Swafford steps down, stays on to teach

By Jerrod Huber

Roger Swafford is stepping down as director of public relations and marketing, but said he is stepping up to do what he loves best.

Although Swafford will be leaving his PR position, he will continue as a faculty member teaching at the Craig School of Business.

“I’ve taught on the college level for over 15 years. I will be teaching introduction to marketing and the class I’ve been teaching for the last 7 semesters, marketing and promotions,” Swafford said.

“I have always enjoyed teaching, and, at this point in my career, it’s time to give back. I’ve been a professional for 30 years and I learned a lot of things on the job, which I hope to pass on to the students. My students have an advantage that they can carry into their careers and hit the ground running, and I’m just hoping I can be helpful to them.”

Assistant Public Relations and Marketing Director Kent Heier said that Swafford has done a great job as PR Director. He understands the value of Westerns brand and has been very active in making others understand that value as well.

“He told me this opportunity for him to teach full-time is an opportunity he couldn’t pass up; now he can teach even more, and I think that was a major factor in his decision,” Heier said.

Heier said Swafford has been a part of a growing sense of pride that the campus has and the community has in Missouri Western.

“Swafford has been and will continue to be very actively involved in the community in terms of organizations, and that helped solidify the relationship that Western has with the St. Joseph community,” Heier said.

Dan Nicoson, vice president for university advancement, said Swafford has been a valuable member of the staff , bringing perspective to the department that somebody only out of corporate public relations, like Swafford, would be able to.

“He has always wanted to teach and has been teaching part-time ever since he has been here, and now he has this opportunity to move to teaching full-time, and it’s something he looks forward to,” Nicoson said.

According to Nicoson, Swafford has been a big champion of making sure that the Western brand is promoted and protected.

“Swafford’s work with the brand and his help to insert Western out in the community has helped Western be recognized as the quality that is reality here,” Nicoson said.

Nicoson said the search for a new PR Director will begin at the first of the year.