Five pictures of European cities line one wall of Michael Swenson’s office—a nod to the more than 15 trips to Europe that he led for executive MBA students. On the opposite wall, a map marks each of the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, 19 of which Swenson has visited. This fall, the avid baseball fan may find himself with more time to hit the last 11 stadiums on his list.
After 37 years of teaching at the BYU Marriott School of Business—including seven years as a department chair—Swenson retires this summer, concluding a career he says was highlighted by finding connections with students, both in marketing and in their lives.
“I love seeing the light go on in students when we’re talking about a particular theory or framework and they make connections,” says Swenson, the former Christensen Professor of Marketing at BYU Marriott. Because Swenson spent most of his career teaching EMBA students, he has seen those principles applied in real time in students’ businesses.
“EMBA students came to class on Fridays and Saturdays wanting to learn something that they can apply to their jobs on Monday morning,” says Swenson, who received the BYU Marriott Outstanding Faculty Award in 2011. “I love it when they come back two weeks later and say, ‘I tried that, it’s really awesome.’”
And Swenson says he appreciates building relationships with students that extend beyond explaining marketing frameworks. “I love the students who maintain relationships with me,” he says, describing former students who share with him how they apply marketing principles in their career and those who return well after graduation for advice on next career moves.
At BYU Marriott, those relationships often include a spiritual side as well. “I bought into the mission of BYU from day one,” he says. “I’m grateful that we can pray, and I’m grateful that we can share our faith with each other. For me, that’s academic freedom.”
He says that academic freedom enabled him to help students through difficult moments in ways that he says can only happen at a place like BYU Marriott. “I’ve had MBA students who’ve lost children in accidents, and we pray for them. I’ve had EMBA students lose a spouse, and we pray for them. Those are special moments.”
Connections with his students are why Swenson chose to continue teaching despite preparing to retire a few years ago. When he returned to the classroom after COVID restrictions lifted, he explains, he felt reenergized by his students. “I love this,” he remembers saying to his wife, who responded, “Why would you retire?” So, Swenson spent a few more years in the classroom, doing what he’s loved for nearly four decades.
“I’ve had the blessing of team teaching with colleagues, traveling with EMBA students, and conducting research with colleagues,” he says, “and all of those have been great blessings in my life because I’ve been able to learn, and I also believe I’ve been able to contribute along the way.”