Advancement Staff

Degrees:

B.S., University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Bio:

Lauren earned her B.S. from UNCP in Mass Communications and Public Relations. She has worked for UNCP as Assistant Director of Development & Events and the United Way of Robeson County as a Resource Development Manager.

B.S., Methodist University; M.S., University of Tennessee

B.S., M.S.W., East Carolina University; Ph.D., Walden University

Bio:

Dr. George Hendricks serves as the Senior Director for Community Affairs. Prior to his current appointment, he served as Dean of the School of Public Affairs, Dean of Graduate Studies, and Chair of the Social Work Department. George has twelve years of practice experience in School Social Work where he worked with at-risk elementary school, middle school, high school and alternative school students. His research interests and dissertation include the academic achievement of homeless children. In May 2019, George and Rev. Kelli Taylor published, “A Fresh Expression of ‘And Are We Yet Alive’” in the Asbury Theological Journal. He also has a motivational speaking business, George Hendricks Motivational Speaking. Dr. Hendricks is a two-time past presenter at the B. F. Stone Lyceum. His favorite quote is by Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Dr. Hendricks is an active member at St. Andrews United Methodist Church, He was recognized as the Cumberland County School Social Worker of the Year. He also earned the Exemplary Teacher Award and the Distinguished Professor of the Year award at MU and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the East Carolina University School of Social Work.

Dr. Hendricks is married to Kelly Hendricks, an R.N. with the Cumberland County Health Department. George and Kelly have two children, Tanner and Trevor.

Research Interests:

• Academic achievement of homeless children
• Methamphetamine

Personal Interests:

• Tennis
• Reading
• Kayaking

B.S., Westfield State University

B.A., University of Redlands; M.A., Claremont Graduate University

Bio:

Wendy Hustwit earned her bachelor’s degree in Government, with a minor in Spanish. She received her master’s degree in Applied Women’s Studies from Claremont Graduate University.

Wendy became Grant Writer/Sponsored Research Officer at Methodist University in October 2014. Prior to this position, she was the Grants Coordinator at Fayetteville Technical Community College for three years (2011-2014) and provided grant-writing consulting services in Fayetteville since moving to the area in 2009.

Since graduate school, Wendy has worked in non-profit and higher education fundraising, grassroots organizing, and political advocacy positions. Wendy’s grant writing career began in 2005 with her first grant proposal while working as Development Manager for a medium sized non-profit in Southern California. Wendy has helped numerous organizations with proposals and grant awards in higher education, public housing, health education, social services, mental health and substance abuse counseling, arts and culture, and workforce training.

B.A., Methodist University

Bio:

Taylor Murphy ’15 came to Methodist University from New Jersey and earned a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and minors in Legal Studies and Spanish. She was super involved as a student and following her 2015 graduation, spent six years in the Office of Admissions at MU before becoming Director of Alumni Relations in July of 2021.

B.A., Creighton University; J.D., Creighton University School of Law

Bio:

Greg Swanson serves as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Senior Council at Methodist University.

Swanson has a seasoned career working in administrative roles at colleges and universities around the U.S. Prior to joining the administration at Methodist University, he worked as the Vice President for College Relations and General Counsel at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C. Before that, he served as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and General Counsel at Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky.

His professional affiliations include the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, North Carolina Planned Giving Council, Association of Corporate Counsel, Kentucky State Bar Association, Nebraska State Bar Association, National Association of College and University Attorneys, and the Christian Legal Society.

Swanson earned his Bachelor of Arts in Professional Affiliations from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. before earning his Juris Doctor degree from the Creighton University School of Law.