served as the director of development for the College of Environment and Design and as an external affairs officer. “I look forward to being part of a top land-grant institution,” Nicki says. “I’m ready to apply my skills to the advancement of Penn State.”
When Nicki, who is working on a master’s in historic preservation from the University of Georgia, relocated north, she found the perfect place to live — Victorian Bellefonte. She and her husband, Christian Olmsted, a State College native, are restoring their Victorian-era home and enjoying the local restaurants. They are kept company by their three dogs, Judah, Nibbler, and Edgar; a cat, Honks; and a horse, A Boy Named Sioux.
In addition to history, Nicki is interested in environmental conservation. She watches hundreds of hours of film per year as a member of the Athens, Georgia Eco-Film Festival governing board. “I’m very environmentally aware and creative, and I like to apply those interests to everything I do,” she says. She also volunteers as a court-appointed special advocate for children in foster care.
Please welcome this versatile woman to Penn State!
-Written by Virginia Harrison, Administrative Support Assistant, Development and Alumni Relations