Mrs. Nikki Shields
Nikki Shields serves as Director of Advancement at Hargrave Military Academy, a role she has held since 2023, focusing on fundraising, alumni and donor engagement, and building relationships that support Hargrave’s mission. She joined the Hargrave community in 2019 and has also earned the title of Editor-in-Chief of Guidon, Hargrave’s biannual publication.
Mrs. Shields attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 2014. Before joining Hargrave, she worked for the Pittsylvania County Department of Social Services as a Family Services Specialist/Child Protective Services from 2015 to 2019.
A native of Gretna, Virginia, Mrs. Shields is proud to call Southside Virginia home. She is happily married to her husband, Matt, and is mom to a very energetic little boy, Parker. She loves spending time with her family, reading, and traveling, and she is involved in the local community, serving on the Altavista YMCA Board of Directors. She also enjoys gardening, “although whether my plants consider that a ‘talent’ is debatable.”
Her favorite thing about Hargrave is seeing the impact it has on young men and the relationships that continue long after they graduate. She especially loves Alumni Weekend, when alumni return to campus, reconnect with one another, and share what Hargrave has meant to them.
Hargrave is a special place. I grew up in the area always knowing Hargrave was just a few miles away, but working here has given me a whole new perspective. The boys that come through here gain not only academic knowledge, but knowledge that they can carry with them into the real world; knowledge that puts them one step ahead of their peers.
— Mrs. Nikki Shields