From mathematics to academics, University of Michigan Football and Frisby golf, nothing is out of the realm of possibility for this Ashland University’s mathematics professor.
Dr. Christopher Swanson, a long-time serving professor since 1999, has served various roles in the past 26 years.
After graduating from the University of Michigan with a Ph.D. in mathematics, and being hired in 1999, Dr. Swanson worked nine years before gaining the title of director of the honors program around 2008 until the spring 2019 semester.
In the fall of 2019, Swanson was chosen to chair the mathematics and computer science department. From that role, he began to enjoy the administrative side to higher education.
“I enjoyed those administrative tasks. I still love teaching and still love the students I see in my classes, but I felt like I not only enjoyed those [administrative] tasks, but I was good at them,” Swanson said.
In the beginning of 2025, Swanson applied to become the assistant dean, eventually getting accepted.
“I officially started this on February 3, we’re already a month into the semester, so I already have classes that I’m teaching.”
While being an assistant dean, he still has the responsibility of teaching some classes in person, and online. He has taught a wide variety of mathematics including Discrete Mathematics, Probability and Mathematical Statistics.
Since starting his new role, he has been working on two primary things.
“The two main projects that we’ve been working on are collecting all the budgets from all the academic departments within the College of Arts and Sciences…and [working on] a number of articulation agreements with community colleges.”
Behind his serious teachings, Swanson has a few hidden fun facts to share.
“I’ll share two, I am an amateur math magician. . .and an avid frisbee golfer. . .I started to play in Graduate school with a friend of mine, who is now one of my research associates, we do an annual trip together and play all around the nation.”
Besides his long career at AU, Swanson enjoys teaching and watching football, particularly the University of Michigan.
“I am the professor that has the Michigan stuff on his car the weekend before the Ohio State game” Swanson said.
Regardless of football affiliations, Swanson loves AU and is excited to serve in this new position.
