GWU President Names Interim Vice President for Advancement

Aaron Hinton Will Lead Team Through Time of Transition

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—On Wednesday, July 1, Gardner-Webb President Dr. William M. Downs named Aaron Hinton as interim vice president for Advancement. Hinton, a member of the Advancement team since 2011, will serve in that capacity during Gardner-Webb’s national search for a new vice president.

“I am grateful to Aaron for taking on this additional responsibility, and I trust that the whole team will approach fundraising with a renewed sense of purpose and energy,” Downs stated.

Since December 2019, Hinton has served as director of Advancement for Christian Service and Foundations and helped to secure more than $1.3 million dollars in 2019-20 fiscal year.

“I am honored to lead the Advancement team through this time of transition,” Hinton said. “This is an exciting time to be at Gardner-Webb—there is great work to be done and we have the team to do it. The support of the Bulldog Nation will empower Gardner-Webb as a place where Christian compassion meets academic and athletic excellence.”

Hinton manages current foundation relationships, cultivates new prospects for the University and serves as the primary writer and editor for the Advancement team. He also directs the Christian Service Organization (CSO)—the largest scholarship endowment at GWU with more than $5.8 million in the principle balance. CSO scholarships are need-basis and reserved for students following God’s call to full-time vocational ministry or mission. Hinton, along with many others, help foster the strong ties Gardner-Webb enjoys with churches and denominational partners.

Hinton came to GWU in 2011 to serve as director of Church Relations and the Christian Service Organization. Prior to joining the Advancement team at Gardner-Webb, he was guest services/marketing coordinator at the N.C. Baptist Assembly at Fort Caswell. Hinton received his Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care and Counseling from GWU in 2020. He has international experience through multiple trips to Tanzania, East Africa and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Located in the North Carolina foothills, Gardner-Webb University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university. Gardner-Webb emphasizes a strong student-centered experience and rigorous academics to prepare students to become effective leaders within the global community. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.