Shannon Hickson
Director of Development and Alumni Relations, School of Information
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, The University of Texas at Austin, College of Education, expected 2027
MBA in Management, St. Edward's University, 2014
B.S. in Counseling and Guidance, Texas A&M University at Commerce, 1997
Email: shannon.hickson@ischool.utexas.edu
Office: PCL , UTA
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, The University of Texas at Austin, College of Education, expected 2027
MBA in Management, St. Edward's University, 2014
B.S. in Counseling and Guidance, Texas A&M University at Commerce, 1997
Email: shannon.hickson@ischool.utexas.edu
Office: PCL , UTA
Shannon Hickson serves as the Director of Development for UT Libraries at The University of Texas at Austin, where she leads fundraising strategy and philanthropic engagement in support of one of the nation's leading academic research libraries. With more than 20 years of experience spanning higher education advancement, workforce development, career services, business development, and relationship management, Hickson is recognized for her ability to cultivate meaningful partnerships, align philanthropic investments with institutional priorities, and translate strategy into sustainable results.
In her role with UT Libraries, Hickson works closely with donors, alumni, library leadership, faculty, staff, and advisory council members to advance the Libraries' mission through major gifts, annual giving, endowments, planned giving, and special philanthropic initiatives. Her work focuses on building transformative relationships, stewarding existing partnerships, and expanding support for research, teaching, student success, digital innovation, preservation, and public access to knowledge.
Prior to joining UT Libraries, Hickson served for seven years as Director of Development and Alumni Relations for the UT School of Information (Texas iSchool), where she led fundraising and alumni engagement efforts during a period of growth and transformation. In that role, she cultivated major gifts, expanded alumni engagement initiatives, strengthened donor stewardship programs, and partnered with faculty and university leaders to advance strategic priorities.
Before transitioning into advancement leadership, Hickson spent eleven years at the UT McCombs School of Business in progressively responsible roles. As Director of BBA Employer Relations and Recruitment Services, she collaborated with employers across multiple industries to develop recruitment strategies and experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students while also supporting external engagement and fundraising initiatives. Earlier, she served as Assistant Director of Working Professional MBA Career Management, advising graduate students and employer partners and strengthening relationships between the university and industry.
Prior to her career in higher education, Hickson spent eight years with Adecco Employment Services, one of the world's largest staffing organizations, where she advanced through several leadership positions from Recruiter to Branch Manager. These experiences provided a strong foundation in business development, talent acquisition, workforce strategy, leadership, and client relationship management. She began her professional career with the Texas Workforce Commission.
Hickson is also a part-time Ph.D. student whose research interests center on workforce and professional development in higher education, with particular attention to career pathways, professional learning, and the factors that shape effectiveness and success within higher education fundraising and advancement. She is especially interested in how individuals enter the major gift fundraising profession, develop the knowledge base, best practices, relationships, and professional dispositions valued within the field, and how institutional environments influence practitioner development and career progression. Through her research, she seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of talent development, professional identity formation, and workforce sustainability within advancement organizations.
In her role with UT Libraries, Hickson works closely with donors, alumni, library leadership, faculty, staff, and advisory council members to advance the Libraries' mission through major gifts, annual giving, endowments, planned giving, and special philanthropic initiatives. Her work focuses on building transformative relationships, stewarding existing partnerships, and expanding support for research, teaching, student success, digital innovation, preservation, and public access to knowledge.
Prior to joining UT Libraries, Hickson served for seven years as Director of Development and Alumni Relations for the UT School of Information (Texas iSchool), where she led fundraising and alumni engagement efforts during a period of growth and transformation. In that role, she cultivated major gifts, expanded alumni engagement initiatives, strengthened donor stewardship programs, and partnered with faculty and university leaders to advance strategic priorities.
Before transitioning into advancement leadership, Hickson spent eleven years at the UT McCombs School of Business in progressively responsible roles. As Director of BBA Employer Relations and Recruitment Services, she collaborated with employers across multiple industries to develop recruitment strategies and experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students while also supporting external engagement and fundraising initiatives. Earlier, she served as Assistant Director of Working Professional MBA Career Management, advising graduate students and employer partners and strengthening relationships between the university and industry.
Prior to her career in higher education, Hickson spent eight years with Adecco Employment Services, one of the world's largest staffing organizations, where she advanced through several leadership positions from Recruiter to Branch Manager. These experiences provided a strong foundation in business development, talent acquisition, workforce strategy, leadership, and client relationship management. She began her professional career with the Texas Workforce Commission.
Hickson is also a part-time Ph.D. student whose research interests center on workforce and professional development in higher education, with particular attention to career pathways, professional learning, and the factors that shape effectiveness and success within higher education fundraising and advancement. She is especially interested in how individuals enter the major gift fundraising profession, develop the knowledge base, best practices, relationships, and professional dispositions valued within the field, and how institutional environments influence practitioner development and career progression. Through her research, she seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of talent development, professional identity formation, and workforce sustainability within advancement organizations.
