Superhero on staff
Swathwood receives awards for service to college, community
Written by Story by Emily Sigg
Motivated by personal tragedy, Melissa Swathwood works tirelessly to bring awareness and out-of-the-box solutions to issues within the University and community. Her rich commitment to a multitude of volunteer efforts has helped save lives, educate nursing students and make her an invaluable community asset.
Swathwood, a research and faculty secretary for the Purdue School of Nursing, is a bank of information for faculty and students in Johnson Hall of Nursing. She is also the school’s first official volunteer coordinator.
“When I started at Purdue, I initiated the process in which our students created teams and actively participated in organizations, such as March of Dimes and Relay for Life,” Swathwood says. “It is important to me that my children, as well as their classmates and our college students here at Purdue, are actively involved in giving back.”
Swathwood received the 2015 College of Health and Human Sciences Staff Engagement Award recognizing outstanding achievements in engagement activities that have positively impacted the stakeholders of the college.
“Melissa is eager to make a difference in the workplace and community,” says Jane Kirkpatrick, associate professor and head of the School of Nursing. “She developed a newsletter for the School of Nursing to promote volunteer opportunities on campus and in the community. She also served as the president of the Tippecanoe Child Abuse Prevention Council for six years, and collaborated with undergraduate nursing students completing a service learning project for their leadership and management course.”
Swathwood realized the importance of a philanthropic community at a young age, when her father and sister were killed in a tornado.
“I learned at the age of 11, when my dad and sister were killed, that it is important to accept the help from others,” Swathwood says. “I also learned that it is possible to use the emotions from a tragedy to create something positive.”
Swathwood also was recognized at the YWCA’s 2015 Salute to Women dinner, where she was named a Woman of Distinction. This annual award honors outstanding and inspirational women for their achievements in volunteering, professional roles and community involvement.
The YWCA was especially impressed with the support Swathwood and her son, Carter, have shown for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
After Carter contracted the H1N1 flu virus and received treatment from Riley Hospital, the two became involved in the Purdue University Dance Marathon, a philanthropic student event that raises money for Riley Hospital. With his mother’s help, Carter became a Riley champion and raised over $12,500 for the hospital in two years.
“When Carter was fundraising for Riley Hospital, he included his entire school. He wanted them to understand that Riley saved his life and that there are other children that need saving,” Swathwood says. “If we can make the slightest gesture, if even just a smile to make someone feel better, why not? I instill this in my children daily.”
Swathwood was recognized once again for her outstanding performance when she received the Purdue 2015 Clerical and Service Staff Advisory Committee Excellence Award.
“Melissa operationalizes the engagement and service value that is part of the School of Nursing and the Purdue University mission,” Kirkpatrick says. “She has a heart for making a difference to improve the community and is always ready to step up as new needs arise.”