Ep. 74: Breaking Records, Building Belonging: Inside UNC Charlotte’s Advancement Playbook

UNC Charlotte is rewriting what modern university advancement can look like—fast, collaborative, and deeply rooted in place. In this episode of Talking Tactics with Safaniya Stevenson, Beth Krigler and Penny Hawkins unpack how the “For the Love of Charlotte” campaign helped fuel a record-breaking surge in giving, including an extraordinary rise in non-alumni engagement and a fundraising trajectory that’s set to hit its $500M goal years ahead of schedule. From building a culture of “getting to yes” to breaking down silos across athletics, academics, and alumni relations, this conversation reveals how intentional alignment, shared language, and community-driven strategy can transform fundraising from transactional efforts into sustained momentum.

Guest Names:
Beth Crigler, Vice Chancellor or University Advancemnt, University of North Carolina Charlotte
Penny Hawkins, Deputy Athletic Director, Chief Enterprise Philanthropy Officer, University of North Carolina Charlotte

Guest Socials:
Penny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-hawkins-cfre-68ab893/
Beth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-crigler-cfre-139889114/

Guest Bios:
Penny Hawkins is Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Philanthropy Officer at UNC Charlotte, where she leads philanthropic strategy for Charlotte Athletics while also serving as Associate Vice Chancellor for Development. She has additionally served as Interim Executive Director of the Athletic Foundation since November 2025, guiding a period of accelerated growth in donor engagement and athletic fundraising. Since joining UNC Charlotte in 2021 as Senior Director of Development for Strategic Planning and Gifts, Hawkins has quickly become a central leader in the University’s advancement enterprise. In 2022, she was appointed Associate Vice Chancellor for Development, where she has helped shape and execute some of the institution’s most ambitious fundraising efforts. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing the For the Love of Charlotte campaign, a $500 million initiative that has already secured $400 million in commitments and continues to build momentum toward its goal. Hawkins has played a key role in UNC Charlotte’s record-setting philanthropic achievements, including contributing to the University’s first-ever $100 million fundraising year in FY25 and helping secure transformative gifts such as a $23 million commitment from the Mebane Foundation in support of literacy education. During Niner Nation Gives 2026, she helped lead Charlotte Athletics to a historic performance, more than doubling its previous record with $2.2 million raised through 1,852 gifts. Before joining UNC Charlotte, Hawkins served as a senior consultant with PMA Nonprofit Leadership and held development roles with organizations including Novant Health, KinderMourn, and the Council for Children’s Rights. A Certified Fundraising Executive and graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, she is also an active leader within the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Across her career, Hawkins has been recognized for building strong donor relationships, aligning philanthropic strategy with institutional vision, and helping organizations translate momentum into long-term impact—particularly in support of student success and community advancement.

Beth Derrick Crigler is vice chancellor for advancement at UNC Charlotte, where she leads the University’s philanthropic strategy, alumni engagement, advancement operations, external relations, university events, and communications. She was appointed to the role following a national search, having previously served in the position in an interim capacity since July 2022. Since joining UNC Charlotte in 2018 as associate vice chancellor of development, Crigler has played a central role in advancing the University’s fundraising momentum, including helping to complete the $200 million Exponential Campaign, which ultimately closed at more than $218 million. Under her leadership, the University has continued to exceed annual fundraising goals and recently achieved record-setting success with its most successful Niner Nation Gives campaign to date, alongside securing transformative support such as a historic gift from the Mebane Foundation for literacy education and raising more than $60 million toward strategic priorities. A 20-year veteran of the development profession, Crigler has raised more than $130 million for Charlotte-area charitable organizations and more than $1 billion for nonprofits across North Carolina. Prior to UNC Charlotte, she served as senior director of principal and leadership gifts for the Novant Health Foundation and has held leadership roles with organizations including Charlotte Latin School, the U.S. National Whitewater Center, Sharon Towers, and the Cabarrus County Boys & Girls Club. A Certified Fundraising Executive and graduate of the University of South Carolina, Crigler is also active in the broader Charlotte community, serving on the Board of Directors of Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing Partnership and Camp Debbie Lou, a family camp she helped found for children with cancer.

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/

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