Where Are They Now: Nick Swedick Leaving King’s

| Photo courtesy of The King’s College

A lone student waits in the Stetson conference room. She wants to become a student leader and is seeking to launch The Bridge, a new school organization. She is all but finished the process of launching it — she already has a member roll, an email and a staffed team. The only thing she is lacking is an official go-ahead from the school. The smart click of the doorknob startles her, and she puts down her phone as the final arbiter of that process enters the room.

Nick Swedick has an unmistakably business-like air about him. From the measured click of his stride to his perfectly shaved head and manicured beard, he exudes an aura of order. It is no act. Despite his apparent youthfulness, he’s a seasoned leader with over 10 years of directorial experience under his belt. That experience can be palpably felt in the room as he immediately takes a seat eight feet across from the would-be student leader and removes his mask. As if he can sense her uncertainty, he immediately congratulates her on her progress, reassuring her that the Bridge has followed the proper process. Her tension is visibly reduced, and she smiles — the meeting can now commence. He is no stone-cold executive — the entirety of his impressive record of leadership has been spent with students, and he’s developed a warm and comforting personality that his professionalism couldn’t possibly mask. 

“One of my biggest influences during my time as a student at King’s was Doc Salyers,” Swedick said. “He was very focused on hospitality, and liked to interact outside of classes — he would even invite us over to his house just to hang out. I have a lot of good memories with him over those seven semesters.” 

In addition to this influence, Swedick attributes much of his personal development to his House. 

“The Churchill community had a big impact on the way I lived… it was a wonderful community, and it really helped teach me the meaning of being a Christian.” 

Swedick spent his junior and senior years as the helmsman and chamberlain of Churchill, and despite his defection to house advisor for Bonhoeffer, he still considers himself a Churchill through and through.

Unexpectedly, his time serving on the Churchill executive team was the only management experience he had at King’s. He was not a business student. He majored in an obscure program known colloquially as “Politics, Philosophy and Economics” and planned on becoming a lawyer, at least until he failed his first LSAT. 

“After that, I thought about becoming a history teacher,” Swedick said. “But then God sort of stepped in.” 

In 2010, when Swedick was a senior serving as Churchill’s chamberlain, the school acquired the Ludlow apartments, a new location in the East Village for use as men’s housing. At this time, the role of chamberlain was more focused on housing than it is now. The house chamberlains of each residence building had a job similar to today’s housing directors. Immediately after he graduated, the school recruited Swedick to work as the housing director of Ludlow. While he accepted the job, he never stopped dreaming of one day teaching history, and to that end began simultaneously pursuing a masters in teaching at New York University. 

As he was nearing the end of the program, he let King’s know he would be leaving in six months, only to be detained once again. Another faculty member left the school, and Swedick was offered the position of Director of Student life. He worked in this capacity for six years before accepting yet another promotion to Assistant Dean of Students. 

Swedick’s experience has instilled in him the benign sense of order, professionalism and understanding currently filling the Stetson conference room. Swedick walks the student leader through her final steps, giving her advice based on his years of experience. From backing up passwords with the school to selecting a method of expense reporting, there is not a single question she has that Swedick cannot answer. Vying against his professionalism and sympathy is a third aura — he pauses often and responds initially to most questions with a drawn-out “uhhhhhhh.” As matter-of-fact and certain as he is in his answers, there is constant hesitation. Swedick is far more tired than he is trying to let on. 

The exhaustion is almost impossible to miss, and it is not hard to understand where it is coming from. In addition to his job as Assistant Dean, he is responsible for building and coaching the school’s fledgling basketball team. 

“If I had to describe him in one word, it would be love,” said Trevor Holland, one of the team’s lead players. 

“He really cares about what he’s doing, and puts so much effort into everything.” Graeme Straughn said, the House of Lewis’ scholar, who works with Swedick occasionally in the Statesmanship program. “He really is committed to everything he does.”

In addition to his myriad of responsibilities at the school, Swedick is a proud new father. Having this many commitments must necessarily come at a cost, and he is unwilling to let his family become a casualty. 

“This is actually my last year at King’s,” he said. “After this, we plan on trying to move to San Diego, to be near family, y’know, to help raise her [his daughter].” 

After officially serving his last day at King’s on March 1, Swedick is quite excited by the prospect of his next phase of life.

Breaking out his hard-cover pocketbook, he scribbles down a note to himself to contact IT. The school’s website is down and that will interfere with the business of the newly minted student organization. There is a brief silence. The student leader, still somewhat uncertain, speaks up. 

“So, uh… are we approved?” 

Swedick nodded, snapped shut his notebook and flashed a genuinely congratulatory smile. 

“You were already approved. Now, you’re approved-approved” 

It’s quite clear he knows how much work and passion she’s put into launching The Bridge, and is excited for her future with it. He has seen it all before.